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TRANSLATIONS
One escaped from death, Aa1-52, and from that one life was
renewed:
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Aa1-49 |
Aa1-50 |
Aa1-51 |
Aa1-52 |
Aa1-53 |
Aa1 |
"In the Marquesas group rafts were formally
used, and are referred to in some recorded oceanic voyages.
Huge rafts were here generally constructed from extremely
thick bamboo.
The old natives of Fatuhiva still
speak of an attack made by neighbouring tribes upon the
inhabitants of Manuoo Valley, with the direct result
that, to save their lives, the whole population of that
district - men, women and children - embarked upon a number
of large rafts made from thick bamboo securely lashed
together.
They stored coconuts, poi-poi, and
other provisions on board the rafts, as well as fishing
gear, and a fresh water supply in large bamboo canes with
pierced joints. And thus they all deserted the island in a
body. Years later one of these refugees returned to Uapou
Island in the Marquesas group, bringing the news that his
party had landed safely on an atoll in the distant
Tuamotu group." (Heyerdahl 6)
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Poi
Mq.: people, family, collective
sign. Ha.: poe, a number of persons.
Poipoi, round, globular. Ma.: poi, a
ball. Churchill. |
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"Poi ball, made from
plaited flax fibre ornamented with haliotis
shell and stuffed with bullrush down. It was
swung rythmically around the body and tapped for
percussive effect to the accompaniment of
chant." (Starzecka) |
| "Poi is a
Hawaiian word for the primary Polynesian staple
food made from the corm of the kalo plant
(known widely as taro). Poi is produced
by mashing the cooked corm (baked or steamed) to
a highly viscous fluid. Water is added during
mashing and again just before eating, to achieve
a desired consistency, which can range from
liquid to dough-like (poi can be known as
two-finger or three-finger, alluding to how many
fingers you would have to use to eat it,
depending on its consistency).
Poi
should not be confused with Tahitian po'e,
which is a sweet, pudding-like dish made with
bananas, papaya, or mangoes cooked with manioc
and coconut cream.
The bowl of
poi was considered so
important and a sacred part of
daily Hawaiian life that
whenever a bowl of poi was
uncovered at the family dinner
table, it was believed that the
spirit of Hāloa, the
ancestor of the Hawaiian people,
was present. This is because
Hawaiians believed that the taro
plant, or kalo, was the
original ancestor of the
Hawaiian people. Because of
that, all conflict among family
members had to come to an
immediate halt ... Most
first-time tasters describe
poi as resembling library
paste - more an allusion to the
texture than the fruit, which is
delicate. The flavor changes
distinctly once the poi
has been made. Fresh poi
is sweet and edible all by
itself. Each day thereafter the
poi loses sweetness and
turns slightly sour. Because of
this, some people find poi
more palatable when it is mixed
with milk and/or sugar, although
purists frown on this. The speed
of this fermentation process
depends upon the bacteria level
in the poi. The bacteria
are harmless, and some would
even say beneficial. To slow the
souring process, poi
should be stored in a cool, dark
location (such as a kitchen
cupboard). Poi stored in
the refrigerator should be
squeezed out of the bag into a
bowl, and a thin layer of water
drizzled over the top to keep a
crust from forming. Sour poi
is still quite edible with
salted fish or lomi
salmon on the side. Some would
reasonably argue that poi
is inedible beyond five days.
Sourness is prevented by
freezing or dehydrating,
although the resulting poi
tends to be bland in
comparison with the fresh
product ..." (Wikipedia)
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4 on side a and 8 on side b. |
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Aa1-43 |
Aa4-38 |
Aa7-82 |
Aa8-84 |
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Ab1-62 |
Ab1-77 |
Ab2-1 |
Ab2-18 |
Ab2-47 |
Ab6-78 |
Ab6-80 |
Ab8-35 |
If the new cycle of life begins with Aa1-43, then an idea
which immediately floats up to the surface is that the 4
henua (GD37) on side a represent the 4 quarters of the
year and that the 8 henua on side b represent the 8
'quarters' of the moon (4 for waxing moon and 4 for waning
moon).
