TRANSLATIONS

TRANSLATIONS

We have seen that the exceptional toga with fingers (instead of the Y sign) probably is connected with the 'fingers' of ua:

20
20	Eb5-14	Eb5-15	Eb5-16	Eb5-17

The 'reversed' ihe tau sign in Eb5-15 also appears in Bb8-42, but there after ua and with a sign like toa instead of a hand:


Bb8-37	Bb8-38	Bb8-39

Bb8-40	Bb8-41	Bb8-42

We should next investigate whether a connection between ua and toga holds also when the toga glyph has a more normal form (with ihe tau not 'reversed'):


Eb5-15	Bb8-42	toga
'reversed ihe tau'		toga

In G there are no true ua glyphs, but lacking such I have anyhow collected 4 glyphs under ua in my catalogue:


Ga2-25	Ga2-26	Gb3-30	Gb4-3

Ga2-26 ('the fire generator') is the glyph which comes immediately before the henua calendar. The connection between toga and 'fingers' is here once again evident:


Ga2-24	Ga2-25	Ga2-26

The top left of this toga has no resemblance with the top of a moon crescent. Comparing with the earlier examples it seems, though, quite possible to interpret the pair Ga2-25--26 as carrying a 'broken up' ua (not much different from the signs in Eb5-21):

		4
Eb5-15	Eb5-16	4	Eb5-21	Eb5-22

Ga2-24	Ga2-25	Ga2-26
	1		1
Bb8-38	1	Bb8-40	1	Bb8-42

In E we can imagine two sets of '3 hands with fingers' (counting the tail feathers of moa as one such hand). In G there is only one such set.

In B there is also only one set, and one of the hands appears at the top of a hua sign, not at the top of the toga.

The ua sign could refer to the waves of the sea. When a great such wave reaches land it is breaking up, becomes a breaker (tai hati) which thunders ashore amidst a white foam of bubbles.

The sudden thunder and light is similar to what 'father light' (Jupiter) can accomplish in the sky. Man cannot go to the thunder in the sky, that is for 'birds' only. But he can play among the breakers, he can go riding the waves, go surfing.

Hatinga Te Kohe, Roto Iri Are, and Ranganuku are names which come to mind. The breaking of the bamboo, the seawead, and the fish swarming on the surface of the sea. Only the breaking of the bamboo, however, is accomplished by a loud noise.

The white foam is quite contrary to the dark deap sea, a magical change takes place:

"... One day Hina i Vainoi said to her husband, 'Do my hair'. While Kae whas picking out the lice he said, 'Your hair is turning grey.' She answered, 'Never mind, when that happens I know how to make myself like a young thing again.'

Then she said to her husband, 'Let me do yours', and on Kae's head she saw many grey hairs. Said Hina, 'You are growing old, husband. Tomorrow, we-two will go out surf-riding.'

In the morning they went to the beach. Kae said, 'You go first.' Said Hina, 'No, you go first, my husband; then I can see how you do it.'

After Kae had come in on three waves he looked the same as he was before, he had not changed at all. Then Hina rode. After riding in on three waves she came out looking as fresh as a shrimp that has just been shelled.

'See, husband! Do I look the same?'

Said Kae amazed, 'No, no, my wife.' Then Kae was much ashamed, for it was Hina who had youth. After this Hina became pregnant ..."

(From 'Kae and the Whale' , a myth from Marquesas and adapted by Alpers in his Legends of the South Seas.)

Hina (the Moon) and Venus (as Aphrodite) will always emerge rejuvenated from the foam of the sea. But Sun (and Man) can reach immortality only with help from a female - they will die and return by being born again. Significantly Hina became pregnant with the child of Kae.

And we should not miss the point that there are 3 waves to surf on.