SideStep - Hawaiki (The Mecca of the Pacific)
Hawaiki, [Avaiki, Havai’i] – The Mecca of the Pacific
When Maori say they came from Hawaiki they mean, though long forgotten, that Hawaiki was a region, not a specific island as you will read below. But once you understand the religious and political nature of one island in that area, you will see that before setting out, some migration canoes could have come from different regions in the Pacific to the religious hub before being expelled or even sent on their long journey to Aotearoa, keeping in mind the name Aotearoa is also Rarotongan!
But where was this land called Hawaiki the Maori’s said they came from? Some have said it is Hawaii, but that was only because it sounds similar. Over time names do change and indeed they do. Havai’i however was the correct term. It turns out that Havai'i, is also an ancient name of the island of Ra'iatea of the Society group. Raiatea is a special place as you will read but it turns out the old evidence is that Havai’i was named after the real Havai’i which is…you guessed it…what we now know as Hawaii. On Havai’i there is lots of evidence of Hawaiian style weapons and design which means Havai’i (Raiatea) was a new settlement from Havai’i (Hawaii).
It all has to do with the religious significance of moving west. If we suggest heading west, that could include those coming from Easter Island but in fact going west was toward the home of the ancients which would mean they came from the east. From all the research done so far there are little bits of truth everywhere. In fact I now believe there was so much trans-pacific travel that those eventually called Maori were from different places and lived in the area of Tahiti was at one time - a meeting place of many Pacific races until the religion soured and the pilgrimages stopped. And while this was all going on, NZ already had an ancient race from the east who travelled west, proved by generations far exceeding that which Maori count.
Confused? I think everyone is. Just think of the modern world and how many live in other modern lands now. Well that has only really occurred in the 1800’s and on a massive scale in the last fifty years most of which has occurred in the last 10 years. Now imagine that happening constantly over a hundred or so years in small numbers all over the Pacific. Ok, but they all say they came from Hawaiki? Was Hawaiki where they lived or were they referring to their 'spiritual' home? So where is it? Well it’s not one place, it’s a region. And the hub of it was this one island…Raiatea.
Raiatea was a sacred Pacific destination. This place was the Mecca of the Pacific at one time. Bear with us while we delve a little deeper with some info discovered elsewhere and keep in mind it seems likely that a new religious split may have occurred that instigated the migrations in the first place. This religious split involved war and that may not mean those that migrated were the passive ones - as the history of NZ will testify. It may just mean that overwhelming opposition caused the new religious aggressors to migrate. This is just a wild theory based on why the religion, beliefs and carvings of the Maori were similar to the Pacific nations they left, yet vastly different once they established themselves in a new land. Think the pilgrims leaving England for America as a modern era example or the various cults that have gained traction over time in recent years. Man is no different now than thousands of years ago but what happened thousands of years ago isn’t recorded in the manner we are used to so it is as likely, as it is unlikely. In fact, as you will read further down, tradition has it that there was indeed a falling out 300 years after the unity at Taputapuatea marae on Raiatea and no doubt vengeance or [utu] was a reason many believing the same things fled south to the land they had heard about from the Pacific’s explorers.
Because of the distinction of two names (in the Samoan, Savaii, and Hawaiian, Hawaii) that so many writers have supposed one or the other of these to be the Hawaiki from whence the Maoris came to New Zealand. But now we know that all the whole Tahiti Group was called Hawaiki also, the other evidence of their origins falls naturally into its place, and indicates this latter Hawaiki as their former home—the immediate home from where they came to New Zealand. To the Rarotongans, all the Western Groups including Samoa, Tonga and Fiji are known as Hawaiki-raro, or leeward Hawaiki, whilst Tahiti and the adjoining groups are called Hawaiki-runga, or windward Hawaiki. Again, the ancient name for New Zealand—with which they were well acquainted traditionally —was Hawaiki-tautau, as well as the Maori name Aotea-roa. Tautau is the Maori word tahutahu, to burn, or burning, and the name was probably given to New Zealand on account of its active volcanoes. Some have said Maoris came from Rarotonga, but as we shall see further on, this was only a stopping-place on the voyage.
Hawaiki:
Within all branches of race are to be found names of places, retained in the traditions, that refer to ancient dwelling places which were occupied by the people in the remote past—indeed the number of such names is very great, but only a few, comparatively speaking, can now be identified with certainty. Of these names Hawaiki—the Maori form of the word—is the principal, and is known to nearly every branch of the race, though it varies in form from island to island according to the changes that have taken place in the language since the dispersion. The universality of this name points to the fact that it is extremely ancient and that it was under that form the Fatherland was originally known. With many branches, it has now become synonymous with "Spirit-land" the place to which the spirits of the dead pass as their final resting-place. In some parts it is said to be the "under world" that is, beneath the present world of life. But here, I think, a confusion of terms has arisen in the use of the word raro, lalo, 'a'o which means ‘below’, but also means ‘the west’ with all Central Polynesians.
