Te Pito o Te Henua
- Kuialuaopuna
- Jun 7, 2022
- 7 min read

Moʻolelo
Polenesia
Na Kaleimakana Lenci,
Keao NeSmith a me
Kapulani Antonio
No Rapanui
Ka Nohona ʻĀina
ʻO Rapanui ka moku kū kaʻawale o nā mokupuni
a pau o Polenesia. ʻO Pitcairn kahi kokoke loa he
960 mile ka mamao. I kēia wā, ua noho ʻia ʻo Rapanui
e ke aupuni o Kile. A i kēia wā, e like me ka wā ma
mua, ua kākaʻikahi nā kumuwaiwai kūlohelohe o
Rapanui, ʻo ia hoʻi ka ua, ka wai, ka ululāʻau, ke kai
kohola, ka laupapa, a pēlā aku. Eia naʻe, i loko nō o
ka paʻakikī o ka nohona, ua noho ʻia nō ia ʻāina.
ʻO ke kumara(ka ʻuala), ka pia, ke kalo, ka raupa
taro (ka lūʻau), ka maika (ka maiʻa), ka hua manu,
ka iʻa, ka moa, a me ka ʻīlio kekahi mau mea i ʻai ʻia
e ko Rapanui. Ma muli o ka huʻihuʻi o ia ʻāina, ʻaʻole i
ulu ka ʻulu a me ka niu ma laila. E like me ko Polenesia,
ua hoʻomākaukau ʻia ka ʻai i loko o ka umu.
Ua mahi ʻia ka mahute(ka wauke) i loko nō o nā
pā pōhaku ma kahi kokoke i nā hale no ka hana
ʻana i ka marono nā kāne a me ka pāʻū no nā wāhine
i kapa ʻia hoʻi he maro a i ʻole he pareu. ʻO kekahi
lole i ʻike ʻia, ʻo ia ke kahu. He ʻano ʻahu kēia i hana
ʻia me ka paʻūpaʻū a i hoʻoluʻu ʻia i ka wai lenalena.
He ʻokoʻa ka lōʻihi o kēlā me kēia kahue like me ke
kiʻekiʻe o ke kūlana o ka mea nona ia kahu. ʻO ka
lōʻihi o ko ke ariki kahu (ko ke aliʻi ʻahu), aia ma
kona kuli. ʻOiai ʻaʻole nui ka mahute i mahi ʻia, nui
ka waiwai o ia mau ʻahu a ua kapu hoʻi i nā ariki
kāne a me nā ariki wahine.
E like hoʻi me ko Polenesia a pau, he mau kupua
a he mau ʻuhane hoʻi ko Rapanui i kapa ʻia he
tatane. Ma kēia moʻolelo he ula nunui a he kahuna
luahine huhū nā tatane.
ʻElua ʻalaea nui o ia ʻāina. Noho ʻo Hotuiti mā
ma ka hikina o ka moku, a ʻo Tuʻuaro mā ma ke
komohana. He poʻe mahiʻai ka ʻalaea Hotuiti i kapa
ʻia ka hānau momoku, ʻo ia hoʻi ka poʻe lōʻihi. He
poʻe lawaiʻa ka ʻalaea Tuʻuaro i kapa ʻia ka hānau
ʻeʻepe, ʻo ia ka poʻe poupou. Ua ʻōlelo ʻia, no Hiva
mai nā kūpuna o ko Rapanui. Like ʻo Hiva me nā
ʻāina kuakahi ʻo Havaiki a me Kahiki, i ʻōlelo ʻia no
laila mai nā kūpuna o kekahi mau lāhui Polenesia.
ʻO ka mea i kaulana ai ʻo Rapanui, ʻo ia hoʻi nā
kiʻi pōhaku nunui i kālai ʻia a e waiho maila i ia ʻāina
a hiki loa mai i kēia wā. Ua kapa ʻia ia mau kiʻi pōhaku
nunui he moai. ʻEiwa kaukani a ʻoi moai i kālai ʻia
no ka hōʻihi ʻana i nā kūpuna o lākou. Pili kēia
moʻolelo i ka hoʻopau honua ʻana i ke kālai moai
ʻana a me ka hoʻomaka o ka hoʻouka kaua ʻana.
