At Easter Island, stories were passed down verbally from generation to generation. History turns to legend, which turns to myth. All these different words we have today for these things are explained in only one word in Rapa Nui - 'a'amu. To doubt the truthness in some of these stories is modern phenomena. Before today's society reached Easter Island they were all seen as true events of the past.
Legend | Description | Language |
---|---|---|
Events preceding migration to Rapa Nui | A lesser known legend about why the Rapa Nui settlers left their original home. | English |
Dream of Haumaka | King Hotu Matu'a fled Hiva in search of a new land. | English |
Hanau 'E'epe | The arrival and extermination of the second immigration to Rapa Nui. | English & Rapa Nui |
Moai kava-kava | King Tu'u Ko Ihu and the wooden moai statues. | English & Rapa Nui |
Death of Hotu Matu'a | The last actions of Hotu Matu'a. | English & Rapa Nui |
Tangaroa and Hiro | King Tangaroa from Hiva that reached Rapa Nui in the shape of a seal. | English & Rapa Nui |
Make-Make creating man | The legend of how man came to be. | English & Rapa Nui |
The following is a lesser known legend relating the events that resulted in king Hotu Matu'a and his people (later to be known as Hanau Momoko) fleeing from their home, here called Marae Toe Hau, part of the land Hiva.
It was recorded by William J. Thomson on the ship USS Mohican when staying at Rapa Nui during 11 days in 1886. Thomson's report on the island called Te Pito Te Henua Or Easter Island
was first published in 1891.
Either the storyteller or the interpreter had the directions wrong, claiming that the settlers came from a land in direction of the rising sun (east), since there is no group of islands in that direction that would be a possible origin of these settlers. Also, other legends usually state that Hiva was in the direction of the setting sun (west).
...(The tradition states) that Hotu Matu'a and his followers came from a group of islands lyings towards the rising sun, and the name of the land was Marae Toe Hau, the literal meaning of which is the burial place
. In this land, the climate was so intensely hot that the people sometimes died from the effects of the heat, and at certain seasons plants and growing things were scorched and shriveled up by the burning sun.
The circumstances that led up to the migration are related as follows: Hotu Matu'a succeeded his father, who was a powerful chief, but his reign in the land of his birth, owing to a combination of circumstances over which he had no control, was limited to a very few years. His brother, Machaa, fell in love with a maiden famed for her beauty and grace, but a rival appeared upon the scene in the person of Oroi, the powerful chief of a neighboring clan. After the manner of the sex in all ages and climes, this dusky beauty trifled with the affections of her suitors and proved fickle-minded. When pressed to make a choice between the two, she announced that she would marry Oroi, provided he would prove his love by making a pilgrimage around the island, and it was specified that he should walk continually without stopping to eat, or to rest by day or night, until the tour of the island was completed. Retainers were selected to carry food to be eaten on the route, and Oroi started upon his journey, accompanied for the first few miles by his affianced bride, who promised upon parting to permit her thoughts to dwell upon nothing but him until his return. The inconstant female eloped with her other lover, Machaa, on the same evening. Oroi did not hear these news until he had arrived at the farther end of the island; then he returned directly to his home, where he prepared a great feast to which he summoned all the warriors of his clan. The indignity that had been put upon him was related, and all present registered a vow that they would never rest until Hotu Matu'a and his entire family had been put to death.
It appears that Machaa was a man of prudence, and seeing that a desperate conflict was imminent, he embarked with six chosen followers and his bride, in a large double canoe, and with plenty of provisions sailed in the night for some more genial clime. The great spirit Make-Make is supposed to have appeared to him and made it known that a large uninhabited island could be found by steering towards the setting sun. The land was sighted after they had been out two months, and the canoe was beached on the south side of the island. On the second day after their arrival they found a turtle on the beach near Anakena, and one of the men was killed by a blow of its flipper in trying to turn it over. Two months after they had landed on the island, the two canoes with Hotu Matu'a and his followers, three hundred in number, arrived.
The desertion of Machaa did not appease the wrath of Oroi, and war to the death was carried on until Hotu Matu'a, after being defeated in three great battles, was driven to the last extremity. Discouraged by his misfortune, and convinced that his ultimate capture and death were certain, he determined to flee from the island of Marae Toe Hau, and accordingly had two large canoes, 90 feet long and 6 feet deep, provisioned and prepared for a long voyage. In the night, and on the eve of another battle, they sailed away, with the understanding that the setting sun was to be their compass.