The very nature of the beliefs of the race as to the path of the spirit to its final home, encourages this confusion between the two meanings of the word. In all cases the spirit, whilst always passing to the westward, is said to go downwards, i.e., to dive into the sea, and then pass along to the sunset. It is in this manner that Hawaiki has come to be used for the place of departed spirits located underneath the earth. The universal belief in the passing of the spirits of the dead to the west, contradicts those who hold that the Polynesian migrations were from the east. (But to be sure we would need to know the beliefs of those here before Maori that some say came from Rapanui.) It is an essential part of Polynesian belief that the spirits rejoin those of the ancient dead and there dwell in a land of beauty and plenty, where the gods supply every want, and with whom communication is constant. The Polynesians would not locate this Paradise in the west, if their ancestral home was in the east however there are traces of very ancient Polynesian influences are to be found on the coasts of America. Did they travel east to live or originate from the east. The talk of Hawaiki suggests they came from the east.
Then there is the kumara. Maori brought the kumara with them. Naturalists do not seem to have finally decided as to the original home of the kumara, or sweet potato (Batatas), but the evidence gathered seems to show that Central America is the part where it grows spontaneously, and therefore must be its native habitat. This contradicts the Hawaiki origin theory. "Ko Hawaiki te whenua, e tupu noa mai te Kumara." "Hawaiki is the land where the kumara grows spontaneously." It is said in the above that "Hawaiki is the land" but we need not be mislead by this; for there is no doubt this name had become a synonym for all lands outside New Zealand not long after the settlement of the people here. Hawaiki was the Pacific in all intends and purposes. There is much more about the Kumara but we won’t bore you with that, so let’s return to the westward flight of the spirit after death.
At first sight it might be said that the Maori belief is contrary to that of other branches of the race, in as much as the spirits do not go to the west. But they go to the north-west—to Cape Reinga near the North Cape of N.Z. The explanation of this is simple. Starting from Central Eastern Polynesia, as the ancestors of the Maoris did when they colonised New Zealand, and having as they had very correct notions of orientation, they would know full well that their S.W. course to N.Z. must necessitate the adoption of a different direction for Hawaiki—the spirit land—from that they held in Central Polynesia. And hence the spirits gather at Cape Reinga, as being the nearest point to the old "spirits' road," by which their ancestors' spirits went back to the spirit land [but in the northeast]. Many Maori stories have the doings of the spirits on their way to the sacred Pohutukawa tree growing at Te Reinga, from which the spirits dropped down into the chasm that led under the sea to the spirit land. By the way this tree is supposed to be 800 years and it has never flowered in that time apparently. But the problem with Cape Reinga is that is not the northernmost point of Aotearoa and is also 20 miles further away from Raiatea than the closest northern point of NZ to the east - Otau and the island of Murimotu. However, to be fair there is no way Maori of the 1400's could possibly have known that. I have been to the base of that tree before access was banned. There is a rock pool there I was told the spirits entered to reach the underworld yet officially we are told spirits climbed down the roots of the trees to the underworld. The tree however leans not to the west...but directly toward Raiatea, some 2521 miles away! (click to view pics)
Spirits travelling west:
In Samoa we find the same ideas: the spirits travelled from the east by the mountain backbone (tuasivi) of the islands to the extreme western point of the group, where, at Fale-lupo, they dived into the sea on their way to spirit-land—in their case named Pulotu.
It was the same at Rarotonga, and Mangaia Islands; the spirits passed to the west, and there "jumped off" from the Pua tree and dived beneath the ocean on their way to Avaiki, or spirit-land, many instances of which will be found in the Rev. W. Wyatt Gill's works.
A very striking illustration of the powers of the Polynesians in respect to direction, is furnished by Captain Cook, who, on his first voyage took from Tahiti a native priest named Tupaea, with the intention of letting him see the wonders of the world. Cook states that after many months—even after having circum-navigated New Zealand, and passed up the eastern shores of Australia—if Tupaea was asked to point out the direction of Tahiti, he could always do so correctly.
At the Hawaiian Group the spirits passed to the N.N. West, finally "jumping off" at the Leina-Kauhane at the west end of Oahu Island near the point called Ka Lae-o-Kaena.
The Morioris of the Chatham Islands held a similar belief. In their case, the spirits left the N.W. point of the island at Te Raki Point on their way to the general gathering place with their ancestors at Hawaiki.
At the west end of Vanua-lava, the largest of the Fiji Islands, is a balawatree (Pandanus) where the spirits depart for the ancestral home by passing into the sea. It will be shown later, how much the Fiji group has been connected with the Polynesian race, though the present inhabitants are a cross between that race and the Melanesian.
Although the present inhabitants of South East New Guinea are not pure Polynesians, there has no doubt in ancient times been an infusion of that blood into the people, together with some of their beliefs. Hence we find that the spirits after death went to the west, to Lavau, a name which I hope to show is as ancient as Hawaiki.
Similar 'Hawaiki' names:
Sava-i, a place in the Island of Seran, Ceran, Celam, or Ceram, Indonesia.
Hawaiki and Kowaiki, at the west end of New Guinea
Savai'i, the principal island of the Samoan group.
Havai'i, an ancient name of Ra'iatea, Society group.
Havai'i, the original home or Father-land of the Tahitians.