Kotetukoteurararapenui a me
ka Luahine
Kaulana ʻo Rapanui i nā moai (kiʻi) pōhaku. I ka wā kahiko,
ua kū haʻaheo nā lālani kiʻi pōhaku nunui me he mau koa
kiaʻi lā ma nā ahu o nā ʻohana ma kēia mokupuni. ʻAʻole i mōakāka
ke kumu no ka hina ʻana o nā kiʻi pōhaku a me ka hoʻopau koke
ʻana o ke kālai pōhaku ʻana. Eia kekahi o nā moʻokaʻao e wehewehe
ana i kēia hanana.
I uka ma Rano Raraku kahi i hana ai nā tangata anga moai, ka
poʻe kālai kiʻi pōhaku, no nā makahiki he mau haneli. Kiʻekiʻe ke
kūlana o ia mau kānaka, a ua hānai ʻia lākou e nā tangata keukeu
(kānaka limahana).
Ma kai o Hanga Kikiri Mariu, ma kahi kokoke i ka hula ʻana ma
ka ʻaoʻao komohana ʻākau o ka mokupuni, ʻo ia kahi i ʻike mua ʻia
ai ka ula nunui, ʻo Kotetukoteurararapenui (Ko-tetu-ko-te-ura-
rarape-nui). Noho ʻo “Tetu” i ka lua ma ka papakū o ka moana a
pepehi ʻo ia i nā mea lawaiʻa he nui lehulehu i ka haki ʻana i ko
lākou mau kua a make lākou. Ma muli o ia hana ʻino, ua kapa ʻia ʻo
ia “te meʻe rakerake” (ka mea ʻino). ʻŌlelo mau ʻia, “ ʻAʻole loa e
loaʻa ana kēia ula pilikua.”
Ua luʻu iho nā kānaka ʻō iʻa he nui e ʻimi iā ia ma nā wahi
hohonu, akā, ʻaʻole lākou i hoʻi, ua nalowale loa. No laila, kiʻi nā
mea luʻu i koe i nā ula liʻiliʻi ma nā wahi maʻamau i mea e hānai ai
i nā kānaka kālai pōhaku.
Ma hope iho, hoʻoholo kekahi poʻe lawaiʻa e ʻō i ia ula pilikua
nui, ʻo Tetu. He ʻekolu ko lākou nui. ʻO ko lākou kā ʻupena ihola
nō ia i ka ʻupena nunui a ikaika. Kau lākou i ke kiʻi lāʻau o ke
kanaka i loko o ia ʻupena i maunu e ʻume aʻe ai iā Tetu. ʻO ke aliʻi
nui ka luna kiaʻi o kēia hana a nāna nō i alakaʻi i nā mea luʻu
hoʻopaʻi. Hoʻāu lākou i ka ʻupena ma luna pono o ko ka ula lua a
kāhea akula ka mea ʻōpio loa o lākou,
“Naʻu e luʻu mua. E hahai iho ʻoukou a hoʻohihi iā ia i ka
ʻupena.”
