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Writer's pictureIosua Ioane Fānene

KAHIKI / TAHITI: Etymological study of the name

A study of "Tahiti" must not overlook a consideration for the tiny Sāmoan hamlet of #Fitiuta in the eastern group of Manu'a principally comprised of 'Ofu, 'Olosega, and Ta'ū islands, but including a number of uninhabited islands as well such as Nu'utele, and Nu'u-sila-e-lae among many others. I will examine the etymology of Fitiuta in a later article, however. Until then, let's a close look at the well-known Tahiti:


#Tāhiti = tāfiti = ta’a Fiti (Sāmoan) = kā hiki (Hawaiian)

#Tafiti: “to be restive”, “to somersault”, “to turn around”

#Kahiki: Any foreign country, abroad, foreign; A variety of banana, common wild on Maui. Kinds are kahiki hae, kahiki mauki, and kahiki puhi.


#Sāmoan: Ta’a = “repeat actions”; “to go out on a journey as by boat”

#Fiti = “Fiji”; “to somersault”; “to turn around”; “to go, then come back”


#Hawaiian: Kā = “incoming”; “of” or “belonging to”

#Hiki = “To get to or reach a place”, “come”, “arrive”, “approach”, “appear”, “arise”; “To fetch”, “carry back and forth” (less used than lawe); “next”

And from the far side of the world...


#Hebrew: Ta yatsit (תא יְצִיאָה) means “to exit cell”, “to come out of cell” See #Exodus 8:29; 16:1.

#Greek: ταξιδι (taxidí) means “to journey”

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