Havaiki, an ancient name of one of the Paumotu group (? Fakalava).
Avaiki-raro, the whole of the Fiji, Samoan, and Tonga groups, according to Rarotongan traditions.
Avaiki-runga, the Society, Tahiti and neighbouring groups, according to Rarotongan traditions.
Avaiki, mentioned in Mangareva traditions.
Savaiki, a place known to the Tongareva Islanders.
Avaiki, a place known to the Aitutaki Islanders, Avaiki-tautau, the ancient Rarotongan name (besides others) for New Zealand.
Havaiki, a place known to Marquesan traditions.
Havaiki, a place known to Easter Island traditions.
Hawaiki, a place known to Moriori traditions, and a place so named on their island (Chatham Island).
Hawai'i, the name of the largest of the Sandwich Islands.
Havaiki, a place on Niuē Island.
The only two places where the native name of New Zealand (Aotea-roa) is known, so far as I can learn, are Tahiti—where it is mentioned in an old chant—and at Rarotonga. Taken altogether, the evidence seems conclusive that Tawhiti of the Maori is Tahiti, and that their Hawaiki is Hawaiki-runga, which includes all the groups around Tahiti.
Incidentally - remember the song from LOTR, ‘Into the west’ when the last of them went over the sea to the endless lands. The west is the place of eternal peace and stability - it is remembrance and the abode of the dead. This is also a Celtic belief. I know people have said there is a Celtic link to the Pacific. I do not subscribe to that even if there are some uncanny similarities of shapes and spirals. However, I will point out that Celtic belief (upon which a lot of LOTR is based) is that the dead go to the west. And in that regard here is yet another thing that Pacific cultures share in common with the Celts.
The Island:
Raiatea (Havai'i), the sacred isle, is locally considered to be the original Windward Islands. According to tradition, Raiatea is the “cradle of the earth”. The island has a strong political and religious influence on the pacific and the existence of the grand ‘marae’ of Opoa reaffirms Raiatea’s dominant regional role. Raiatea (‘clear sky’ or ‘far away heaven’) was once known as Havai’i – the name of the mythical land where the Maohis left to meet the rising sun. In Tahiti and adjacent islands, the term Maohi (Mā’ohi) are the ancestors of the Polynesian peoples. So the ancient ancestors of the Polynesians were explorers and they left Tahiti to go east…The term Maohi can also be a reference to mean normal, everyday people. Just as the term Maori means 'ordinary people' (see the link?)
The Opua Marae: (click to view pics)
The marae was already established by 1000 AD with significant expansion after this time. The marae was a place of learning where priests and navigators from all over the Pacific would gather to offer sacrifices to the gods and share their knowledge of the genealogical origins of the universe, and of deep-ocean navigation. Most significantly a truce known as the Faatau Aroha was established with the surrounding islands divided into two alliances known as Aotea (East) and Aouri (West). This alliance lasted for many years and promoted an intense period of exploration leading to the discovery and colonisation of all the islands of Eastern Polynesia including Hawaii, Rapanui and Aotearoa (New Zealand). New marae were established on each of these islands with a rock being taken from Taputapuatea on Raiatea to act as a spiritual link (there are still marae named Tapuatapuatea at Moorea, Rarotonga and Hawaii). However the Faatau Aroha was finally broken when fighting broke out at a gathering and the two leading ariki of the alliance were killed resulting to open warfare and an end to large scale inter-island voyaging. It is said that the gathered canoes fled the area leaving the lagoon via the pass at Avarua (now Avapiti) rather than the sacred pass at Avamoa because of this a curse fell upon the pass at Avamoa that was not lifted until 1995. Archaeologically, few sites on Raiatea reveal permanent occupation. If a group suddenly left because of war and dialed south to NZ that may explain that…or not? However, Raiatean's constructed with stone. Maori did not. Also their symbols are far removed from Maori design. Artifacts on Raiatea have been found that link it culturally to Hawaii. Their open air temples were called Marae (the same name Maori give to a meeting ground or sacred place) and Hawaii also had open air temples. This Marae at Opoa on Raiatea is believed to be the centre of Polynesian cultural, spiritual and political advancement at its peak before being abandoned once the cultural unity was destroyed through disagreement and ultimately war - as mankind of all colors has done over all of history.
All we know for certain is that the many Polynesian cultures had a general area of Hawaiki ether to the east or west of where they lived (leeward or windward) of Tahiti, still had the propensity to expect their spirits to travel west even if west meant away from Hawaiki. West then was seen as more spiritual that what to them was a more recent tradition of Hawaiki as a general religious physical link to a location back between 1000-1200. West may one day prove to be significant because what was an even more ancient lineage (to ancient peoples of the year 1000) coming from the middle east area? We don’t know how far back the stories carry. The Israelites can go back thousands of years to where Abraham once lived, why not the most ancient of Polynesian ancestors?
One more thing: Ra'iatea in Hawaiian means ‘Sun people white' and was noted by Captain Wallis, who visited the island in 1767, to have a high proportion of pale skinned people, many of which had red hair, living on it. Red haired white people migrating to NZ?
