Traditions and Legends of Easter Island

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Legends and Traditions of Easter Island

translated from Sebastian Englert's Leyendas

The People of the Tribes of Yore
Told by Mateo Veriveri

Etahi korohua, Juan Cruz Nuku Vavara toona igoa, ku-ma'a-á i te tagata o te mata tuai. An old man by the name of Juan Cruz Nuku Vavara had known people of the ancient tribes.

Aîa toona mata raparapa. He had very light eyes.

Penei i-vânaga-mai-ai ki a au e Nuku: te tagata o te mata o te nohoga-tuai tagata ritorito, puoko tea; ina he tagata uriuri. This is what Nuku told me: The people of the tribes of ancient times were light-skinned people with fair hair; there were no black people ⁹⁸.

Note 98 This is exaggerated. Karl Friedrich Behrens wrote, referring to the islanders that he saw in 1722: "They are generally swarthy like Spaniards, some are also somewhat black, others entirely white". Eugène Eyraud wrote in 1864: "Their colour, although somewhat coppery, differs but very little from Europeans, with many being quite white."

The People of the Tribes of Yore
		Told by Mateo Veriveri
Etahi korohua, Juan Cruz Nuku Vavara toona igoa, ku-ma'a-á i te tagata o te mata tuai.		An old man by the name of Juan Cruz Nuku Vavara had known people of the ancient tribes.
Aîa toona mata raparapa.		He had very light eyes.
Penei i-vânaga-mai-ai ki a au e Nuku: te tagata o te mata o te nohoga-tuai tagata ritorito, puoko tea; ina he tagata uriuri.		This is what Nuku told me: The people of the tribes of ancient times were light-skinned people with fair hair; there were no black people ⁹⁸.