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Legends and Traditions of Easter Island

translated from Sebastian Englert's Leyendas

The Arrival of Hotu Matu'a. Five of the First Explorers Return Home. The Arrival of Hotu Matu'a. Five of the First Explorers Return Home.
Part II
He-oho-mai ki Taharoa, he-poreko te ha'aha'a roroa; he-oho-mai ki Haga Hoonu, he-poreko te kovare; he-o'o-mai ki Anakena, he-papakina te ranu. Upon reaching Taharoa the vaginal mucosities came out35; they reached Hanga Hoony and the mucous plug came out; they entered Anakena and the waters broke.
He-poreko te poki a te Ariki Ava Reipua. He-ragi Hotu Matu'a, he-û'i: "Tamaaha te Ariki ena?" Queen Ava Reipua's child was born (first). Hotu Matu'a shouted, and asked: "What sex is the (newborn) Ariki?"
He-ragi-mai te tagata: "Tamahahine". The men shouted back: "It's a girl".
He-poreko te Ariki tamaaroa Ko Tu'u Maheke. He-ragi-atu Ava Reipua: "Tamaaha te Ariki ena?". The Ariki child Tu'u Maheke was born36. Those of Ava Reipua37 shouted, asking: "What sex is this Ariki?"
He-ragi-mai Hotu Matu'a: "Tamaaroa". Hotu Matu'a answered: "It's a boy".
He-tomo te Ariki tamaaroa ki Hiro Moko, he-tomo te Ariki tamahahine ki Haga Ohiro. The King disembarked at Hiro Moko, the Queen disembarked at Hanga Hiro.
He-kî Hotu Matu'a ki te tagata mo haha'u o te pito o te Ariki poki tamaaroa. Ina he tagata ma'a. Hotu Matu'a sent for a man to tie the baby umbilical cord. There was no-one who knew how to.
Iruga i te miro o Ava Reipua te tagata ma'a. He-kî Ava Reipua: "I te tagata ai". He-kî A'Hotu Matu'a: "Ka-hakaúga-mai! ". On Ava Reipua's boat there was a man who knew. Ava Reipua said: "Heere is the man". Hotu Matu'a said "Send him here!"
He-oho-mai, he-haha'u i te pito. Te igoa o te tagata haha'u pito Ko Riku Vai, Kava Vai, erua igoa. He came and tied the umbilical cord. His names were Riku Vai and Kava Vai; he had two names.
He-nanagi i te pito, he-hokí-mai, he-haha'u iho i te pito o te poki a Ava Reipua. He severed the umbilical cord and returned (to the boat) to tie the umbilical cord of Ava Reipua's daughter.
He-tomo te tagata kiuta. He-aga i te hare, hare Tupatu'u. The men disembarked. They built a house, Tupatu'u house.
He-noho etahi te piere te tagata oruga o te miro o Hotu Matu'a, ko te vî'e, ko te poki, ko te tagata; etahi te piere te tagata oruga o te miro Ava Reipua, ko te vî'e, ko te poki, ko te tagata. A thousand people38 stayed on board Hotu Matu'a's boat (in this island), women, children and men, and a thousand on board Ava Reipua's boat, women, children and men.
I-tu'u-mai-era Hotu Matu'a, i-noho-era i Anakena, he-hoki A'Ira, A'Raparega, Ko Nonoma A'Huatava, Ko U'ure A'Huatava, Ko Mako'i Rigirigi ki Hiva iruga i te miro. When Hotu Matu'a had arrived and had stayed in Anakena, Ira, Raparenga, Nonoma A'Huatava, U'ure A'Huatava and Mako'i Ringiringi returned to Hiva on their boat.
He-oho te miro, he-ragi-atu A'Rigirigi: "Ku-garoa-mai-ana hoki e au: Ko Ruhi i te rara mata'u, Ko Pú ki te rara maû'i", etahi tuitui reipá i te gao o te moai O'Hinariru, etahi i Te Pei-á-i-garo-ró-ai, evaru kaukau ekó rava'a". As the boat left, Ringiringi shouted: "I too have heard it: Ruhi is on the right, Pú on the left, a necklace of mother-of-pearl on moai Hinariru, another remains in Te Pei, no-one can find it."
He-ki A'Ira: "¡Koho-mai ki hoki, ki tiga'i i a Rigirigi!" Ira said: "Let's go back and kill Ringiringi!"
He-kî U'ure: "Ina, ka-hakarere to'u hokorua, ina tâtou ekó hoki, ekó tiga'i; ka-hakarere-atu! ". But U'ure said: "No, leave your companion here, let's not return, let's not kill him, let's leave him here!"

The End


Note 35 Of Hotu Matu'a's wife.

Note 36 Son of Hotu Matu'a.

Note 37 The men on Ava Reipua's boat.

Note 38 A common hyperbole among a people who lacks an exact concept of numbers. Between 200 and 300 immigrants may have arrived with Hotu Matu'a.


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