It appears that the intended flight of Hotu Matu'a was discovered by Oroi at the last moment, and that energetic individual smuggled himself on board of one of the canoes, disguised as a servant. After arriving upon the island, he hid himself among the rocks at Orongo, and continued to seek his revenge by murdering every unprotected person who came in his way. This interesting state of affairs continued for several years, but Oroi was finally captured in a net thrown by Hotu Matu'a and was pounded to death.
Chaos rumbled across Hiva and the island was about to break. Night had come, and in his sleep priest Haumaka let his spirit fly freely in search of a new land. He saw from far the limits of the clouds above the ocean [when traveling by sea searching for an island, what you first will see are the cloud formations above it]. He saw the fog rising from below. He landed inbetween the limits of the clouds and said: Here is a good place for the king to live
.
The spirit of Haumaka continued. He saw three islets outside of the main island and said: Ahh, here are the islets - Motu Nui, Motu 'Iti and Motu Kao-Kao. They are the people from the old times of Ta'aŋa and Haumaka of Hiva
.
He climbed up Pū Mahore and said: This is Pū Mahore of Haumaka of Hiva
. The spirit arrived to the top and felt the refreshing winds coming from down the volcanic crater and said: This is Puku 'Uri ["Black rock"] of Haumaka of Hiva
.
The spirit continued walking, naming places of the island. He reached the hill in the middle and said: This is the navel of this land, in the top of this hill
. He took a step to the top of the hill. He looked, he let his eyes follow the land, he said: This is Ma'uŋa Terevaka ["Hill of navigating boat"]. The name does not come from navigating a boat. When a man reaches the top of this hill then that is what he sees, for it is our eyes, it is us, who are the boat
.
The spirit returns to Hiva and Haumaka wakes up. He sends a message to 'Ira, Rapareŋa, Mako'i, U'uri, Ku'u-Ku'u of Huatava, Riŋi-Riŋi of Huatava and to Nonoma of Huatava. They gather with Haumaka, and he tells them: Go search for the land where the King can live, in the far horizon where the land is wrapped in fog beneath the clouds
.
The seven explorerers left in search of the new land. Only shortly after, their king Hotu Matu'a followed, along with the rest of his people. When the king was arriving, the seven explorerers who already had scouted the land advised the king of the best place to go ashore - a wide beach. This beach was to be known as Haŋa rau o te 'ariki - The bay of the king
, where the king placed his first house.
Recorded by Sebastián Englert
Corrected and typed in Rapa Nui by Paulus Kieviet in 2008
Translated to English by Marcus Edensky and Maria Teresa Ika Pakarati in 2012
Where do those men come from? The earlobe is striking:hānau 'e'epefor the length of the earlobe!
¿O hē te taŋata era? 'Ai te 'epe:hānau 'e'epe'o 'epe ro-roa!
We don't want to.
'Ina kai haŋa mātou.
How does one get to the hānau 'e'epe?
¿Pē hē ana rava'a mai i te hānau 'e'epe?.
Observe me carefully; if I sit, if I stich a bag they will be sleeping; send forward the warriors.
E u'i atu te mata ki a au; ana noho mai au, ana raraŋa mai au i te kete, ku ha'uru 'ā (te hānau 'e'epe); ka oho atu te tau'a.
Done.
Bring forward the warriors from behind, bring forward the warriors from the side, from Te Hakarava, bring forward the warriors from the other side, from Mahatua; they met in the middle.
¡Orro, orro, orro!.
¡Orro, orro, orro!.
Let this immigrant flee, so that his people will have descendants!
Ka haka rere atu te hō'ou mo haka rahi o tō'ona o te mahiŋo!.
Except for king Hotu Matu'a, most Easter Island kings are quite anonymous. King Tu'u Ko Ihu is an exception to this. What made him most famous is the invention of the so called moai kava-kava (rib moai
) - wooden, naked statues with bones showing. This is the legend about how it all happened.
Recorded by Sebastián Englert
Corrected and typed in Rapa Nui by Paulus Kieviet in 2008
Translated to English by Marcus Edensky in 2013
Wake up, the king has seen your miserable bodies.
Ka 'ara kōrua, ku tike'a 'ā to kōrua ika kino e te 'ariki.
