We will not, however, try to 'read' these 16 tao glyphs. Instead attention should be given a structure defined by double glyphs, the first two of which are separated by 6 other glyphs: 6 Ea1-14 Ea1-15 Ea1-22 Ea1-23 We can see 'persons' looking in opposite directions - towards each other. The left one holds ihe tau, the right holds tao. Ihe tau glyphs picture 'a moon crescent broken in half, which conveys suggestions of a time when growing no longer continues - i.e. a state of death'. The individual at left holds 'death', the individual at right holds 'life' (as depicted by a quickly moving canoe). It seems to be a parallel to the contrast between toa and tao:   toa tao ihe tau tao death life death life

Toa and tao are seen en face and whole (except that tao is a 'spirit'), while ihe tau is seen from the side and broken. The 'death' in ihe tau is more definite (and substantial) than 'death' in toa. Toa and tao are wide open (like eyes), while ihe tau is closed to our view.

Toa and tao are in the sky, but ihe tau indicates somebody buried. Metoro sometimes said tau avaga at this type of glyph.

Avaga 1. Niche, recess in an ahu, where the skeletons of the dead were deposited. 2. Small oblong, free-standing monument built for the same purpose. Vanaga. T. A grave. Churchill.

I will add at the end of the dictionary page:

Ihe tau presumably indicates a more definite type of death than toa, because Metoro sometimes said tau avaga (gravestone) at ihe tau glyphs.

Considering how small differences in the forms of the glyphs seem to carry meaning, I should investigate if there is any correlation between type of ihe tau and the term tau avaga. I should also try to extend the definition of avaga in my Polynesian dictionary.

The results from the first investigation leads to the following conclusions: 1. There is no correlation between type of ihe tau and tau avaga. 2. Only when reading Tahua did Metoro mention tau avaga.

3. There may be a positive correlation between tau avaga and hetuu pipiri and also between tau avaga and end of major seasons. The meaning 'gravestone' is therefore appropriate.

But Metoro read the text of Keiti, and we therefore should look at his words at e.g. Ea1-14 and Ea1-22:

		6
Ea1-14	Ea1-15		Ea1-22	Ea1-23
ka huki koe - mai tae huki hia	ko te tagata vero ki tai		kua huki - koia	kua huki - ku Rei ku huki hia mai

It appears that huki (sometimes hokohuki) was the appropriate word (here) both for ihe tau and tao. We should remember that Metoro used this word also in the calendar for the daylight:

Aa1-17 (4)	Aa1-23	Aa1-27 (13)	Aa1-29	Aa1-34 (19)
ka tapamea	e hokohuki	ki te henua	ma te hokohuki	te tapamea

Hokohuki possibly implies (the movement of) a group of small sticks standing upright in a thatched house (hare paega):

Hoko 1. To jump; to rock or swing in rhythm with the chants in festivals, as was the ancient custom; an ancient dance. 2. Number prefix: 'in a group of...': hokotahi, alone; hokorua, in a group of two (also companion, e hakarere te kai mo toou hokorua, leave some food for my companion); hakatoru, in a group of three, etc.; hokohía, in a group of how many? Hokohía ana oho koe ki te rano? With how many people will you go to the volcano? Vanaga. 1. To traffic, to trade, to buy, to ransom (hoò); hoòa te kaiga, to buy land. 2. To sport, to play. Churchill. Move the body to and fro with the rythm of a song. Barthel.

Huki 1. Pole attached to the poop from which the fishing-net is suspended: huki kupega. 2. Digging stick. 3. To set vertically, to stand (vt.). 4. Huki á te mahina, said of the new moon when both its horns have become visible. Vanaga. 1. To post up, to publish. 2. To cut the throat (uki). Mq.: Small sticks which close up the ridge of a house. Ha.: hui, the small uniting sticks in a thatched house.  Churchill. Standing upright. Barthel. M. Spit for roasting. Te Huki, a constellation. Makemson. Hukihuki. 1. Colic. 2. To transpierce, a pricking. 3. To sink to the bottom. Churchill.

But with huki á te mahina (the new moon is showing its horns) the meaning of a new beginning seems to be close at hand. The movement (dance) may refer to how the starry sky revolves.

