The venerable Māori art of carving in general is called WHAKAIRO, which literally means “in the manner of worms”. The name is a compound of the causative prefix #WHAKA-
a cognate of Tongan FAKA- and Sāmoan FA’A and IRO “maggot”, a cognate of Sāmoan ILO, which also means “to know, to understand, to see” and forms the base of Pasefika words for “seer, astrologer, oracle, wizard”—KILOKILO, TIROTIRO, ILOILO, etc. and has cognates in Austronesian (i.e. Malay, Indonesian, etc.) KILAUKILAUAN “to flash, brilliancy, glitter, radiant” possibly alluding to the stargazing aspect that greatly facilitated celestial navigation and the paths of stars across the Moana. The typical use modifies a base verb by prefixing it with a meaning of“to be like ___, way of ___, ___ manner of being, to cause ____.”
For example, in Aotearoa, whakairo-pounamu is specifically greenstone (jade, nephrite) carving. And whakairo-rakau is woodcarving.
The legend of the origin of whakairo relates that it was a technology acquired by a chief of ancient times named RUATEPUPUKE (Ruapupuke), “Rua, the Enlarger”, from the underwater underworld realm of the sea god Tangaroa.
So, there are some general shared motifs that straddle multiple Pasefika island groups which consist of:
In Aotearoa,
1. Rua was a son of a child of Tangaroa.
2. Rua was Tangaroa’s grandson.
3. Tangaroa was Rua’s grandfather.
4. Rua pursues his child’s captors to a place named “Assembly in a Big Cave.”
5. After employing a stratagem where Rua destroys Tangaroa’s house, he rescues his progeny and loots special structures of Tangaroa’s house.
In Sāmoa, particularly in Manu’a legends,
2. Thus, Lū was the grandson of Tagaloa.
3. And Tagaloa was his grandfather.
4. Lū pursues his childrens’ captors to a place mentioned in various tala o le vavau as “The Big Cave” where a sacred gathering of “kava chewers” convene.
It’s the same genetic formula as we shall see by comparing the following stories…
=============
One version of the story recounted by Mohi Ruatapu and Hēnare Pōtae of the Ngāti Porou tribe follows (from website: https://teara.govt.nz/en/tangaroa-the-sea/page-4):
This is the story of Ruatepupuke, who first made wood-carving known. The cause of his discovery was the going of his child, Te Manuhauturuki, to sail a boat. The child was captured by Tangaroa, taken to his home, and set up on the gable of his house as an image. When the child was missed, his father set forth to look for him … he went there, and so found the body of his child set up on the roof-gable of the house.
When Rua entered the house the carved posts were talking amongst themselves; he heard the posts talking, but those outside remained silent. He closed up all the interstices of the house … and when the sun had set, Tangaroa and his family arrived and sought repose within their house. There they amused themselves with posture-dancing, hand-clapping contests, cats’ cradle and other games, as is usual when many folk meet together … When day came the interior of the house was still in darkness …
By this time Ruatepupuke had come and taken a position in the porch of the house with his weapon at the ready … He set the house on fire, and the folk inside ran out; the first was Kanae (mullet) … then came Maroro (flying fish) … then came Kōkiri (trigger fish) … But most of Tangaroa’s children were destroyed … The carved posts of the outside of the house were taken away; some of those did not talk, and so it is that carved images of the present time do not have the power of speech.
=============
Another version by Robby Lai:
Ruatepupuke And The Origin Of Whakairo
According to the East Coast legend, the art of woodcarving came from Tangaroa, the sea god, and was discovered by Ruatepupuke, the grandson of the sea god Tangaroa. Ruatepupuke's own son, Manuruhi, had an insatiable appetite for kai moana*. In order to satisfy his demands, Ruatepupuke makes a stone into an exquisite fishing lure which he named Te Whatukura o Tangaroa*
*Kai moana- Seafood
*Te Whatukura o Tangaroa - The Sacred Stone of Tangaroa
Ruatepupuke warned Manuruhi to "Be careful with this hook. Do not use it until I am with you." The impatient Manuruhi could not wait longer and went out to the ocean. In his impatience, he caught a massive kai moana but did not follow to ritual rights of offereing the first fish back to moana. This irritated Tangaroa that he decided to punish him by taking his human form away and turning him into a birdlike tekoteko*, and he placed Manuruhi in front of his house, Huiteananui*.
*Moana- Ocean
*Tekoteko- A gable top figure
*Huiteananui- the underwater house of the sea god Tangaroa
Ruatepupuke, noticing that his son was missing, followed his footsteps and swam out to the ocean to search for him, and then dove into the waters. He came to the underwater village where he found Huiteananui.
He was amazed by the carvings that covered the whole whare*.
*Whare- House
He approached the house and heard the poupou* talking to each other. Then, he inquired of the poupou where his son was. One of the poupou informed him that the birdlike tekoteko* at the apex of Huiteananui was Manuruhi.
*Poupou- Carved posts
*Tekoteko- A gable top figure
Ruatepupuke hid in the house and waited for its residents to fall asleep. Ruatepupuke planned his revenge which he set a fire burnt the Huiteananui. Ruatepupuke had time only to rescue four silent poupou from the mahau* and tekoteko, his son, then he swam back to his village. Ruatepupuke's koha* of the silent poupou then became the model for whakairo* now.
*Mahau- Porch
*Koha- Gift
*Whakairo- Carving
============
Robby Lai quotes directly from this version:
The Legend of Ruatepupuke
According to an East Coast legend, the art of carving was discovered by Ruatepupuke, the grandson of the sea god Tangaroa. Ruatepupuke’s own grandson had an insatiable appetite for kai moana (seafood) and to meet his demands, Ruatepupuke fashioned a stone into an exquisite fishing lure which he named Te Whatukura-o-Tangaroa (The Sacred Stone of Tangaroa).
Tangaroa was offended that his name had been used without permission, and sought revenge. When Ruatepupuke’s son, Manuruhi, tried the prized lure he caught a massive haul but did not observe the custom of offering the first fish back to Tangaroa, further aggravating the sea god. Tangaroa decided to punish his great-grandson by pulling him down to the depths of the ocean, where Manuruhi was transformed into a birdlike tekoteko (carved figure) on the top of Tangaroa’s house, Hui-te-ana-nui.
