Traditions and Legends of Easter Island

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Legends and Traditions of Easter Island

translated from Sebastian Englert's Leyendas

How the "Hats" were Put on the Statues
Told by Carlos Teao Tori (died 1951)

Penei i-kî-mai-ai tooku tupuna Ko Tori A'Papaveri:     This is what my grandmother Tori A'Papaveri told me:

Mo hakatu'u o te ha'u o te moai, e-titi hai pipihoreko;     To put the hats of the statues in place, they had to pile up stones like cairns.

ai ka-huri te ha'u ka-iri kiruga ki te puoko o te moai.     then roll the hats up onto the top of the heads of the statues.

He-hakaúru hai rago; he-aga i te rago hai akaûve.     They fitted them using stretchers; they made the stretchers out of thick poles ¹⁰⁹

Ki-oti he-moumou te pipihoreko, he-to'i te ma'ea, he-hakarere mo te ahu. Once over, they pulled down the cairn, took ^109a the stones, left them for the ahu.

How the "Hats" were Put on the Statues

Told by Mariana Atán

O te korohua Ko Huhu Kahu i-vânaga-ai ki tooku Matu'a poreko:     It is old Huhu Kahu who told my mother:

Mo hakaeke i te ha'u kiruga ki te puoko o te moai,     In order to lift the hats on top of the heads of the statues

he-titi e tagata i te ma'ea,     the men piled up stones,

he-patu i te ha'u iruga i te ma'ea titi,     they pushed the hat up on top of stones stacked up,

ka-tu'u-ró ki te puoko. right up to the head.

How the "Hats" were Put on the Statues

Told by Santiago Pakarati

Ku-vânaga-mai-ana e Veriamo ki a au:     Veriamo told me:

Te ha'u o te moai e-hakapua nei:     The statues' hats were put on like this:

e-titi-mai hai ma'ea, ai ka-ketu, ka-ketu, ka-iri ê, he-tu'u ki te puoko.     they would build a cairn with stones, little by little, until it reached the head. [lit.: "thus lift, lift, climb, and it arrives at the head"]

Ku-here-á hai taura maari, taura mahute, o viri a te paiga era.     They had first secured [the hat] with thick ropes, ropes [made] of mahute (Boussonetia papyrifera), lest it rolled over the other side.

Ai ka-hakapua.     Thus they put them in place.

All three narrators, Tori, Huhu Kahu and Veriamo, had been born before 1850, before the end of the ancient period of the island.

Note 109 The base of the so-called "hats" is hollowed out to fit the top of the statues' heads.

Note 109a No word to'i is found in the dictionary. Perhaps this is a misprint for to'o.

How the "Hats" were Put on the Statues
		Told by Carlos Teao Tori (died 1951)
Penei i-kî-mai-ai tooku tupuna Ko Tori A'Papaveri:		This is what my grandmother Tori A'Papaveri told me:
Mo hakatu'u o te ha'u o te moai, e-titi hai pipihoreko;		To put the hats of the statues in place, they had to pile up stones like cairns.
ai ka-huri te ha'u ka-iri kiruga ki te puoko o te moai.		then roll the hats up onto the top of the heads of the statues.
He-hakaúru hai rago; he-aga i te rago hai akaûve.		They fitted them using stretchers; they made the stretchers out of thick poles ¹⁰⁹
Ki-oti he-moumou te pipihoreko, he-to'i te ma'ea, he-hakarere mo te ahu.		Once over, they pulled down the cairn, took ^109a the stones, left them for the ahu.
How the "Hats" were Put on the Statues
		Told by Mariana Atán
O te korohua Ko Huhu Kahu i-vânaga-ai ki tooku Matu'a poreko:		It is old Huhu Kahu who told my mother:
Mo hakaeke i te ha'u kiruga ki te puoko o te moai,		In order to lift the hats on top of the heads of the statues
he-titi e tagata i te ma'ea,		the men piled up stones,
he-patu i te ha'u iruga i te ma'ea titi,		they pushed the hat up on top of stones stacked up,
ka-tu'u-ró ki te puoko.		right up to the head.
How the "Hats" were Put on the Statues
		Told by Santiago Pakarati
Ku-vânaga-mai-ana e Veriamo ki a au:		Veriamo told me:
Te ha'u o te moai e-hakapua nei:		The statues' hats were put on like this:
e-titi-mai hai ma'ea, ai ka-ketu, ka-ketu, ka-iri ê, he-tu'u ki te puoko.		they would build a cairn with stones, little by little, until it reached the head. [lit.: "thus lift, lift, climb, and it arrives at the head"]
Ku-here-á hai taura maari, taura mahute, o viri a te paiga era.		They had first secured [the hat] with thick ropes, ropes [made] of mahute (Boussonetia papyrifera), lest it rolled over the other side.
Ai ka-hakapua.		Thus they put them in place.
All three narrators, Tori, Huhu Kahu and Veriamo, had been born before 1850, before the end of the ancient period of the island.