The Rapanui proper names preserved the reflexes of the ancient beliefs and structure of the society. First example is the name of an Easter Islander, Rupe Hina (Felbermayer 1948: 79-82). Indeed, a Maori myth tells that Maui turned into the Pigeon Rupe and found his sister Hina (Andersen 1969: 237). The second example is the proper name Teke Mata Moko (Barthel 1978: 148). The word teketeke [teque-teque] 'supreme chief' (1) was registered by the Spaniards in a brief dictionary in 1770, so this name signifies 'The supreme chief of the tribe Moko'. Apparently, it is another form of Hanau momoko, so-called "Short Ears".
In the Small Santiago tablet (Gr 1) there is the following rongorongo record: 60 69 49 69 mata Moko, (ariki) mau Moko 'the tribe Moko, the supreme chief of (the tribe) Moko' (see figure 1). Different interpretations of the ethnicon Hanau momoko have been offered (Métraux 1940: 69-74; Englert 1970: 93; Mulloy 1993; Langdon 1994; Meroz 1995; Rjabchikov 1995: 49, 1996: 18, 1997: 28). I think that this name corresponds to the 'Lizard' (Mo'o, Moko) tattoos of the Hawaiians and of the New Zealand Maories (Kaeppler 1988: 167-8, fig. 14; Gathercole 1988: 176-7), and its figurative meaning is 'the descendants of more ancient settlers'. Perhaps, the Hanau momoko group is the Mataiva [Mata (H)iva, lit. 'The tribe from (the legendary homeland) Hiva'] lineage of the Miru tribe as the terms Hiva and Moko are associated with the place of sunset, with the underworld (Barthel 1978: 22, 251).
1. Cf. also Maori take 'chief'.
Andersen, J.C., 1969. Myths and Legends of the Polynesians. Rutland, Vermont and Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle Company.
Barthel, T.S., 1978. The Eighth Land The Polynesian Discovery and Settlement of Easter Island. Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
Englert, S., 1970. Island at the Center of the World: New Light on Easter Island. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons.
Felbermayer, F., 1948. Historia y leyendas de la Isla de Pascua. Valparaiso: Imprenta Victoria.
Gathercole, P., 1992. Contexts of Maori Moko. In: A. Rubin (ed.) Marks of Civilization. Artistic Transformations of the Human Body. Los Angeles: Museum of Cultural History, University of California, pp. 171-7.
Kaeppler, A., 1992. Hawaiian Tattoo: A Conjunction of Genealogy and Aesthetics. In: A. Rubin (ed.) Marks of Civilization. Artistic Transformations of the Human Body. Los Angeles: Museum of Cultural History, University of California, pp. 157-70.
Langdon, R., 1994. Further Thoughts on the Terms Hanau Eepe and Hanau Momoko, and Why They Should Mean 'Long Ears' and 'Short Ears': Reply to Emily Mulloy. Rapa Nui Journal, 8: 75-8.
Meroz, Y., 1995. Comment on the Two Hanau. Rapa Nui Journal, 9: 7-8.
Métraux, A., 1940. Ethnology of Easter Island. Bishop Museum Bulletin 160. Honolulu: Bernice P. Bishop Museum.
Mulloy, E.R., 1993. The Long and Short of It: Some Thoughts on the Meaning of the Names Hanau Eepe and Hanau Momoko in Rapanui Tradition. Rapa Nui Journal, 7: 71-2.
Rjabchikov, S.V., 1995. Tayny ostrova Paskhi. Vol. 4. Krasnodar: Ecoinvest.
Rjabchikov, S.V., 1996. Tayny ostrova Paskhi. Vol. 5. Krasnodar: Torgovo-promyshlennaya palata Krasnodarskogo kraya.
Rjabchikov, S.V., 1997. Tayny ostrova Paskhi. Vol. 6. Krasnodar: Torgovo-promyshlennaya palata Krasnodarskogo kraya.
Copyright © 1999 by Sergei V. Rjabchikov. All Rights Reserved.