top of page
Writer's pictureIosua Ioane Fānene

Of Butts and Birds

Ass, Bottom, Rump: variations on URI / ULI

Chicken - Hopi use of /K/ where Polynesia uses /M/



English: “ass”, “chicken” (or “giant extinct bird”)

Hopìikwa: KURI, KOWA

Gagana Sāmoa: MULI, MOA

‘Ōlelo Hāwai’i: MULI, MOA

Te Reo Māori: MURI, MOA


Why?


If I had to guess it relates to a tapu on the use of words that either are the names of gods or high chiefs or rather signify a conflict of ideologies...


Hopi were disciples of peace.

Polynesians, not so much. The last 1000 years have been bloody, and the name MOA is deeply rooted in the violent foundation of Polynesia—Moa-a-Toa.


TURI / TULI / KULI is the name of a legendary chief. Alone as a word it means “to chase”, “to pursue”, “to bend the knee in submission”, “to submit”, “to have faith”


If you chase someone and they run, then you see their ass. The Hopi must have run from a fight, while Polynesians stood their ground or went on the offensive.

2 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page