To investigate whether there may be any reality in this idea
we can investigate what ordinal numbers the 12 glyphs above
have:
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Aa1-43 |
43 |
1 |
1 |
Ab1-62 |
62 |
26 |
1 |
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Aa4-38 |
289 |
247 |
158 |
Ab1-77 |
77 |
41 |
79.5 |
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Aa7-82 |
582 |
540 |
315 |
Ab2-1 |
83 |
47 |
158 |
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Aa8-84 |
669 |
627 |
472 |
Ab2-18 |
100 |
64 |
236.5 |
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In the 3rd column 42 has been subtracted, and in
the 7th column 36 subtracted.
In the 4th and
in the last column are the expected numbers,
given that 1/4 respectively 1/8 had been goals (and 200π the circuit). |
Ab2-47 |
129 |
93 |
315 |
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Ab6-78 |
482 |
446 |
393.5 |
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Ab6-80 |
484 |
448 |
472 |
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Ab8-35 |
615 |
579 |
550.5 |
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Obviously the
idea does not explain the distribution of the
glyphs. |
Still, even if the distribution of the main henua
glyphs does not correspond to the expected simple
geometrical distribution (according to the division of 200π
by muliples of 1/4 respectively 1/8), the circuits around
side a and side b may correspond to a yearly cycle
respectively a monthly cycle. If so, the distribution of the
glyphs follows some other pattern.
Let us now return to the earlier discoveries:
... 90 = 36 (Aa1-1--36) + 18 (Aa1-37--54) +
36 (Aa1-55--90):
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Aa1-1--12 |
12 |
36 |
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Aa1-13--15 |
3 |
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Aa1-16--36 |
21 |
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Aa1-37--42 |
6 |
12 |
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Aa1-43--48 |
6 |
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Aa1-49--54 |
6 |
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Aa1-55--60 |
6 |
36 |
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Aa1-60--66 |
7 |
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Aa1-67--72 |
6 |
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Aa1-73--76 |
4 |
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Aa1-77--90 |
14 |
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... My intention to
present in a table the division of line a1 into 36 + 18 + 36
glyphs failed. Considering what I perceive as the meaning in
the glyphs it became impossible to sum up to 18: The
calendar of the night consists of 12 glyphs and does not
easily extend forward 6 glyphs more.
Though it could
be done by arguing that Aa1-13--15 (the X-area)
is an extension of the solar year (Aa1-1--12), and that
Aa1-43--48 therefore equally well might be read as an
extension of the night (Aa1-37--48).
The 'finished' leg is seen
both in Aa1-15 and Aa1-54. I have shown the last glyphs of
each sequence in the column at right ...
The attempt was not so bad, I now think.
There are similar glyphs at the end of three subdivisions
(Aa-15, Aa1-54 and Aa1-90):
90
will thereby be divided into 15 + 39 + 36 glyphs, i.e. into
54 (= 3 * 18) + 36 (= 2 * 18).
Furthermore, 'The calendar of the night consists of 12
glyphs and does not easily extend forward 6 glyphs more.'
The problem is solved - as earlier suggested - by
subtracting 6 glyphs (Aa1-43--48). Thereby the assymmetric
12 disappears and 18 is nicely reached by 3 * 6:
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Aa1-37--42 |
6 |
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Aa1-43--48 |
6 |
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Aa1-49--54 |
6 |
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Therefore we should continue the successful 18-glyph trip.