Ruatepupuke, noticing that his son was missing, followed his footsteps to the edge of the ocean and dived into the water. He came upon the underwater village and found Hui-te-ana-nui. To his amazement, the whare was covered in carvings that spoke and sang to each other. When Ruatepupuke asked about his son’s whereabouts, one of the talking poupou (carved posts) told him that the bird-shaped tekoteko of the house was Manuruhi.
Ruatepupuke hid in the house and waited for its residents, the fish people, to fall asleep, whereupon he set the house ablaze. He had time only to rescue his son and some of the poupou – which were unable to speak – from the mahau (porch). Thus the first carvings came into the world.
Many years later, Ruatepupuke’s descendants brought these examples from the legendary homeland of Hawaiki to Aotearoa, where they served as models for Te Rāwheoro, the famous whare wānanga (school of learning) established by Hingaangaroa at Ūawa (Tolaga Bay). Future students of the wānanga, such as Tūkākī and Iwirākau, spread the influence of this school throughout the East Coast and eventually beyond.
=========
The following is the most complete version of this story that I have seen yet. From:
Ruatepupuke: A Māori Meeting House
By Arapata Hakiwai and John Terrell, Phil Aspinall
The Field Museum, Chicago, 1994. Pp. 39-42
The Legend of Ruatepupuke
Mokena Romio, the Maori elder who apparently sold Ruatepupuke II in the late 19th century, wrote the following account tracing his ancestry to Ruatepupuke, the grandson of the Sea God, Tangaroa. It tells how Ruatepupuke brought the art of carving from Tangaroa’s house in the ocean, Huiteananui, to the realm of light, where eventually it was passed on to his mortal descendants, beginning with Hingaangaroa. Mokena Romio expresses his intention to build a house named Ruatepupuke. The Maori text is followed by an English translation by the anthropologist Sidney Moko Mead.
- - - - - -
Concerning the House Huiteananui
by Mokena Romio (Morgan Romeo)
There are many experts who speak about this house and one authority says it had a different name and a different owner.
One authority claims that the name of that house was Rangi-pou-turu and he informs us that the owner was Hine-matiko-tai.
According to another authority Te Uru-o-manono was the name of that house and Whakatau was the name of the owner.
Some tribes of this island say that Hui-te-ana-nui is not the name of the house, nor is it Te Uru-o-manono, but Hitaraiania is the name of Whakatau’s house.
Our ancestors, including our parents, say Hui-te-ana-nui was, in fact, the name of that house and Tangaroa was the man who owned it. There are many of us who are grandchildren of this ancestor. Our genealogy is shown in a section of this book.
The explanation for this subject concludes.
Concerning a Different Matter
The discourse goes back to Tangaroa. This man, Tangaroa, was a child of Rangi (sky) and Papa (earth). Tangaroa (God of the sea) married Te Heketanga-wainui (The descent of great water) and three children were born: 1. Poutu (High on the meridian); 2. Ikatere (House rafter pattern); and 3. Punga (Anchor). The descendants of Punga were given names: Rehua (Antares), Tutewehitwehi (Awesome charm), Tutewanawana (Fearsome charm). These went to the ocean.
The descendants of Rehua were divided so that some went to the ocean and some remained on the land. Of the descendants stayed ashore, two lived in freshwater: these were Upokororo [Prototroctes oxyrhynchus, freshwater fish] and Matamoe [Anguilla australis, eel]. Two lived in the trees: one was the Tui [Prosthemadera novaeseelandiae, parson bird], the other was the bell-bird, referred to as Korimako [Anthornis melanura] by people in other districts. These descendants were separated and Tutewehiwehi and Tutewanawana farewelled the progeny of Rehua, thus:
“Go, oh friends, that women may roast you in fires of bracken fern.”
Then the descendants of Rehua called out:
“Go, oh Tu and your friends, that women may heap you up on piles of cooked food!”
Now the descendants of Tutewehiwehi and Tutewanawana are in the sea: the maomao [Diretmus argenteus], hakawai [Arripis trutta], moki [Latridopsis ciliaris], and the aturere [highly prized fish, not identified]. This concludes the settlement of the descendants of this child of Tangaroa, namel Ikatere.
I return now to the other descendants, specifically to Poutu. Poutu begat Ruatepupuke [Hole that swells up]. Ruatepupuke begat Manuruhi [Exhausted bird]. Later, I shall explain the genealogy of this child of Tangaroa.
My discourse goes back again to the house Hui-te-ana-nui. Manuruhi grew up and when matured married. His child Ruatepukenga (Rua, the highly skilled) was born. That child cried for seafood. Then Manurihi spoke to his father, Ruatepupuke, “This child cries incessantly for seafood. Give me a fish hook so that I can go to the beach and fish at Takawhiti [Toss about], that is, at the seashore at Hawaiki.”
Ruatepupuke then said to Manuruhi, “Go to the beach, find a stone and bring it to me.”
Manuruhi then went to that beach and he found a stone reddish in colour. When he got back to Ruatepupuke, Ruatepupuke fashioned it and finished it. That stone was fashioned into the likeness of a fish, just like a Kahawai lure. Ruatepupuke named it “The Prized Stone of Tangaroa.” Then Ruatepupuke said to Manuruhi, “Don’t think of going by yourself to the beach to fish with this hook, but both of us will go so that I can take one fish to the gods and they can eat the Breath of the Monsters to neutralize it. Only then can you go alone.”
Manuruhi took heed of his father’s word. Some man challenged him to keep going to fish but Tangaroa had already hear that [the] fishhook had been given his name. Manuruhi got to the beach and used the fishhook in the water. As soon as it got into the water a fish was caught. It was like this afterwards. Then Tangaroa looked at what was happening. He thought, by and by the children of Ikatere will disappear. Tangaroa then thought, “I have but this one grandchild. The many that I have will be all lost [caught] by him. Alas, nevermind I will punish the one, Manuruhi.” Then was Manuruhi fetched and taken by Tangaroa. The human likeness of Manuruhi was removed. He was given the appearance of a bird, taken from one of the children of Rehua, that is, his body was given the form of a tui.
Ruatepupuke heard that his child had gone to kill fish at that beach at Takawhiti. The thought that came to Ruatepupuke was as follows: perhaps his child will bring a fish for him to carry to the sacred place. After waiting a long time he went in search of Manuruhi. When he reached the villages he asked the people there, “Did you see Manuruhi here?” The people there replied, “We did not see.”
