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TRANSLATIONS
Now we should be ready to hazard
moving through sharkinfested waters to the three islets, Nga Kope Ririva,
standing there vertically in the sea, definitely something else than the
uri tertial (earth):
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Nga Kope Ririva Tutuu Vai A Te
Taanga
The father of
Hotu Matua
was
Taana
Harai
(Manuscript E). Tradition says he first sent three other sons to
Easter Island, but they were
changed into
rocks by an evil sorcerer.
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"With Taana Harai ... we come to the father of
Hotu Matua. The name is substantiated by Ms. A (NA II: Fig.
123) and Arturo Teao (variant 'Taane Arai'
TP:23). However, the lineage of Hotu
Matua is open to question ... During my field work, questions
about Taana yielded the following answer: Once he ruled a
land called 'Hiva' or 'Ovakevake', where all spirits (akuaku)
have their home.
Through the power of his mana he learned of
the location of Easter Island and sent his three sons across the sea
to the island. When his three sons approached the cliff 'Te
Karikari' (on the outer rim of the crater Rano Kau),
an evil sorcerer changed them into rocks. A jealous relative on the
maternal side, 'Riu', caused this to happen. The three sons
of 'Taana' became the islets Motu Nui, Motu
Iti, and Motu Kaokao, which can be seen to this
day.
The similarity to Ms. E is unmistakeable. The
three rocky islets off the cliffs of the southwestern part of Easter
Island, once closely connected with the cult of the birdman, were
considered the landmark of Easter Island and were called 'the
three sons of Te Taana, who are standing in the water'
(ko nga kope tutuu vai a te taanga) (MS. E;
TP:24; and the faulty ME:58).
If one assumes that the form handed down in the
local name is the original one, 'Te Taanga', then a
sound change from 'ng' to 'n' has taken place in the
other sources, as in fact can sometimes be observed in modern
Rapanui." (Barthel 2) |
The proposed arrangement in
triplets could be what the creator intended, alluding to the three islets.
The end of growth, as measured by
64 ending at 184, suggests Gb5-14--16 could refer to the three islets:
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Gb5-14 |
Gb5-15 |
Gb5-16 |
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368 |
369 |
370 |
They arrive 4 glyphs beyond
vaha kai and 8 glyphs beyond tagata at 360. Like Nga Kope
Ririva the triplet of fishes are beyond the sun measure (183
respectively 366). 5-14 is in harmony with 'end of sun'. 368 = 300 + 68.
The 'tail fish' (ika hiku)
is connected to vaha kai, the swallower of time. The mouth is in
front, the tail is at the end.
In a table Barthel has correlated
the 2nd list of place names with moon phases. I have reordered his list
according to the places (while Barthel has an order according to the moon
nights):
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1
Apina Iti |
2
Hanga O Ua |
21-23 |
21 Roto Kahi |
22 Papa kahi |
1-3 |
|
3
Hanga Roa |
4
Okahu |
22-24 |
23 Puna Atuki |
24 Ehu |
2-4 |
|
5
Tahai |
6
Ahu Akapu |
23-25 |
25 |
26 |
3-5 |
|
7
Kihikihi Rau Mea |
8
Renga Atini |
24-26 |
27 Hakarava |
28 Hanga Nui |
4-6 |
|
9
Vai A Mei |
10 Rua Angau |
25-27 |
29
Tongariki |
30
Rano
Raraku |
5-7 |
|
11 Roro Hau |
12 Vai Poko |
26-28 |
31 Oparingi |
32 Motu Humu Koka |
6-8 |
|
13 Hereke |
14 Hatu Ngoio |
27-29 |
33 Hanga Maihiku |
34 Maunga Toatoa |
7-9 |
|
15 Ara Koreu |
16 Hanga Kuokuo |
28-30 |
35 Pipi Horeko |
36 Hanga Tetenga |
8-10 |
|
17 Opata Roa |
18 Vai Tara Kai Ua |
29-31 |
37 Ahu Tutae |
38 Oroi |
9-11 |
|
19 Hia Uka |
20 Hanga Ohiro |
30-32 |
39 Akahanga |
40 Hua Reva |
10-12 |
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Uncertainty is the reason for a standard interval of 3 nights
for each pair of localitites.
Uncertainty is also the reason for the vacant place names. The
names may be shifted one position forward or backward and are
therefore not recorded in the table.
59 Ata Ahiahi (the location of the turtle) may by an
educated guess be referred to the 21th night, because Haga
Hônu is number 21 in the kuhane voyage. |
41 |
42 |
11-13 |
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43 |
44 |
12-14 |
|
45 |
46 |
13-15 |
|
47 |
48 |
14-16 |
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49 Hanga Te Pau |
50 Rano Kau |
15-17 |
|
51
Mataveri O Uta |
52
Mataveri O Tai |
16-18 |
|
53 Vai Rapa |
54 Vai Rutu Manu |
17-19 |
|
55 Hivi |
56 Puku Ohu Kahi |
18-20 |
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57 Hanga Piko |
58 Ata Popohanga |
19-21 |
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59
Ata Ahiahi |
60 Apina Nui |
20-22 |
The death of sun at Hanga Te
Pau is followed straightaway with Rano Kau, and triplets of
nights means uncertainty. 7 * 7 = 49 and 50 = 10 * 5. It is full moon, with
Hanga Te Pau representing Ohua and Rano Kau the day
when childhood is over, Omotohi. The two following stations confirm
the reading - from uta to tai.
20 stations earlier is Rano
Raraku. Its number is 30, in agreement with how the dark night of the
moon (29) just has been passed. The birth place of a new sun ruler should
have number 30.
29 is Tongariki, which we
now immediately will understand as tonga-ariki, i.e. the end of the
king:
| Toga
1. Winter season. Two seasons used to be
distinguished in ancient times: hora, summer, and toga,
winter. 2. To lean against somehing; to hold something fast;
support, post supporting the roof. 3. To throw something with a
sudden movement. 4. To feed oneself, to eat enough; e-toga koe
ana oho ki te aga, eat well first when you go to work. Vanaga.
1. Winter. P Pau., Mgv.: toga, south. Mq.:
tuatoka, east wind. Ta.: toa, south. 2. Column, prop;
togatoga, prop, stay. Togariki,
northeast wind. Churchill.
Wooden platform for a dead
chief: ka tuu i te toga (Bb8-42), when the wooden
platform has been erected. Barthel 2.
The expressions Tonga, Kona, Toa
(Sam., Haw., Tah.), to indicate the quarter of an island or of the
wind, between the south and west, and Tokelau, Toerau,
Koolau (Sam., Haw., Tah.), to indicate the opposite
directions from north to east - expressions universal throughout
Polynesia, and but little modified by subsequent local circumstances
- point strongly to a former habitat in lands where the regular
monsoons prevailed. Etymologically 'Tonga', 'Kona',
contracted from 'To-anga' or 'Ko-ana', signifies 'the
setting', seil. of the sun. 'Toke-lau', of which the
other forms are merely dialectical variations, signifies 'the
cold, chilly sea'. Fornander. |
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