I grew up with the understanding that, according to my dad, Gramma came from Manu’a, and that “Manu’a” meant something like “wounded child”.
Over the years I have always wondered what the origins of the Polynesian languages were, and which dialect came first from their place of origin if the Great Pacific Ocean was not their original homeland. Obvious choices are Asia and America. Well I don’t have any firm ideas, but I have picked up some skills over the years that have raised a heap of new questions.
The Sāmoan creation story talks of Tagaloa, the Fe’e, creating Sāmoa and that Manu’a was raised first from the ocean depths followed by the other islands. Then he installed the first people, who initially appeared as worms from rotting creepers without his direct involvement, and established the first titles among which Tuimanu’a was the oldest. This suggests to me that Tagaloa was a man, rather than an immortal transcendent being, and probably a quite powerful chief of some kind.
But where (and when) did Sā Tagaloa come from? And what language did they speak there?
I started looking at the oldest known languages, those with writing systems, and this is one thing I found:
In Sumerian, in the cuneiform writing system which is at least 5,000 to 6,000 years old, “Manu’a” can be written a few different ways that mean essentially the same thing as in Sāmoan:
Pattern #1:
𒌋𒌋 𒌋 𒀉
MAN = 𒌋𒌋 = “a person”, “a double”, “a companion”, “20”
U = 𒌋 = “hole”, “to incise”, “to pierce”, “to cut”, “and”
'A = 𒀉 = “side”
Possible translation:
“Wounded person”
Literally: “My companion here has a hole pierced in his side.”
This is really interesting because if the origin of Sāmoan culture is affiliated with the Sumerians, there was a “shepherd god”, also known as the “dying god” named Tammuz/Dumuzid who was wounded in his side. This shepherd was renowned for his humility and pragmatism as well as his devotion to the care of his flock and artisanship of livestock products.
In the Epic of Gilgamesh, Tammuz is transformed by the goddess of love Inanna into an “allalu” bird with a broken wing. Gilgamesh cites the mistreatment of Dumuzid by Inanna/Ištar as grounds for rejecting her amorous advances, thereby inciting her rage.
Tumuzid can also be written as Tumu-a / 𒌉𒀉
𒌉 = Tumu / Dumu. both mean “heir”, “son”, or “child”
𒀉 = -a/-id/-it = “side”, "wing", "arm", "strength"
Pattern(s) #2:
Consider ALL the root words that can substantiate “Manu’a” and quickly you discover multiple allusions to Sumerian mythology surrounding the figure of Tammuz / Dumuzid / Tumu-a:
MA = 𒈠 = House, fig tree; (come in to) land (like a fly or BIRD), approach, go, flow
MA = 𒈣 = boat, ship
MA = 𒅡 = [KA+EŠ] = [tongue+native]
A = 𒀀 = heir, son, child, progeny
AN = 𒀭 = sky, heaven, god
NU = 𒉡 = no, not, negative, negation particle
NU = 𒉏 = to be high, elevated; early, easterner
NU = 𒈿 = to lie, to lay
U = 𒌋 = “10”, “to perforate”, “to penetrate”
A = 𒀉 = “side”, “wing”, “power”, “strength”
Interpretation:
The general sense of these readings is that Manu’a / Tammuz / Dumuzid came from a vast family (fig/apple tree symbolism - as with lau’aa and coconut tree fibrous roots suggesting family connections—family trees) of highest born stock (ke ali’i o kalani), of “heavenly” blood, as with ancient beliefs of Ali’i blood purity. His father was unknown (NU “not” + AN ”progeny”) although his mother was 𒀭𒊩𒌆𒄢 / NIN-SUMUN, aka SIRTUR, DITTUR, DUTTUR, a daughter of ANU and ANTUM / URAŠ. Thus, he would have been an elder brother of Gilgamesh, and near relative of UTU, the sun god, therefore a chief of highest blood.
He was a much-loved chief and nations mourned his passing. He traveled far to the east, or originated far in the east. He was wounded in his side and lay dying. In some accounts he was transformed into an “allalu” bird with a broken “wing”. In some Sumerian poetry he was transformed into a snake with eagle wings...which conspicuously sounds like Cucumatz, Kukulkan of Mesoamerica, later known as Quetzalcoatl by the Aztecs. It also sounds like an Apkallu / Abgal, one of the Seven Sages.
Additional Notes: OLOSEGA / URUŠEĜA?
U = 𒌋 𒌑 𒅇 𒌓 𒋛 𒇇
RU = 𒊒 = fall, defeat, throw; imbue; pour out; impose; impregnate; release
URU = 𒌷 = civilization
URU = 𒍍 = civilization of the Sun god Utu (UD), or “enlightened assembly”
𒀀𒀭 = ŠEĜ / SHENG = “to rain”, “to fall” (like dew), “to flow down from heaven”
𒀉 = -A = “power”, “strength”
𒀀𒀭 𒀉 = ŠEĜA = Sega? Also associated with Manu’a, i.e. Olosega
Interpretation:
The theme of URUŠEĜA seems consistent with MANU’A in both Sāmoan and Sumerian readings—“a power that descended from heaven”
Just some random trivia.
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