Then Ruatepupuke wept for his child and he went searching at that beach at Takawhiti. He
found the fish and the footprints. He did not find the body of Manuruhi at the place of appearance of those fish but he knew his child disappeared at that place because the footprints did not go to some other place. After that Ruatepupuke languished for his child. This is when he went to his death. When he rushed into the water he dived down deeply and there saw a human village and he saw a house standing there. This was the body of Huiteananui that he saw. Then he approached it and heard the words of the mouth from inside that house. Straight away he thought they were the voices of live men speaking. When he stood in the porch he peered inside. Now some of the house posts of the wall of the house were talking to house posts on another wall. The house posts of the back wall were talking to the house posts near the door, that is, of the porch. Then he looked up to his child Manuruhi who was glaring at him from above the house. Then one of the house posts outside that house asked, “Where are you going?”
He said, “I am searching for my child.” Then that house post said, “Here is your child hanging above. Tangaroa brought him here.”
Ruatepupuke asked, “Why was my child treated so?” Then those house posts spoke, “The reason why your child was treated this way is because you named his fish hook “The Prized Stone of Tangaroa.” Then Ruatepupuke asked, “Where are the people of this village, that is, of this house?”
Those house posts replied, “Outside in the ocean. They will return late in the afternoon.”
Then Ruatepupuke said, “Where shall I hide?”
Then a hiding place was shown him by the house posts. He went into that place and hid and while there he thought his ancestor Tangaroa had treated him badly and he should treat him accordingly. He thought he could set fire to the house, Huiteananui, so that some of the descendants of and grandchildren of Tangaroa would perish inside, to avenge his child, Manuruhi. In the late afternoon those people arrived.
They entered the house at midnight and those people began to flirt with their woman, Hineteiwaiwa (Hina of the Nine Moons). When they finished their games those people were overcome by sleep.
Then Tutapakaurangi cried, “Oh Hoka [Red Cod], it is daylight!”
The people did not stir.
Tutapakaurangi called three times this way but the people would not wake up. Then tutapakaurangi changed his call, “Sleep! Sleep! It is the great night, the long night, the night of Hina-matikotai [Daughter-descended-from-the-tide’!”
The house posts, that is, Where [Weri-root, rootlet, centipede] and Whera [Spread out], had told Tutapakaurangi thus: “Ruatepupuke is hiding. This group of people is likely to perish; that is Ruatepupuke is likely to set fire to them inside the house.”
When Ruatepupuke sensed that the mouths of that group no longer spoke he set fire to the house. He had taken his child away to await him, that is, he took the bird likeness of his child, Manurihi. Then he stood outside the house with his patu [club] in his hand. First
Maroro [Flying Fish] ran out towards him. Ruatepupuke swung his patu but it did not strike. Soon afterwards Whaitere [Sting-a-ray] came running and as he ran he was struck on the nose by Ruatepupuke’s club. That is why the stingray has a squashed nose. He was not killed but remained alive. Afterwards out ran Patiki [Flounder]. Ruatepupuke’s club struck him in the eye. That is why the eyes of the flounder cling to one side. However, he was not killed outright. Afterwards, out ran Wheketoro [Octopus] and as he raced out the club of Ruatepupuke struck him, hence the reason why his tentacles hang
loosely. Next, came Kokiri [Catherines convexirostris, Leather-jacket fish] with his raincape and walking stick. As he raced out Ruatepupuke delivered a blow with his club but he missed because it was deflected by the walking stick. His cape was incinerated by the fire. You should look at the [glow of the] skin of the Kokiri and his walking stick protruding from the top of his head.The Tamure [Pagrosomus auratus, snapper] also escaped the club of Ruatepupuke but he was incinerated by the fire, hence the red on the skin of the snapper.
A large group perished in that house while others escaped the slaughter of Ruatepupuke; specifically the descendants of Ikatere. As this house was aflame, its house posts became silent. Then Ruatepupuke took hold of the house posts that survived the fire with his hands, that is, of the house posts on the left wall outside. There were four such house posts which he rescued. They came from the silent [speechless] group and he brought them and his child. It was because he grabbed hurriedly at those house posts that he happened to get the silent ones. Had he rescued the talking house posts, carved house posts would still be talking today.
Ruatepupuke and his child and the house of Huiteananui arrived at his home and his tribe wept over him because he had been a long time away. Ruatepupuke kept the house posts. He did not build a house but kept them for his descendants and grandchildren to admire. Subsequent carvings were patterned on these from Hawaiki. His grandchildren brought the house posts to this land, New Zealand.
I give a genealogy now to make things clearer to the readers of this essay. [See pp. 41-42]
This man, Hingaangaroa, was born, grew, and matured. The houseposts brought by Ruatepupuke were shown to him. Later, he erected a house and attached the houseposts to it. Preserved in that house were the models of the manaia [spirit form], taowaru [raised notch] and many other patterns. When that house was completed Hingaangaroa named it Rawheoro [Slow Sun or Rumbling Day]. This house stood at Tolaga Bay, that is, at Mangaheia. The specific place where this house stood was at Mangakuuku but it is within the boundaries of the Mangaheia Block. The foundation of this house is still there.
[The generations from Hingaangaroa to Merekaraka are listed.]
Then I, Mokeno Romio (Morgan Romeo) appear. There are many lines of descent from Ruatepupuke. I represent all the branches and so do some other people. My genealogical explanations above are sufficient. The tribes of the East Coast are all associated with this ancestor, Ruatepupuke.
In the future, during my lifetime, I shall erect a house. The expert builders of my carved house will be Wiremu Mangapouri. When that house is completed I shall give it the name, Ruatepupuke, because this is an ancestor of mine (see my genealogy). Another reason is the acquisition of carving by him from which came the carving patterns now seen on houses and on other objects made by the Maori. Readers should be clear that this is our ancestor of the tribes of the East Coast and of some other places in this land.
- - - - - - - -
Reo Māori original version:
Ruatepupuke: A Māori Meeting House
By Arapata Hakiwai and John Terrell, Phil Aspinall
The Field Museum, Chicago, 1994. Pp. 39-42
The Legend of Ruatepupuke
Mokena Romio, the Maori elder who apparently sold Ruatepupuke II in the late 19th century, wrote the following account tracing his ancestry to Ruatepupuke, the grandson of the Sea God, Tangaroa. It tells how Ruatepupuke brought the art of carving from Tangaroa’s house in the ocean, Huiteananui, to the realm of light, where eventually it was passed on to his mortal descendants, beginning with Hingaangaroa. Mokena Romio expresses his intention to build a house named Ruatepupuke. The Maori text is followed by an English translation by the anthropologist Sidney Moko Mead.