The second investigation, what further meanings avaga may have, failed. I could not find any more references to avaga. On the other hand, it obviously is generated from ava:

Ava, áva-áva 1. To remain (of dregs, of very small objects in the water or in a place which used to be full of water); he-ava, he-paroparoko, expression, said when small fishes swarm in the water holes along the coast. 2. Furrow, rut, groove, crevice, fissure; he-hahata te ava o te henua, a crevice opened in the ground. 3. To strike, to hit; to sound like a blow; ku-ava-á te poko (see also hatutiri), thunder sounded. Vanaga. Áva-áva. 1. To lift up. 2. to strike, to hit repeatedly; he-áva-áva i te koreha a ruga a te ma'ea, he struck the eel several times against a stone (to kill it). Vanaga. 1. a) Distance, distant; ava poto, a short distance. b) Space, interval. PS Mq.: ava, distance, space, interval. Ta.: ava, interval. The simpler form of the root is va, which is not found in Rapanui and Marquesan, and in Tahiti is narrowly restricted to the spacing of thatch, but in Nuclear Polynesia and in the Tongafiti migration [va] is expressive of the sense of distance and interval. In Samoa the same meaning is carried by an advanced form of the root, and ava in this sense is not found elsewhere. Its reappearance in these three languages of Southeast Polynesia points to a direct migration from Samoa. 2. Channel, strait, pass, passage, breach, entrance to a harbor. Avaava. 1. a) To strike, to slap, to grind, to dent. b) To correct, to maltreat, to exterminate. 2. Angle, chink. 3. Tobacco. In this nook of Polynesia tobacco and its common method of pleasurable use are alike imported. In Melanesia tobacco was indigenous but was employed for the business of medication and not to assuage the conditions of cannibal society. The leaves when fully grown were shredded, macerated and employed as a cataplasm. Applied upon the abdomen it was the principal agency in the production of emesis and catharsis. Applied secretly in axilla [arm-pit] it superinduced the ecstasy of the priest when in the trance of possession by his god. In Fiji it was used as an insecticide. Avahi, a wedge, to split; avahiga, part, partial; avahiga kore, inseparable. Avamouga (ava 1 - mouga 2), valley. Churchill.

A crevice or strait is what lies between the 'lands' (e.g. the halfyears). It is like the flexible joints between the bones, a location for movement. It is like the armpit used secretly to induce ecstasy (a mental movement).

Ava seems to be the same word as kava:

Kava 1. Sour; salty: vai kava, saltwater, sea; te kava o te haíga, acrid underarm smell; tagata kava - tagata kakara i te kava, man with smelly armpits. 2. He-kava te haha, to be thirsty. 3. To turn sour, to become embittered, bad-tempered, exasperated (used with manava): tagata manava kava, bad-tempered, angry man. Vanaga. Bitter, salt; vai kava, brackish water; hakakava, to embalm; kavakava, acid, sharp, bitter, salt, spiritous, vinegar, poisonous, disagreeable; akavakava, to make sharp; hakakavakava, to make acid. P Pau.: kava, disagreeable to the taste; kavakava, acid, sharp. Mgv.: kava, to be bitter, sour, acid, salt. Mq.: kava, bitter. Ta.: ava, bitter, acid, salt. Kavahia: 1. Comfort, comfortable, to feast; hakakavahia, comfort, comfortable. 2. Repulsive (of food), disgusted; hakakavahia, repulsion. Kavakava, rib; moi kavakava, a house god G. P Mgv.: vakavaka, the breast. Mq.: vakavaka, vaávaá, rib. Ma.: wakawaka, parallel ridges. We shall need all the available material in order to determine the germ sense of this word. Sa.: va'ava'a, the breast-bone of a bird; fa'ava'a, the frame as of a slate. To.: vakavaka, the side. Fu.: vakavaka, the side below the armpit. Ha.: hoowaa, to make furrows. In all these we may see the idea of ridge or depression, or of both, as primal (Rapanui, Samoa, Marquesas, Maori, Hawaii), and as secondary the part of the body where such appearances is common (Mangareva, Tonga, Futuna). Churchill. Mgv.: kava, the pepper plant and the drink made therefrom. Ta.: ava, id. Mq.: kava, id. Sa.: 'ava, id. Ma.: kawa, a pepper. Kavakava, a fish. Sa.: 'ava'ava, id. Kavapui, a tree. Ta.: avapuhi, a fragrant plant. Mq.: kavapui, wild ginger. Sa.: 'avapui, id. Ha.: awapuhi, id. Churchill. Mq.: ava, a small fish of sweet water. Sa.. 'ava'ava, a small fish. Ha.: awa, a fish. Kakava, burnt. Sa.: 'a'ava, very hot. Churchill.