Luʻu iho ia ʻōpio a ʻume loa maila i ka ula a i loko o ka ʻupena
a paʻa. Kūpaka ka pilikua i ʻō a i ʻō, akā, hihia nō ʻo ia. A laila, ua
haki pākahi ʻia kona mau manamana. Kauō aʻela nā mea luʻu iā ia
ma ke one a ʻuā ka poʻe,
“Eeee, Kotetukoteurararapenui!” (ʻO Tetu, ʻo ka ula pewa nui)
Ua hoʻoholo nā tangata keukeu e ʻauamo aʻe i kā lākou iʻa
nunui mai ka ʻaoʻao komohana ʻākau (ma kahi kokoke i ke ahu
Maitaki Te Moa) i uka a i Rano Raraku a hāʻawi aku i kēia mea
kupaianaha i nā tangata anga moai. He kūpono kēlā no ka hana
nui a me ke kūlana hanohano o ia poʻe kālai. A hōʻea akula ka
poʻe limahana i Rano Raraku, ua hāʻawi ʻia ka ula i nā tangata
honui(nā kānaka ʻihi) no ka hoʻomāhele ʻana. A hoʻomāhele ʻia a
pau, kāhea akula nā tangata anga moai i kekahi rūʻau (luahine),
he ivi atua (kahuna) mana nui,
“E hoʻā i ka imu no ka ula pilikua. A e hoʻokomo ʻoe i ka uhi
kekahi. ʻOno ka uhi me ka ula.”
Pane akula ka rūʻauivi atua,
“Ke moʻa ka meaʻai, e wehe mai, akā, e mālama i wahi ʻāpana
naʻu.”
ʻAe maila ka poʻe kālai, “ ʻAe.”
Ua haʻalele ka ivi atua e kipa aku i kona kaikunāne ʻoiai e
hoʻomoʻa ʻia ana ka ula. A mākaukau ka meaʻai, ʻaʻole i hoʻi mai ka
luahine. No laila, ua ʻai nā kānaka kālai i ka ula a pau loa. ʻAʻole
lākou i mālama i kahi ʻāpana nāna. Poina wale lākou i kāna ʻōlelo.
A laila, hoʻi aku lākou i ka hana, i ke kālai ʻana i ke kiʻi nui a lākou
e kūkulu ai i Vinapu, ma ke Ahu Mataitai.1 ʻO ka inoa o ke kiʻi e
kālai ʻia ana i ia manawa, ʻo ia ʻo Tokanga. Ua pau ke alo, ka ʻāʻī, a
me nā lima, a ʻaneʻane mākaukau no ka hoʻokaʻawale ʻana aʻe mai
ke kahua aku.
I ka ivi atuai hoʻi mai ai i kona hale, ua ʻike ʻo ia i nā iwi wale
nō o ka ula pilikua. ʻAʻohe mea i koe nāna a piʻi aʻela kona kū ate
hopo ana te manava(inaina). Hoʻomaka ʻo ia e uē, a me ka leo
mana nui, kāhea akula,
“E nā kiʻi e kū aʻe nei, e hina ʻoukou a pau no ka wā pau ʻole!
ʻO ka hewa, ma muli ia o ka ula, a me ko ke kanaka ʻai ʻana a pau
loa kēlā ula lā nona ka pewa nui, ʻo Kotetukoteurararapenui! E
hina paʻa ma ka honua a mau loa!”
Ua hina nā kiʻi pōhaku ma nā ahu a pau a puni ka moku ʻo
Rapanui. Paʻa lākou i ka mana o ka luahine ivi atua. Ma ia mua
aku, ʻaʻole i kālai hou ʻia nā kiʻi pōhaku kaulana, a ua hoʻomaka
nā kaua weliweli ma waena o nā ʻohana a mau nō ia paio ʻana a
hiki i ka hōʻea ʻana o ka poʻe haole.
Ma ka puke a Metraux (1957), ua pela ʻia kēia inoa ʻo “Matairai.”
He hoʻokahi wale nō kēia o nā moʻokaʻao he nui e pili ana i nā
kumu kupaianaha ma Rapanui i pau loa ai ke kālailai ʻana i nā kiʻi
pōhaku moai nui kaulana o ka wā kahiko.
Papa Wehewehe
Huaʻōlelo
Rapanui
A
ariki kik- Ka huaʻōlelo Rapanui
no ke aliʻi.
I
ivi atua kik- Ka huaʻōlelo
Rapanui no ke kahuna.
U
umu kik - Ka imu a umu paha ma
ka ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi.