He korero Putake tenei.
Ko tenei korero mo tetahi Whare ko.
Huiteananui Te Ingoa.
He tokomaha nga Tohunga Pu-korero e korero mo tenei whare, a e korero ana tetahi tohunga pu korero, he ingoa ke te ingoa o taua whare, me te tangata ano hoki nona taua whare.
A e korero ana tetahi tohunga Pu-korero, ko te ingoa o taua whare, kote Rangipouturu, me tona whakaatu ano i te ingoa o te tangata nona taua whare ko Hinematikotai.
A e korero ano tetahi tohunga Pukorero ko te Uruomanono ke te ingoa o taua whare ko te ingoa o te tangata nona taua whare, ko whakatau.
A ki ana etahi iwi o te motu nei e hara ia Huiteananui te ingoa o taua whare, e hara ano hoki i te Uruomanono taua whare, engari ko Hitaraiania ke te whare o whakatau.
A e korero ana o matou Tipuna tuku iho ki o matau Matua. Ko Huiteananui tonu te ingoa o taua whare, a ko Tangaroa tonu te tangata nona tenei whare, a he tokomaha tonu matou nga mokopuna a tenei Tipuna tera e whakaaturia o matou whakapapa ki tetahi wahi o tenei Pukapuka.
Kamutu te whakamarama i enei putake.
He putake ke tenei.
Ko hoki atu te korero ki muri, ara kia Tangaroa ano ko tenei tangata ko Tangaroa, he Tamaiti na Rangi raua ko Papa. Kanoho a Tangaroa ia te Heketangawainui ka putaki waho Pokotoru nga Tamariki 1 poutu - 2 Ikatere 3 - Punga. Ko nga uri o Punga i Tapaa etahi ingoa mo ratou ko Rehua ko Tutewehiwehi ko Tutewanawana i haere enei kite moana ko nga uri o Rehua i wahia ko etahi ki te moana, ko etahi i noho ki uta, ko nga uri i noho ki uta, Tokorua i noho ki roto ki nga Wai-Maori, koia tenei he Upokororo he Matamoe, Tokorua ano i noho ki runga rakau, ke kooko Tui nei, he kopara tetahi, ara he Korimako te ingoa ki etahi iwi ote motu nei, ka wehe nga uri nei, katahi ka poroporoaki a Tutewehiwehi, raua ko Tutewanawana, ki nga uri o Rehua, penei haere ra e hika ma e, hai whaka agitanga mate wahine kite ahi Rarauhe, katahi ka karanga nga uri a Rehua, haere ra e Tu ma e, hai tapaetanga ma te wahine ki runga ki te kopae kai-maoa, na ko nga uri, o Tutewehiwehi raua ki Tutewanawana kai te moana, he ika Maomao, he Kahawai, he Moki, he Aturere.
Ko te mutunga tenei o te whakahaeretanga i nga uri o tenei Tamaiti a Tangaroa ara o Ikatere ka hoki atu ano te korero ki muri ki etahi o nga uri a Tangaroa, ara kia Poutu, na Poutu ko Ruatepupuke, na Ruatepupuke ko Manuruhi, na taihoa ake e ata whaka maramatia ai tenei whakapapa, ara te whakapapa o tenei Tamaiti a Tangaroa ka hoki atu ano Taku whakamarama mo te ahuatanga o tenei whare o Huiteananui ka tipu ra a Manuruhi, ka pakeke ka moe wahine. Ka whanau tona tamaiti ko Ruatepukenga ka tangi taua tamaiti ki nga kai o te moana katahi ka korero a Manuruhi ki tona papa ki a Ruatepupuke, kanui te tangi o te tamaiti nei ki te kai o te moana, kaati homai tetahi matau ki a au, ki a haere au ki te one hi ai i Takawhiti, ara ki te Tapaatai i Hawaiki katahi ka ki mai a Ruatepupuke kia Manuruhi, haere ki te one, rapu mai ai i tetahi kohatu, ka mau mai ai ki a au, katahi a Manuruhi ka haere ki taua one, ka kitea e ia tetahi pohatu, ko taua Pohatu he ahu a whero, te taenga mai ki a Ruatepupuke ka mahia e Ruatepupuke ka oti - whaka ahuatia ki te ahua ika, taua pohatu, rite tonu ki te paua ka tapaia te ingoa e Ruatepupuke ko te whatukuru-a-Tangaroa, katahi a Ruatepupuke ka ki atu. Ki a Manuruhi, koi pokanoa koe ki te mau i te paua nei ki te one mahi haere ai, engari taua tahi e haere ki a tae rawa ia au tetahi ika kotahi ki nga atua ki a kai mai ratou i te Hau o te tipua ki a noa katahi ano koe, ka haere noa ai, a i whakarongo ano a Manuruhi ki te korera a tona Paapa, a na te tahi tagata i whakakoikoi ki a haere tonu ia kite patu ika, e ngari kua rongo ke a Tangaroa i tapaia taua Paua koia te ingoa, ka tae ra a Manuruhi ki te one ka mahia te paua ki te kai. Katahi tonu ka tau atu ka mau te ika, pena tonu i muri iho, Katahi ka titiro mai a Tangaroa katahi ia ka whakaaro akua nei nga uri o Ikatere te ngaro ai katahi ka Whakaaro a Tangaroa kotahi tonu tenei mokopuna aku, ko nga mea tokomaha aku nei te ngaro katoa ai i a ia - kaati me patu e au a Manuruhi te mea kotahi, katahi ano ka tikina mai a Manuruhi, ka mauri a e Tangaroa ka tangohia te ahua tangata o Manuruhi. Ka Whakaahuatia ki te ahua manu, i tikina i tetahi onga Tamariki a Rehua, ara ite kooko i whakanohoia koiara hai tinana manu Mona, ka ronga a Ruatepupuke kua riro tona Tamaiti kai te patu ika, i taua one i Takawhiti, kaputa mai te whakaaro ia Ruatepupuke penei, aku nei tona Tamaiti te mau mai ai i tetahi ika ki a ia, kai kawenga mama ki te wahi Tapu, no te roanga ona e tatari ama. Katahi ia ka haere ki te rapu haere ia Manuruhi, ka tae ia kinga kainga, ka ui atu ki nga Tangata o reira, kaore ranei koutou i kite i a Manuruhi i konei, ka ki ia mai e nga tangata o reira kaore matou i kite, katahi a Ruatepupuke katangi ki tona Tamaiti, kahaere