Wake up, you sleeping people!.
¡Ka 'ara, rava hā'uru kē, kōrua!.
What?
¿Pē hē rā?.
Tu'u Ko Ihu has seen your miserable bodies.
Ku tike'a 'ā to kōrua ika kino e Tu'u Ko Ihu.
Greetings, oh king! Welcome, oh king!
¡'Auē te 'ariki ē! ¡Ka oho mai e te 'ariki ē!.
The same to you, dear friends!.
¡Ko kōrua 'ā, ko māhaki!.
What did you find when you came here?
¿Pē hē ta'a me'e piri, i oho mai ena koe?.
Nothing.
'Ina.
Greetings, dear king, be welcome!.
The same to you fellows, please come closer!
¡Ko kōrua 'ana ko ŋā kope, ka oho mai!.
Ay, ay, ay, ay; the thing that you know!
No, I don't know anything.
'Ina, 'ina he me'e ma'a.
Did you really not find anything, oh king, when you came here?
¿'Ina 'ō he me'e piri ki a koe e te 'ariki ē, i oho mai ena koe?.
No.
'Ina.
Welcome, dear king!
¡Ka oho mai, 'auē te 'ariki ē!.
The same to you.
Ko kōrua 'ana.
Did you not meet any fellows when you came here?
¿'Ina ŋā io i piri atu ki a koe, i oho mai ena e te 'ariki ē?.
No.
'Ina.
He did not see our miserable bodies.
'Ina kai tike'a to tātou ika kino.
Greetings dear king! Welcome back from your land, from Tore Tahuna!
¡'Auē te 'ariki ē, e Tu'u Ko Ihu ē, ka oho mai mai to'u kāiŋa, mai Tore Tahuna!.
The same to you, dear people!
¡Ko kōrua 'ā, ka oho mai, 'auē, te mahiŋo ē!.
Have you not met anyone, dear king?
¿'Ina 'ā me'e i piri ki a koe e te 'ariki ē?.
No.
'Ina.
He did not see the miserable bodies of Hitirau and Nuko te Maŋō; let us leave this place.
'Ina kai tike'a te ika kino o Hitirau, o Nuko te Maŋō; matu tātou ki oho rō.
Hey, dear king, recieve this and eat!.
Welcome fellows, you beautiful and pure-hearted fellows!
The same to the king.
Ko te 'ariki 'ana.
Where are you going, fellows?
¿Ki hē kōrua ko ŋā kope?.
To you, oh king!.
What are your names?.
¿Ko ai to kōrua 'īŋoa?.
I'm Pa'a-pa'a Hiro.
Au ko Pa'a-pa'a Hiro.
Pa'a-pa'a Kiraŋi.
Pa'a-pa'a Kiraŋi.
To'o Tahe Turu mai te Raŋi.
Ko To'o Tahe Turu mai te Raŋi.
These have to go with me; throw water over them!
¡Ka oho te me'e era ka pū-pū [txt: pūpú "rociar" - should this be rū-rū, or pī-pī?] hai vai!.
The house of making moais walk.
Ko te hare haka ha'ere mōai.
Recorded by Sebastián Englert
Corrected and typed in Rapa Nui by Paulus Kieviet in 2008
Translated to English by Marcus Edensky in 2013
Te Vare te Reiŋataki.
Te Vare te Reiŋataki.
Come closer, I'm dying.
Ka oho mai kōrua ananake, he mate au.
Who are you?.
¿Ko ai koe?.
It's me - Tu'u Maheke.
Ko au nei, ko Tu'u Maheke.
Nothing will ever get to you, my firstborn! Much is the sand in Anakena, in your land. Many are the fleas in your land.2
¡'Ina koe e ko rava'a, e te 'atariki ē! 'One nui 'i 'Anakena, 'i tō'ou kāiŋa, kō'ura nui 'i tō'ou kāiŋa.
Who are you?.
¿Ko ai koe?.
It's me, Miru te Matanui, son of Hotu Matu'a.
Nothing will ever get to you, so that you will be able to take care of your people.
'Ina koe e ko rava'a, mo rō'ou o tō'ou mahiŋo.
Who are you?.
¿Ko ai koe?.
It's me, Tu'u te Matanui, son of Hotu Matu'a.
Ko au nei, ko Tu'u te Matanui 'a Hotu Matu'a.