H
hoʻāu ham - Ka hoʻokau ʻana i ka
ʻupena.
hoʻohei manaʻo ham- He ʻano
pule e hoʻokō ana i ka manaʻo
ʻino a maikaʻi paha o ke kahuna.
hulaʻana kik- Kahi e ālai ʻia ai ke
ala hele ma ka lihi kai a no ka
hiki ʻole ke hele wāwae ʻia,
pono nō e ʻau ʻia.
K
kauō ham- Ke kaualakō ʻana, ʻo
ia hoʻi ka hoʻopaʻa a me ka huki
ʻana i kekahi mea me ka pā ʻana
o ia mea i ka honua.
kahu kik - Ua like me ka huaʻōlelo
Hawaiʻi ʻo “ ʻahu” a me “ ʻaʻahu.”
kumara kik - Ka huaʻōlelo
Rapanui no ka ʻuala.
kūpaka ham - Ka peku ʻino ʻana
ma ʻō a ʻō.
M
maika kik - Ka huaʻōlelo Rapanui
no ka maiʻa.
mahute kik - Ka huaʻōlelo
Rapanui no ka wauke.
maro kik - Ka huaʻōlelo Rapanui
no ka malo.
moai kik - He huaʻōlelo Rapanui
no nā kiʻi pōhaku i kālai ʻia a e
waiho maila nō ma ia ʻāina a
hiki loa i kēia wā. He mau
kānaka nui kekahi a he mau
poʻo kānaka nunui wale nō
kekahi.
P
pareu kik - He ʻaʻahu i ʻano like
me ka pāʻū; he ʻāpana kapa
ʻaʻahu no ka wahine.
paʻūpaʻū kik - He ʻano kapa i hana
ʻia me ka wauke.
ʻOkina
ʻalaea kik- He mau ʻohana
kānaka ma loko o kahi moku
(ma ka mokupuni), i pili kekahi
i kekahi ma muli o ka hoʻāo aku
a hoʻāo mai, a male aku a male
mai nō paha kekahi.
ʻāina kuakahi kik- Ma nā
moʻolelo kahiko, ʻo ia ka ʻāina
kumu o ka poʻe o ka wā kala
kahiko loa. He ʻāina i maopopo
ʻole kona wahi i kēia manawa,
eia naʻe, he kapa ʻia ma nā inoa
e like me Havaiki, Kahiki, Hiva,
Havaiti, a pēlā aku.
R
rūʻau kik- Ka huaʻōlelo Rapanui
no ka luahine.
raupa taro kik - Ka huaʻōlelo
Rapanui no ka lūʻau.
T
tangata anga moai kik - Ka
huaʻōlelo Rapanui no ke kanaka
hana a kālai moai ma mua.
tangata honui kik- Ka huaʻōlelo
Rapanui no ke kanaka
ʻelemakule i hōʻihi ʻia, nona hoʻi
ke kūlana ma lalo iki mai o ke
aliʻi nui.
tangata keukeu kik - Ka
huaʻōlelo Rapanui no ke kanaka
limahana.
tatane kik - Ka huaʻōlelo Rapanui
no kekahi ʻano ʻuhane a kupua
paha.
te meʻe rakerake kik- Ka ʻōlelo
Rapanui no “ka mea ʻino.”
Mahalo no kēia moʻolelo hoihoi loa. ʻAʻole au i lohe ʻia i ka manaʻo ʻē aʻe no ka hua ʻōlelo ʻo ʻalaea (ʻaʻole ka lepo).. ua huli au i ka puke wehewehe ʻōlelo Hawaiʻi a aia nō hoʻi ma laila ka manaʻo ʻo nā ʻohana "i pili kekahi i kekahi ma muli o ka hoʻāo aku a hoʻāo mai"! He manaʻo kahiko paha, ʻaʻole laha loa i kēia mau lā. A pehea ka hua ʻōlelo Rapanui no nā luahine? He rūʻau! Hoihoi loa. Mahalo no kēia moʻolelo, nui ka waiwai ma loko.