ia ki taua one i Takawhiti rapu haere ai, a ka kitea e ia ko nga Ika me te tuunga o nga Tapuae ko te Tinana o Manuruhi kihai i kitea e ia i te putunga oaua ika, me tona mohio tonu i ngaro tonu ki taua wahi tona Tamaiti, kaore hoki nga Tapuae i haere atu ki tetahi wahi ke atu, i muri i tena ka whakamomori a Ruatepupuke ki tona Tamaiti ko tona haerenga tenei ki te mate tonu atu, no tona rerenga atu ki rotoi te Waitai ruku tonu atu ia, i reira ka kite ia ite kainga tangara, a kakite atu ia i tetahi whare e tu anu ko te tinana tonu tenei o Huiteananui, i kiteau atu nei e ia, katahi ia kahaere atu, ka tata a ia, ka ronga ia i te korero o te waha i roto i taua whare Mahara tonu ia he waha tangata ora nei e korero ra, no tona tuunga kite roro o tana whare, ka titiro atu ia kiroto, na e korero ana etahi onga popou o te Pakitara ote whare ra, ki nga Poupou o tetahi Pakitara, ko nga poupou ote Tuarongo e Korero ana ki nga Poupou ote Whatitoka, ara o te Roro katahi ano ia ka titiro ake, ki tona Tamaiti ki a Manuruhi e Whakaongaonga iho ana ki ia runga i te whare, katahi ka ui mai tetahi o nga Poupou o waho o Taua whare kia ia, e haere ana Koe ki whea, ka ki atu ia, e haere ana au ki te rapu i taku Tamaiti katahi ka ki mai taua Poupou ki a ia, ina ke to Tamaiti e iri iho nei, na Tangaroa i mau mai, ka ki atu a Ruatepupuke he aha te take i peneitia taku Tamaiti, katahi ka korero mai aua Poupou ko te take i penei tia ai to Tamaiti, he tapauga nau i te ingoa o tona Paua ko te Whatukura-a-Tangaroa katahi ka ni atu a Ruatepupuke kai whea nga tangata o tenei kainga, ara, o tenei whare ka whakahokia mai e aua Poupou, kai waho kai te Moana, hai aiahi ka hoki mai, katahi a Ruatepupuke ka ki atu hai whea ra au huna ai, katahi ka whakaaturia mai e aua poupou te wahi hei hunanga mona, ka haere hoki a ia ki tana wahi huna ai, i reira ka whakaaro tona ngakau penei, i kino tona Tipuna a Tangaroa kia ia, a me utu ano hoki eia ki te kino, ara ka puta tona mahara penei kia tahuna eia taua whare kite ahi, ara a Huiteananui, kia mate ai etahi onga uri, me nga mokopuna a Tangaroa ki roto, hai utu mo tona Tamaiti mo Manuruhi, i te aiahi ka tae mai te iwi ra. Ka whakatoma ki roto i tona whare, i waenganui po, ka takaro te iwi ra ki ta ratou wahine, ki a Hineteiwaiwa, ka muhe te takaro ka rotua te iwi ra ete moe, katahi ka karanga a Tutapakaurangi, e Hoka he ao, kaore te iwi rae oreore, e toru nga karangatanga penei a Tutapakaurangi, kore rawa te iwi ra e ohooho, katahi kahuri te karanga a Tutapakaurangi e moe e moe ko te po nui ko te po roa, ko te po, a Hinematikotai Kua Korerotia e aua poupou kia Tutapakaurangi ara, e Wheri raua ko Whera, penei te korero aua Poupou kai te huna a Ruatepupuke, a kua nei te iwi nei te mate ai, ara akuanei te tahuna ai te iwi nei ki roto i te whare nei, e Ruatepupuke no te rongonga mai o Ruatepupuke kua kore e korerorero nga waha ote iwi ra, katahi ka tahuna te whare ra e Ruatepupuke ko tona tamaiti, ku a mauria atu eia ki te Whanga, ara te ahua Manu o tona tamaiti o Manuruhi katahi ano ia ka tu atu i waho o te whare ra, me tona patu ano ki tona ringa mau ai tuatahi tonu ka oma mai a Maroro hoatu rawa te patu a Ruatepupuke kihai i pa - muri tonu iho ka oma mai ko Whaitere oma rawa ake, ka pa te patu a Ruatepupuke ki te Pongaihu koia tena e penu na te Pongaihu o te whai engari, kaore i mate i ora tonu muri iho ka oma me iko Patiki. Ka pa ano te patu a Ruatepupuke ki te kanohi ko te take tena e piri ke, na nga korohi o te Patiki i tetahi taha, engari kaore i mate rawa, muri iho ka oma mai ko Wheketoro rere rawa ake ka pa te patu a Ruatepupuke kia ia koia te take e tutangatanga na ona Kawai, no muri iho ko Kokiri he paake tona kakahu me tona Tokotoko ano ka oma mai hoatu rawa te patu a Ruatepupuke kaore i pa-he mea karo ki tona tokotoko, ko tona Paake hanangia ete ahi, me titiro tonu hoki ki te kiri o te kokiri, me tona tokotoko e tu na i runga i tona mahuna, me te Tamure i ora ano i te patu a Ruatepupuke engari i hanangia e te ahi koia te take e wherowhero na te Kiri o te Tamure.
He nui nga iwi i Mate ki roto i taua whare, a ko etahi i ora mai i taua patunga a Ruatepupuke ara ko nga uri o Ikatere. -
A i te mea e kaia ana tenei whare e te ahi. Kua noho puku katoa nga Poupou o tenei whare. Katahi ka hopu nga ringa o Ruatepupuke ki nga poupou i toe i te ahi, ara ki nga Poupou o te Pakitara mani o waho e wha ana Poupou i riro mai ia ia no te apa haangu aua Poupou me tona Tamaiti i mauria mai e ia no te mea i ponana tona whatoro i aua poupou na reira i tupono ai ki nga poupou haangu, mehemea nonga poupou korero aua poupou i riro mai ra ia ia, kai te korero ano inaia nei nga poupou whakairo. -
Ka tae mai ra a Ruatepupuke ki tona kainga raua ko tona Tamaiti me aua Poupou o Huiteananui ka tangi tona iwi ki a ia i runga i te roa o tona ngaro.
