"Polynesian Oral Traditions" by Rawiri Taonui

In Polynesia, who is the father and mother that is found as a common theme throughout Polynesia and all other gods are born from (gods of nature, sun, moon, planets, stars, and all life)?

Skyfather and Earthmother

What are the names of the most well known, first order gods of Polynesia deities?

TU, TANE, TA'AROA, RO'O

What elements does each of these gods represent?

Tu - god of war

Tane - god of forests, birds, insects, other life forms

Taʻaroa - god of oceans

Roʻo - messenger god

What specific idea regarding the origin of human life is the usual Polynesian tradition?

incest

5. What are "Culture Heroes"?

Culture heroes can be based on real figures whose histories have been transmuted over time in great mythological cycles, so much so, that original historical details have become too obscured to deduce. In this respect, the culture heroes as as intermediaries between gods and humans, test boundaries between reality and supernatural,, life and death, describing heroic journeys conveying the bounties of creation for the benefit of humans

Provide the name of a culture hero and the journey he/she is famous for

Maui

Where does lore pertaining to the natural world emanate from?

FROM THE CREATION AND DEMIGOD TRADITIONSAND WHAT FUNCTION OR USE DOES LORE HAVE? IT IS TO DESCRIBE, TRACE AND DEFINE THE ORIGIN, EXISTENCE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF NATURAL PHENOMENA.

What's the purpose of lore?

TO ESTABLISH AND INVOKE MORAL CODES, AND REINFORCE THE LEGITIMACY OF EXISTING SOCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND CUSTOMARY PRACTICES THROUGH THE REFLECTION OF THESE PRACTICES IN THE LORE.

What do migration traditions contain?

TELL THE DEPARTURE FROM ISLANDS OF ORIGIN AND THE ARRIVAL, EXPLORATION, AND SETTLEMENT IN LOCALES. THEY ALSO CONSIDER THE DEEDS OF THE NAVIGATORS

Why are migratory traditions difficult to interpret?

THEY CONTAIN THE GREATEST MIX OF HISTORY AND SYMBOLISM

Name three failures that have led to unscholarly publications on these traditions.

A) FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND THE INTERNAL HISTORICAL AND SYMBOLIC DYNAMICS OF

THESE TRADITIONS

B) LITERAL MISINTERPRETATIONS,

C) AND DELIBERATE INVENTED MATERIAL.

What is not emphasized in Polynesian lore and is considered a striking feature of Polynesian oral tradition?

A LACK OF EMPHASIS ON ORIGINATING LANDS.

What is the cultural import of migratory traditions?

TO EXPLAIN THE EXISTENCE OF LAND AS OPPOSED TO ITS DISCOVERY

Determine three methods, as discussed in the reading that reflects the process of a synchronic rupture or gap in a common continuous history and reflects the importance of new homeland histories.

1. CAPPING - AN EVENT THAT FILLS A GAP

2. SHADOWING - MORE RECENT ARRIVAL DOMINATE AND MARGINALIZE PREVIOUS SETTLERS

2. IN SITU - ORIGINATED FROM THE LAND

What is Hawaiki?

IT IS BOTH A HISTORICA-GEOGRAPHIC AND RELIGIOUS-SYMBOLIC CONCEPT.

Where can cognates of the name be found?

THROUGHOUT EAST AND WEST POLYNESIA

What does current scholarship argue about the names throughout Polynesia.

NAMED SYSTEMATICALLY FROM ONE PLACE TO ANOTHER AND BECAME SYMBOLIZED AS

ORIGINS WERE FORGOTTEN.

What is a more likely proposition for so many places names sharing the same name?

THRESHOLDS BETWEEN CREATION AND REALITY BECAUSE THE IDEAS OF GEOGRAPHIC AND SPIRITUAL ORIGIN WAS MUTUALLY SIMILAR

Nameat least one geographic cognate and list four locations (island nations) where the same name can be found.

Hawaiʻi, Havaiʻi, Savaiʻi, Hawaiki (Can you locate where each of these places are found?)