Interesting Facts of the Unknown myths & legends

Marcus Arona

Listed below are 7 of the South Pacific’s unknown myths & legends. Choose one to research & read about.

Try and find 5-10 interesting facts about it. Share your findings on a google drawing/doc or slide. Include some images. Don’t forget to BLOG LOG!

1. The legend of Raemaru (Cook Islands)
2. Easter Island Stone Statues (Rapa Nui)
3. The Legend of Aho’eitu (Tonga)
4. The Teine Sa - Telesa (Samoa)
5. The Legendary Taniwha (Aotearoa)
6. Five Principle Gods of Niue (Niue)
7. The Night Marchers (Hawaii)

The legend of Raemaru (Cook Islands)

1. Maru is a mountain that is higher than any of the other mountains.
2. Maru would hide the sunrise during the dawn with her shadow, giving the people of the village more time to sleep.
3. Maru stood on the western side of Rarotonga.
4. Other villages all wished they could have a mountain just as high and just as useful as Maru.
5. Chief Vaeruarangi and Tamatua stole the tip of the mountain.

6. The Puaikura warriors from Rarotonga they saw the intruders carry the tip of the mountain away.

7. The mountain in Aitutaki that had been stolen was now called Maungapu meaning top of the mountain, in remembrance of their achievement.

8. The people of Puaikura they getting used to a now shorter mountain.

Easter Island Stone Statues (Rapa Nui)

• They represent the spirits of ancestors, chiefs and high ranking males.
• There is a 887 moai on Easter Island.
• They stand 13 feet high and weigh 14 tons.
• They were carved from rough hardened volcanic ash.
• They have hidden bodies which is underground.
• There is no record or history of how this statue building undertook.

7. They were placed on rectangular platforms called Ahu, which are tombs for the people that the statues represent.

8. All statues are at least 500 years old.

9. They were made the rapanui people.

10.

The Legend of Aho’eitu (Tonga)

1. His dad Tangaloa met a lady and they fell in love and gave birth to him.
2. When he was older he wanted to meet his father so he climbed a tree to reach to the sky.
3. He met 5 of his half brothers who were jealous of his features and had killed him.
4. The dad found out and told the sons to bring him back to life in which he did.
5. His brothers felt bad that they asked their father if they could live with Aho’eitu in Tonga.

6. He became king and his brother’s descendants would have to serve him.

7. The oldest brother, Tu-ipelehake became the chief and the 4 other brothers became four houses.

The Teine Sa - Telesa (Samoa)

1. They are beautiful and fearsome in equal measure.
2. They are the spirit women who wander the villages of Samoa guarding different villages.
3. She’s like a karma that will come to you depending on the wrong things you do.
4. Spirit women that fulfills their purpose with nature’s gifts.
5. Offending the Telesa, there are consequences.

6. They are protectors of fanua (the earth).

7. They serve as guardians of mother nature.

8. They have seductive magic in their locks that can possess the men of their desires.

The Legendary Taniwha (Aotearoa)

1. Taniwhas are supernatural creatures in Maori tradition.
2. They were sent to hide in the ocean, lakes, rivers or caves.
3. Some taniwhas would eat, kill or kidnap women.
4. Some taniwhas were believed to be a guardian for a tribe.
5. A chief caught a shark taniwha and kept it as a pet in a river.

7. The shark taniwha ended up eating people that would travel on the river.

8. A female taniwha married a human.

Five Principle Gods of Niue (Niue)

1. The five principle Gods of Niue include Fao, Huanaki, Fakahoko, Laga-iki and Lagi-atea.
2. They arrived from fonuagalo, the lost country.
3. Huanaki swam across from Tonga.
4. In other stories these gods were lazy and did no work towards preparing feasts.
5. Fao is the gods of humans.

6. Laga-iki was born as a human but became a guardian spirit.

7. They fed from the lost country because their parents wouldn’t feed them because they were lazy.

8. Lagi-atea is the god of islands.

The Night Marchers (Hawaii)

1. They were ancient Hawaiian warriors.
2. Today their spirits roam various areas on the islands.
3. They appear as ghosts with torches and play drums and they chant.
4. They are believed to be eternally fated to march the islands, seeking their next battle.
5. They are most active at night but also have been reported to be seen during the day.

6. They’re often to be seen walking right through buildings.

7. You are not to interrupt if you come across them and never look into their eyes.

8. Descendants of the night marchers will not be harmed by them.