A i mau tonu kia Ruatepupuke aua Poupou kaore he whare i mahia e ia, engari ko enei Poupou, i waiho hei tirohanga ma ona uri me ona mokopuna i muri ia ia, i tauira tia ki konei nga whakairo o ia mahi o ia mahi, i rawahi i Hawaiki a i riro mai ano aua Poupou i ona mokopuna ki tenei motu, ara ki Aotearoa nei.
Koia tenei ko te whakapapa kia marama ai nga kai titiro i nga korero o tenei Pukapuka whakapapa.
1. Ko-Rangi.
2. Ko-Tangaroa.
3. Ko-Poutu.
4. Ko-Ruatepupuke.
5. Ko-Manuruhi.
6. Ko-Ruatepukenga.
7. Ko-Ruatewanga.
8. Ko-Ruateatamai.
9. Ko-Ruatekukukore.
10. Ko-Ruateparakore.
11. Ko-Ruatehemorere.
12. Ko-Hinehopukia.
13. Ko-Tatuamauwawe.
14. Ko-Pakipaki.
15. Ko-Te Ruruku.
16. Ko-Te Pu.
17. Ko-Te Weu.
18. Ko-Te Morenuku.
19. Ko-Te Morerangi.
20. Ko-Tiekiwaho.
21. Ko-Whakarongowaho.
22. Ko-Whakarongopo.
23. Ko-Kuao.
24. Ko-Te Manawakauhe.
25. Ko-Te Mawakapore.
26. Ko-Te Manawanuiorangi.
27. Ko-Houtina.
28. Ko-Houmaota.
29. Ko-Te Ahutu.
30. Ko-Horotepo.
31. Ko-Maruanuku.
32. Ko-Maruarangi.
33. Ko-Hauwhakaturia.
34. Ko-Whakahotunuku.
35. Ko-Whakahoturangi.
36. Ko-Tua.
37. Ko-Te Marama.
38. Ko-Tataiarorangi.
39. Ko-Te Huapae.
40. Ko-Te Rangihopukia.
41. Ko-Hine Huhuritai.
42. Ko-Manutangirua.
43. Ko-Hingaangaroa.
Ka whanau tenei tangata a Hingaangaroa ka tipu ka pakeke. Ka whakaatutia kia ia aua Poupou whakairo, i riro mai ra ia Ruatepupuke, i muri iho ka ara ia ia tetahi whare ka hoatu eia aua Poupou ki runga i taua whare i tauiratia ki reira nga whakairo o taua whare te manaia me Taowaru ara one te tini noa atu o te Whakairo. Kaoti taua whare ka huaina te ingoa o Hingaangaroa ko te Rawheoro ko tenei whare i tu ki roto o uawa, ara ki Mangaheia ko te tino wahi i tu ai tenei whare, kei Mangakuuku, engari kai roto ano i te Poraka o Mangaheia. Kai reira tonu te papa tuunga o tenai whare.
1. Ko-Hingaangaroa.
2. Ko-Haniti.
3. Ko-Hinetera.
4. Ko-Tutekohi.
5. Ko-Tamatanui.
6. Ko-Te Ruahoroa.
7. Ko-Rakawhakairi.
8. Ko-Kahumaru.
9. Ko-Whariungarangi.
10. Ko-Tapa.
11. Ko-Tarangaroa.
12. Ko-Te Rangipuakangaahau.
13. Ko-Te Rangiteerehua.
14. Ko-Tamaauahi.
15. Ko-Te Rangikatoiwaho.
16. Ko-Huiwhenua.
17. Ko-Puanga.
18. Ko-Hinetokare.
19. Ko-Harete.
20. Ko-Merekaraka.
Ka puta tenei ko au ko Mokena Romio ke nui nga hakenga iho ia Ruatepupuke ko au katoa te putanga me etahi atu tangata. Kati noa taku whakapapa e whakaatu au ko tenei kua oti nei ko nga iwi, me nga hapu katoa o te Tairawhiti nei, kai runga katoa i tenei Tipuna ia Ruatepupuke.
A kai muri nei, kai oku ra, ka whaka arahia e au te tahi whare ko te tohunga mahi o taku whare whakairo ano hoki. Ko Wiremu Mangapouri ka oti tana whare nei. Ka huaina te ingoa e au ko Ruatepupuke, no te mea he Tipuna hoki tenei noku me titiro hoki ki taku whakapapa, tetahi ko te rironga mai o te whakairo ia ia, no reira ano hoki te tauira o te whakairo e mau nei i runga i nga whare me etahi atu taonga e mahia ana e te tangata Maori, na kia marama nga kai titiro, koia nei te tipuna o matou o nga iwi Maori o te Tairawhiti nei me etahi atu wahi o te motu nei.
=========
Now, let’s compare Sāmoan stories about Lufasiaitu:
(ii) The Lufasiaitu Legend
Lufasiaitu known to be half human and half spirit lived on the coast of Uafato with a farm of forbidden chickens (moa sa) which only Lufasiaitu can eat. Whilst Lufasiaitu lived on the coast, Tagaloalagi known as the god of the heavens lived on the top of the mountains known as the tenth heaven. The taboo was put to test when members of Tagaloalagi's clan residing on the heavens attacked and ate Lufasiaitu's forbidden chicken. Lufasiaitu found out and in his fury raged war against Tagaloa and slaughtered his clan starting from the first heaven (mountain) right up to the eighth heaven. Seeing that his clan has been decimated, Tagaloa decided to make peace to Lufasiaitu by offering his only daughter Leamoa as his wife and to appease for the wrongdoing made by his clan. Thus, the origins of the following expressions widely used these days in Samoa's oratory:-
"Faalava Leamoa" meaning being lain across the path
"Tulouna le lagi"- oratory phrase used to seek acceptance when attending a chief's funeral
Origin of the name Samoa - from Lu's forbidden chickens
=========
According to Te’o Tuvale, Lū was an ancestor of Pili:
Chapter I.
