to the gods."[1] Much fighting ensued at Murei-tangaroa and Murei-kura, two mountains where Taaki's home was, in which his sisters Inano-mata-kopikopi and Puapua-ma-inano took part. After this Taaki is invited to bathe in Vaiporutu stream where he is killed by Karii, but is brought to life again by the incantations of his sisters. Then he decides to go in search of his father Emā, and is warned of the dangers on the way by his mother, the dangers consisting of some vaine taae, wild or fierce women, called "Nga-tikoma." Taaki now proceeds to the Nu-roa-i-Iti, where the vaine-taae are anxious to secure him as a husband, but he is directed on his course to Tangaroa-akaputu-ara—who has his father's body—by another woman, Apai-ma-mouka.[2] Further on he meets another lady, who advises him to hasten, as the gods are already collecting firewood to roast his father. Taaki finally succeeds in obtaining his father's body, after defeating a number of atua or gods, besides bringing back with him several valuables, the names of which do not help us to ascertain what they were. The story of Taaki ends here. It is much like that of the Maoris, except that the latter mentions in song and story the ascent of Tawhaki to heaven by the toi-mau—a special kind of connection between heaven and earth—where he meets Whaitiri or Kui the blind woman,[3] and obtains his wife Hapai. This ascent, according to Rarotonga story, is by or to the Nu-roa-i-Iti, which seems to be the name of a place in Fiji. The tall coconut at Fiji, is the translation.
- ↑ So the Native history seems to read; but it is an extraordinary statement, and contrary, I think, to Polynesian custom for parents ever to be offered in sacrifice.
- ↑ The Maori name of Tawhaki's wife is Hapai, or Hapai-maunga, clearly the same as the above.
- ↑ This story of Kui-the-blind, in Rarotonga tradition, forms part of that relating to Tane, a hero who flourished in the Fiji group, not to that of Taaki, (or Tawhaki).
