Traditions and Legends of Easter Island

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Legends and Traditions of Easter Island

translated from Sebastian Englert's Leyendas

Ngata Vake and Te Ohiro
Told by Gabriel Veriveri

Ko Hogi Atua Kava A'Ure Aoviri i-vânaga-mai: Hongi Atua Kava A'Ure Aoviri told me:

Kaiga nuinui te kaiga nei. Te ua i-itiiti-ai, Ko Uoke i-ketu hai akaûe, i-emu-ai i te kaiga. This country was a big country. The reason why it has become small is Uoke, who lifted it with a lever, and sank it.

O te tagata kikino o Te Pito o te Henua, oíra i-ketu-ai Uoke ka-itiiti-ró te kaiga nei. Because of the wicked people of Te Pito o te Henua ⁹⁴, it is because of them that Uoke lifted [it] and this country became small.

Mai Te Pito o te Henua i-ketu, i-oho-mai-ai, ka-tu'u-ró ki te tomoga o Gata Vake, ka-tu'u-ró ki Te Ohiro. It is starting from Easter Island that he lifted [lands], coming from there, and arrived at the landing place of Gata Vake and at [that of] Te Ohiro ^94a.

He-tomo a Te Rotomea, he-iri, he-noho i Vai Marama. I te rua o te marama i-iri-ai ki Te Vare. [They]^94b landed near Te Rotomea, climbed [inland], stayed in Vai Marama ⁹⁵. The following month they climbed to Te Vare ⁹⁶.

I-ka-û'i-atu Ko Uoke e-ketu, e-oho-no-mai-á kî te henua, he-kî a Gata Vake ki a Te Ohiro: "He-emu te kaiga, ko ta'ûa te îka". Seeing Uoke lifting [the islands], coming to the land, Ngata Vake said to Te Ohiro: "The country is sinking, we are doomed."

Ku-kî-ro-ai a Te Ohiro: "Ki tatá venavena-atu, he-tatá venavena". [But] Te Ohiro had said [the magic words]: "Ki tata venavena-atu, he tata venavena ⁹⁷."

Ko Pukopuhipuhi i-hati-ai te akaûve a Uoke, ka-toe, inei te tomoga o Gata Vake. Pukopuhipuhi is where Uoke's lever broke and remained, there at Ngata Vake's landing.

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Note 94 According to one tradition Te Pito o te Henua was the name of a region of Hiva, and this name was given, later, to Easter Island.

Note 94a This is Englert's translation. The Rapa-Nui seems to mean "arrived at the landing place of Ngata Vake, arrived at Te Ohiro" but later Gabriel Veriveri tells that Ngata Vake spoke to Te Ohiro (he kî a Gata Vake ki a Te Ohiro).

Note 94b Ngata Vake and Te Ohiro.

Note 95 Name of a small lagoon on the coast near Mataveri.

Note 96 Two places at the foot and on the slope of Rano Kau.

Note 97 Tata venavena: the meaning of these words is no longer known. They probably form an incantation meant to stop destructive natural forces.

Ngata Vake and Te Ohiro
		Told by Gabriel Veriveri
Ko Hogi Atua Kava A'Ure Aoviri i-vânaga-mai:		Hongi Atua Kava A'Ure Aoviri told me:
Kaiga nuinui te kaiga nei. Te ua i-itiiti-ai, Ko Uoke i-ketu hai akaûe, i-emu-ai i te kaiga.		This country was a big country. The reason why it has become small is Uoke, who lifted it with a lever, and sank it.
O te tagata kikino o Te Pito o te Henua, oíra i-ketu-ai Uoke ka-itiiti-ró te kaiga nei.		Because of the wicked people of Te Pito o te Henua ⁹⁴, it is because of them that Uoke lifted [it] and this country became small.
Mai Te Pito o te Henua i-ketu, i-oho-mai-ai, ka-tu'u-ró ki te tomoga o Gata Vake, ka-tu'u-ró ki Te Ohiro.		It is starting from Easter Island that he lifted [lands], coming from there, and arrived at the landing place of Gata Vake and at [that of] Te Ohiro ^94a.
He-tomo a Te Rotomea, he-iri, he-noho i Vai Marama. I te rua o te marama i-iri-ai ki Te Vare.		[They]^94b landed near Te Rotomea, climbed [inland], stayed in Vai Marama ⁹⁵. The following month they climbed to Te Vare ⁹⁶.
I-ka-û'i-atu Ko Uoke e-ketu, e-oho-no-mai-á kî te henua, he-kî a Gata Vake ki a Te Ohiro: "He-emu te kaiga, ko ta'ûa te îka".		Seeing Uoke lifting [the islands], coming to the land, Ngata Vake said to Te Ohiro: "The country is sinking, we are doomed."
Ku-kî-ro-ai a Te Ohiro: "Ki tatá venavena-atu, he-tatá venavena".		[But] Te Ohiro had said [the magic words]: "Ki tata venavena-atu, he tata venavena ⁹⁷."
Ko Pukopuhipuhi i-hati-ai te akaûve a Uoke, ka-toe, inei te tomoga o Gata Vake.		Pukopuhipuhi is where Uoke's lever broke and remained, there at Ngata Vake's landing.