The ancestors of Samoa— Tumua and pule and their King.
1. Papatu married Papafoaiga and their child, a girl was named Papaele.
2. Maataanoa married Papaele and begot a boy, Palapala.
3. Palapala married Puleiluga and begot Puleilalonei.
4. Maatogia married Puleilalonei and their son was named Tupufua.
5. Tupufua married Fogataitailua and begot Masinaauele.
6. Tagaloalagi married Masinaauele and begot Tagaloaaui. Tagaloaaui held his chiefly circle at Manu'a and it was at this circle for the first time that children were forbidden to enter. Kava was also used for the first time at this circle. This meeting was the first round table conference of chiefs ever held in Samoa.
7. Tuiopapatea sailed to Manu'a to take part in the chiefly circle and partake of Kava. The son of a chief named Pava amused himself at this conference by stirring the kava in the bowl and Tagaloaaui said “send the boy away.” The child continued to stir the kava whereupon Tagaloaaui jumped and cut the boy's body in half with the stem of a cocoanut frond. He said to Tuiopapatea, “this is your half and this is mine.”
8. This chief then sang a song as follows:- We two went to sea fishing-we struck the sea but only one fish named Manini was caught. Oh! Maia and Mamaifai: you two go up to heaven and look at my latasi and at the kava tree which grows in a hidden place. Foolishness has departed and the sun often shines strongly: this is the head and this is the tail: kava has only been known since you arrived from Papatea: Oh! Oh! here we have a kava bowl, a strainer and a kava cup brought from heaven. When the kava is prepared let it all be consumed.”
Tagaloaaui took hold of the boy and preparing to cut him in half said “you eat one half and I will eat the other.” Pava refused on account of his love for the boy whose life was thus spared.
9. Tagaloaaui married Sinapapatea the daughter of Tuiopapatea. Their child was named Tagaloanimonimo.
10. Tagaloanimonimo married Sauoleola and their two children were named Uilalamoe and Sinalagilagi, the latter was a girl.
11. Mulumagagae married Sinalagilagi and their child was named Luaufafafua.
12. Luaufafafua married Malamagagaifo and their son was named Lumasatagaloa.
13. This Lu married Alofavalevale and their son was named Lutala.
14. Lutala married Sinapulapula and their son was named Lufasiaitu. Lufasiaitu declared fowls to be sacred and from this proscription arose the name “Sa-moa.”
It is said that the family of Tagaloalagi stole the sacred fowl of Lu. Lu was angry and chased them from the first to the ninth heaven. Tagaloalagi then said to Lu, “Oh Lu! come here - you have chased us from the first to the ninth heaven - bring your anger to the Malaeoletotoa. (the spot where peace reigns.) I will give to you my daughter Lagituaiva as the price of our freedom, but spare the people.” Lu was pleased and acquiesced.
15. Lufasiaitu married Lagituaiva and their child was named Lupoto.
16. Lupoto married Sinamalaeloa and their children were named Lunofo, Lutaoto and Luatausilinuu.
17. Luatausilinuu married Lagiaunoa. They named their child, a girl, Lagimafola.
18. Tagaloalagiapuapumoea married Lagimafola and begot Pilipau.
19. Pilipau married Sinalesaee the daughter of Tuimanua and begot Piliaau.
20. Piliaau married Sinaletavae the daughter of Tuiaanaletavaetele and their children founded Tua and Ana and Saga and Tolufale. These districts were named Atua, Aana, Tuamasaga and Manono. Piliaau made a fishing net. There is a Samoan saying “The net of Piliaau hangs up to dry but is still available for fishing.” (an exhortation not to be discouraged if the first attempt is unsuccesful.) So many fish were caught that many were returned to the sea. Piliaau appointed his sons to undertake various work. Tua was appointed to take charge of the taro stick and the business of work; Ana was appointed to the spear and the war club and the business of fighting; Saga was appointed to the Fue (fly whisk) of the orator and the stick used when talking and to the business of speech-making. Tolufale was put in charge of boats and fishing nets.
=========
Comments:
The gender of Rua’s child changes. Sometimes a boy, sometimes a girl. Hermaphroditic like a maggot as has been pointed out to me - but maybe this very detail is secondary to the greater problem of Justice / Utu in this tale. In another version Rua journeyed to rescue his son (or daughter) Manuhauturuki who was slain by Tangaroa’s people, after which the child’s body was fastened atop the gable-peak as a tekoteko. Tekoteko are a kind of carved protective guardian spirit effigy specifically mounted on the highest point of a house. They are also the carved figureheads of canoes. “Tekoteko” is built around a reduplicated base TEKO that as a noun means “#rock”, and as an adjective,“isolated, standing out”. Interestingly, the word TE’O as a cognate is not found in Sāmoan dictionaries… I assume this is an example of TE PĪ, the avoidance of uttering sacred names in the mundane setting, as TE’O is a singular name appearing in Fa’alupega Sāmoa and genealogies, for example, the first child of Fānene—“Te'o na pō ai le nu'u”—a renowned warrior whose ancestral war club safeguarded the titles of Fonotī. The cognate in Hawaiian is KE’O and means “haughty, proud; to project”… and may have been synonymous with rangatira / lanakila / “champion”.
Viewed in the negative, the Tekoteko form of Ruatepupuke’s son may have been considered haughty and disrespectful to Tangaroa and was therefore punished to serve as a human sacrifice and have his mana transferred into an effigy upon the house as a warning and act of retribution against future transgressions.
The mention of an “insatiable appetite for kai Moana” is interesting in the context of offerings of “first fish”. In other island groups, like Rarotonga, IKAMATAATI (ika-mata-ati) “first fish” was a euphemism for the first warriors to fall in battle from either side, the bodies of which were regarded as instantly TAPU (consecrated) and offered as sacrifices to whichever ‘aitu / war-god presided over the battle. It could be that Manuhauturuhi had a fondness for naval battle and attacked roving sailors, neglected out of hubris (i.e. “teko” / “te’o”) to pay tribute to Tangaroa as his patron chief, and was consequently captured, executed, and / or otherwise carried off (double-meaning of “FŌLAU” is “to voyage” and “to die”) to Tangaroa’s realm to serve. There is an old fa’asamoa custom here in effect — VALELELEI “keeping up friendly relations with one’s neighbors” — also not observed and perhaps finds its origin in the story about Lu and Tagaloa.