Nothing will ever get to you. Many are the pebbles in Hanga Tepau, many are the shells in Te Hue..
'Ina koe e ko rava'a, kī-kiri nui 'i Haŋa Tepau, pipi nui 'i Te Hue.
Who are you?.
¿Ko ai koe?.
It's me, Hotu 'Iti te Mata'iti, son of Hotu Matu'a.
Ko au, ko Hotu 'Iti te Mata'iti 'a Hotu Matu'a.
Nothing will ever get to you, dear Hotu 'Iti, dear te Mata'iti, son of Hotu Matu'a! There are niuhi tapaka'i in Motu Tōremo in Hiva and in your land!.3
Sit here my sons, by my head, by my feet and by my side.
Ka no-noho mai kōrua tā'aku ŋā poki, 'i tō'oku pu'oko, 'i tō'oku va'e, 'i te kao-kao.
Go to Huareva to get the last water that I'll ever drink. When I drink this water I will die.
Ka oho koe ki Huareva4 ki te vai mouŋa mā'aku mo unu. Ana unu au i te vai era, he mate au.
Help me drink!.
¡Ka haka unu mai!.
Let your ears listen to my last words; I shall shout towards Hiva - to our homeland and its king.
Ka haka roŋo mai to kōrua tariŋa ki tā'aku vānaŋa mouŋa; he raŋi au ki Hiva, ki te kāiŋa, ki te 'ariki.
Oh, Kuihi and Kuaha! Sing some to me through the voice of the rooster of Ariaŋe!.
¡E Kuihi, e Kuaha! ¡Ka haka 'o'oa 'iti-'iti mai koe i te re'o o te moa o Ariaŋe!.
'O'oa take heu-heu.
'O'oa take heu-heu.
1) The original says mauŋa (hill/mountain/volcano), but it probably should be mouŋa (last).
2) The "fleas" is metaphorically speaking, in the same sense as "kō'ura tere henua" (earth-walking fleas), meaning us humans that walk the earth. King Hotu Matu'a means that Tu'u Mahekes people will be as many as there are grains of sand in Anakena.
3) A niuhi is a kind of fish that is unusually brave. The meaning of the word tapaka'i is unknown. It seems like the king compares his youngest son to this brave fish, saying that they are in the part of Rapa Nui called Hotu 'Iti - the land assigned to this son who bears the same name.
4) Huareva is a place between 'Akahaŋa and Vaihū where a water well had been dug.
Tangaroa is a character that appears in several polynesian cultures. In Rapa Nui legends he appears as a king from Hiva that reaches the land of Rapa Nui in the shape of a seal. He has a brother called Hiro. Both brothers have strong magical powers.
Recorded by Fritz Felbermayer
Corrected and typed in Rapa Nui by Paulus Kieviet in 2008
Translated to English by Marcus Edensky in 2013
I will enter the ocean as a tuna fish. I'll go to a new land to rule as a king.
He uru au ki roto i te vaikava pa he kahi. He oho au ki te henua e tahi mo 'ariki.
Don't go to a distant land, or you will die.
'Ina koe ko oho ki te henua roa 'o mate rō.
No. I will reach that land and return this very same day, if they don't like me.
'Ina. E tu'u nō ki rā henua mo oho e hoki mai 'anīrā nei 'ā, ana ta'e haŋa mai ki a au.
A seal entered in front of ahu Tongariki. It has the body of a seal, the tail of a seal, the head of a man and hands of a man.
Ku tomo 'ā te pakia a mu'a i te ahu Toŋariki. Hakari pakia, hiku pakia, pū'oko taŋata, rima taŋata.
I am not a seal. Don't kill me. I am a king called Tangaroa.
Ta'e au he pakia. 'Ina ko tiŋa'i mai. He 'ariki au ko Taŋaroa.
It's a seal with the voice of a man.
Pakia re'o taŋata.
It really is clear now - he was a king. He was Tangaroa, not a seal; the meat doesn't cook.
He aŋi mau 'ā pē nei ē: he 'ariki. Ko Taŋaroa, ta'e he pakia; te kiko kai 'ō'otu.
Where is my brother Tangaroa?
¿'I hē tō'oku taina ko Taŋaroa?
This is the legend of how the god Make-Make created man.
Recorded by Sebastian Englert
Told by Arturo Teao Tori
Translated to English by Marcus Edensky in 2014