Fornander has three awa:

"1. Awa, s. Haw., harbour, cove, creek, channel; awaa, to dig as a pit, a ditch; awawa, a valley, space between two prominences, space between the fingers and toes. Tah., ava, a harbour, channel. Sam., ava, a boat-passage, opening in the reef, anchorage; v. to be open, as a doorway. Marqu., ava, interval, passage.

The Malgasse ava, a rainbow, may refer to this family, in the sense of an arch, a bay, a hollow, curved space on the firmanent.

Sanskr., avaţa, a pit; avata, a well; avatas, below, in the lower regions; ava-kâça, space, interval; avama, low, opp. to high, probably all referring themselves to ava, prep. with the primary sense of 'down, below, away, off', as its derivatives plainly indicate."

The rainbow does not belong here, I think. It is in the sky, not down below. Instead it should belong to the 2nd awa:

 

"2. Awa, s. Haw., fine rain, mist. Tong., Sam., afa, storm, hurricane; afu, a waterfall. N. Zeal., awa, a river. Fiji., cava, a storm. Mal., awap, mist, dew. Sangvir Island, sawan, a river. Rotti, Ofa, id. Tagal., abo-abo, rain. Malg., sav, mist, fog.

Sanskr., ap, apas, water.

Lat., aqua; Romain, ava, water, rain-water.

Goth., ahwa; O. H. Germ., ouwa, water. Germ., aue, au, brook. Swed., å, id.

Irish, abh, water; abhan, river. Welsh, aw, fluid.

Pers., âw, âb, water.

A. Pictet ... refers the Celtic and Persian forms to a Sanskrit root av, 'ire', whence avana, rapidity, avani, river; and he refers the Latin and Gothic forms to a Sanskrit root aç or ak, 'permeare, occupare', from which spring a number of derivatives expressive of 'le mouvement rapide, la force pénétrante' ...

In view of the Polynesian forms, Haw., Sam., Tagal., and their meanings, I prefer to follow Benfey and Bopp in referring the West Aryan as well as the Polynesian forms to the Sanskrit ap, whether that be the original form itself or a contracted modification of it.

It seems to me to have been in the very nature of language that men in the olden times should have commenced by giving distinct and instantaneous names to objects around them, and to natural phenomena, before they invested those objects with names derived by after-thought and reflection from this or that quality characteristic of those objects. Many, if not most, of such original names were doubtless lost in the course of ages, and supplanted by synonyms derived from and expressive of some quality or other in the objects named; but many still survive to baffle the analysis of philologists, and to assert their claims to priority over synonyms that must necessarily have been of later formation."

Water is moving downwards, therefore there should be a connection between the 1st and 2nd awa. Water expresses both the direction 'down' and 'movement'.

In spring the water is though rising inside the trees. The Swedish sav (sap) belongs to the 2nd awa. Nothing can come down without later rising again, it must be a closed cycle. In spring water is going up, later it is coming down. This slow cyclical movement is in contrast to the quick movement (mouvement rapide, force pénétrante) 'through the reef'.

 

"3. Awa, s. Haw., Sam., Tah., name of a plant of a bitter taste, but highly relished throughout Polynesia - 'Piper Methysticum' - from which an intoxicating drink is made; the name of the liquor itself. Tong., N. Zeal., Rarot., Marqu., kawa, id. Haw., awa-awa, bitter. Sam., a'awa, id. Tong., N. Zeal., kakawa , sweet.

Sanskr., av, to please, satisfy, desire (Benfey); ava, nourishment (Pictet).

Pers., âwâ, nourishment; abâ, bread.

Lat., aveo, crave after, long for; avena, oats. See au 1."