Aa1-18 fits into the pattern:
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Aa1-16 |
Aa1-17 |
Aa1-18 |
Aa1-19 |
The
reverse Aa1-17 tells us that at Aa1-18 a new period is
beginning. Similarly the reverse Aa1-34 (twice 17) tell us
that 'one got away' and a new cycle will start again after
the Janus sign in Aa1-35:
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Aa1-32 |
Aa1-33 |
Aa1-34 |
Aa1-35 |
Aa1-36 |
A
third version of the same story appears with Aa1-52 as the
'survivor':
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Aa1-49 |
Aa1-50 |
Aa1-51 |
Aa1-52 |
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Aa1-53 |
Aa1-54 |
Aa1-55 |
Aa1-56 |
Aa1-54 (3 * 18) arrives immediately after the Janus sign in
Aa1-53. Therefore, we should reinterpret Aa1-15 to mean that
after 14 glyphs a new period begins:
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14 *
26 = 364 |
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Aa1-1 |
Aa1-2 |
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Aa1-3 |
Aa1-4 |
Aa1-5 |
Aa1-6 |
Aa1-7 |
Aa1-8 |
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Aa1-9 |
Aa1-10 |
Aa1-11 |
Aa1-12 |
Aa1-13 |
Aa1-14 |
Also Aa1-72 (with 72 = 4 * 18) seems to be a point of
turning around:
The
5 marks on Aa1-72 probably means the same thing as the 5
marks on the reversed tapa mea in Aa1-34, i.e. that
'one got away'. Also: 360 / 5 = 72.
Thus line Aa1 seems to be intentionally divided into 5
parts:
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Aa1-18 |
Aa1-36 |
Aa1-54 |
Aa1-72 |
Aa1-90 |
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sun escapes (tere)
from darkness |
one 'got away' (new start) |
new start (oho) |
'turning
around' (vari) 5 times |
'finished' (oti) |
During p.m. there are 2 * 6 = 12 forward
marks up to and including the 'death' of the sun, but
only 6 + 5 = 11 backward marks - i.e. one 'got away' and
in Aa1-36 we can see him:
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Tere
1. To run, to flee, to escape
from a prison. 2. To sail a boat (also:
hakatere); tere vaka, owner of a
fishing boat. 3. (Deap-sea) fisherman;
tere kahi, tuna fisherman; tere
ho'ou, novice fisherman, one who goes
deap-sea fishing for the first time.
Penei te huru tûai; he-oho te tere ho'ou ki
ruga ki te hakanonoga; ana ta'e rava'a,
he-avai e te tahi tagata tere vaka i te îka
ki a îa mo hakakoa, mo iri-hakaou ki te
hakanonoga i te tahi raá. The ancient
custom was like this: the novice fisherman
would go to a hakanonoga; if he
didn't catch anything, another fisherman
would give him fishes to make him happy so
he'd go again one day to the hakanonoga
(more distant fishing zones where larger
fishes are found). Vanaga.
To depart, to run, to take
leave, to desert, to escape, to go away, to
flee, fugitive, to sail, to row, to take
refuge, to withdraw, to retreat, to save
oneself; terea, rest, defeat;
tetere, to beat a retreat, to go away,
refugee; teretere, to go away,
hurrah; hakatere, to set free, to
despatch, to expel, to let go, to liberate,
to conquer, helmsman; terega,
departure, sailing; teretai, a
sailor. Churchill. |
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Oho
1. To go: ka-oho! go!
go away! (i.e. 'goodbye' said by the person
staying behind); ka-oho-mai (very
often contracted to: koho-mai),
welcome! (lit.: come here); ku-oho-á te
tagata, the man has gone. Ohoga,
travel, direction of a journey;
ohoga-mai, return. 2. Also rauoho,
hair. Vanaga.
1. To delegate; rava
oho, to root. 2. To go, to keep on
going, to walk, to depart, to retire; ka
oho, begone, good-bye; oho amua,
to preced; oho mai, to come, to
bring; oho arurua, to sail as
consorts; hakaoho, to send, a
messenger. 3. Tehe oho te ikapotu, to
abut, adjoin; mei nei tehe i oho mai ai
inei te ikapotu, as far as, to; kai
oho, to abstain, to forego; hakaoho,
to put on the brakes. 4. The head (only in
the composite rauoho, hair).
Churchill. |
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Vari 1.
Menstruation, period (also: tiko).
2. To tack, to veer (nautical);
ku-vari-mai-á te miro, the boat
arrives, have veered [around Rano Kau].
Vanaga.
About, circumference,
to turn in a circle; hakavari,
pliant, to bend, square; varivari,
about, to go around; vavari, a
garland; varikapau,
circumference, to surround, a compass,
to admire; hiriga varikapau, to
go in a ring; pa varikapau, to
close in; varitakataka (vari-taka
3) to surround. Churchill. |
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