* This abduction was regarded by Rua as a violation of his posterity, of the potential of succession through his eldest son and/or daughter, members of Rua’s sā (house). As such, it was of paramount importance that Rua recover his heir(s). Venturing out on his own, he fought the nine heavens - possibly euphemisms analogous to the poupou (supporters of Tangaroa’s “house”). After his conquest was complete and the maritime power of Tangaroa diminished, the age of Tangaroa’s dominion was ended and the birth of the Tu’i Manu’a was begun. Thus the Sā Tagaloa receded into the background of Central Polynesian affairs whilst the House of Moa took front and center for a time. The Fale’ula descended from Heaven, which is precisely the Whārekura and with it whakairo.
* Tangaroa’s house was called Huiteananui, which means “Assembly of the Great Cavern”.
* Whārekura = Fale’ula, the legendary “red house” of Lū-Fasi-‘Aitu in Manu’a, Sā-Moa, the sancti sanctorum of prehistoric / legendary Sāmoan culture. It was the hub of the 100 houses / faleselau alluding to the looted poupou of Tangaroa’s Huiteananui, the 100 supporters of the Tu’i Manu’a. The pillars formed from stacks of defeated chiefs piled together (afa) upon one another’s necks (ua) to raise up the roof (ato). This is found in the name of the village of Uafato (ua afa ato / = Uāfāto.
* This is a story about wars of revenge and regime change.
* So, the skill was perhaps not originally Māori, but from the ancestors of the Māori in the former homeland…
* And in the Samoan cosmogonic tradition, Samoans were the “worm people” born from maggots found crawling about on the rotten creeper vine of the Fue-sa / Holy Vine — the original “maggots” of the Moana and useful bait for “catching fish” (discovering/ raising land).
* Rua’s method of killing Kanae (‘anae), Maroro (malolo) and Kōkiri are allusions to fishing techniques suggesting the battle was a naval engagement at a chokepoint of some kind. As the following excerpt about SEU suggests:
“In Tutuila, the red-lipped mullet appeared only at the Western end. They appeared first at Lauanae and then moved westward to Amanave near the light house island. Here they were caught in nets stretched across the channel between the small island and the coast.
When fishing for anae (mullet) the fishermen post themselves around the big net. As the fish take to flight by jumping out of the net, they are caught in alagamea (small hand nets). This method of fishing is known as seu.”
* Presumably this fuesa vine existed before Tāne created the land of Light as the tala o Le Vava’u says the fuesa grew too luxurious and weighed down the canopy of the forests of Tāne / Tagaloa. I.e. — the suffocating embrace of Rangi and Papa / Wākea and Papa / Sky and Earth.
Presumably much later Lū-Fasi-‘Aitu would be born, who may be the Samoan name for Rua-te-pupuke.
* The Maori word WHATUKURA is composed of two words--WHATU and KURA.
* #WHATU has multiple meanings besides "rock" or "stone". It also means "a stone of a fruit, a kernel", "hail; hailstones", "the pupil of the eye", "a testicle" (suggesting a very sensitive / tapu masculine-driven area when applied euphemistically)", here's the really interesting one from Moriori: "AN ISLAND".. Tregear in his dictionary leaves an equally intriguing footnote "[NOTE. -- It would appear as though sacred stone images were supposed to actually possess personality: thus, among the evil deities said to swell with Miru in Tatau-o-te-Po, we find Nga Atua Kowhatumakutu, Kowhatu-whaka-pakoko, Kohatu-whakairo; "The Wizard Stone-gods, Stone-images, Carved-stones."]" / This is a cognate of Samoan FATU meaning "stone", "core of a fruit", "seeds", "THE HEART", "the gizzard", "a song"; "hard"; "to make a titi; to commence plaiting; to fasten floats to a net; to compose a song; to raise a false report". Herein there swirls a nexus of nuanced layers of meaning that suggest this whatukura may be the Wharekura in its "seed" form while it yet resided in Manu'a some generations before it sprouted and transferred a version of itself to Aotearoa's eastern shores. In this case WHATU / FATU may be a case of synecdoche wherein a small part stands for a greater part. As such the “rock” here may be referring to a rock mound, i.e. a LAGI, one of the many locales of the paramount chiefs of old.
* KURA means "red", but signifies also something "sacred, shining" as this was the color of holy and consecrated things. KURA is a cognate of 'ULA / ULA.
* Kowhatumakutu ... shifted phonetically towards Sāmoan orthography and we see 'O Fatu Matu'u
* the name of the girl Hine-te-iwaiwa of Tangaroa’s family… Lagi-Tua-Iva, a daughter of Tagaloa, appears to be a play on words between the number nine (IVA / IWA) and a word for pure blue / black / blue-black, which was regarded as precious. Thus this daughter was a highly valued person in the court of Tangaroa, not just some maiden, but a Royal hostage of the highest pedigree. A fitting exchange for the son that Ruatepupuke / Lufasiaitu lost. The etymology of IVA / IWA is interesting in that it gradually evolves out of Austronesian #SIAM that means “blue-black” and has “nine”, rooted in Sanskrit ŚYĀMĀ (श्यामा) meaning “blue-black” and was one of the Nine daughters of MERU (मेरु).
* the son’s name as Manuhauturuki as a cognate of Sāmoan, manu-sau-tulu’i and suggests that the boy was of high pedigree and a protector of the family — manu “bird”, sau “to be a champion”, tulu’i “enduring”; and I am reminded of the legend of Manusāmoa and the function of Te’o and tekoteko… guardians.
Perhaps the word “whakairo” in a sense once meant or implied “the Sāmoan way, specifically, “the way of Manu’a”.
* Cognates of: Rua-te-pupuke
Rua = Lua = “cave, pit, hole”
Te = Ke = Le = “the”
Pupuke = pupu’e = pū + puke “to (puke) attack the (pū) head of the octopus”, “to criticize the head of the octopus”
“To attack the cave of the head of the octopus.”
That’s the summary of the story of Lu-Fasi-‘Aitu in the name of the Māori hero of legend.
The Octopus is the entirety of the 8 or 9 Tagaloa chiefs.
This was a story about regime change. From here the Tagaloa gods with their Lagi-centric order withdrew from Central Polynesian affairs in prehistory, the time of myths and legends.
Comments