Old Polynesian

Relics.

To be Preserved by French Government.

From Our Own Correspondent.

Papeete, Jan. 16.

THE “Journal Officiel” of December pub lishes the text of a Presidential de cree establishing in each French col ony a Commission of Natural Monuments and Sites for the purpose of preserving relics of scientific, artistic, and historic value.

These Commissions are given broad powers in questions of classing, expropri ation, the marking of zones and perime ters for protection, work to be done, etc., relative to these monuments and sites.

It is to be regretted that a Commission of this character was not in existence to save from destruction the great Marae Mahaiatea at Papara which was the last example of the Ahu (or pyramid) type of Marae in the Islands. There is, indeed, but one Marae of this character remaining in Tahiti —the small but perfect Arahu rahu at Faaiti in Paea. All of the other principal Marae on Tahiti are in ruins or obliterated.

The Leeward Islands are more richly endowed with relics of old Polynesian culture which have not been given over wholly to destruction. Most notable is the ancient Marae Taputapua tea at Opoa on Raiatea. “Ancient Tahiti” (based on material re corded by the early missionary J. M.

Orsmond and arranged and translated by his grand-daughter, Miss Teuira Henry) records all that is known of the history of this temple.

“The great international Marae named Taputapuatea at Opoa, on the south eastern side of Raiatea, is the most anci ent of all royal Marae in the Society Group. It is said to have been erected by highest royalty in the remotest period of the island’s history.

“Taputapuatea was not always so call ed. At a very remote period, before Oro was born at Opoa, it was the national Ma rae of Havai’i (Raiatea), named, in full, Tinirau-Hui-Mata-Te-Papa-O-Feoro, but it was briefly called Peoro, and to it were attached eight memorial stones which represented eight Kings who had reigned over the land.

“To Taputapuatea were taken most of the heads of warriors, who were decapi tated as they lay dead upon the battle fields. The heads were cleaned and close ly stacked in rows in the crevices and nooks of the Marae where, contrasted with the background of stones, they pro duced a terrifying sight. Bleached with age, these skulls lay sacred upon the Marae, untouched by native or white re sidents, until recently when tourists deemed it not bad manners to repay their native guides by laying on a dese crating hand and carrying them away.

All those that remained have therefore been secreted by the natives”.

Huahine, which is Raiatea’s neigh bouring island at the east, holds, per haps, the greatest number of undestroy ed and undesecrated Marae now extant.

Perhaps this is accounted for by the fact that Huahine has never been a resort for tourists.

Bishop G. J. Vesters, 0.8. E., of the Sacred Heart Mission Vunapope, New

Guinea, is at present visiting Manila,

Philippine Islands. He expects to re turn to Rabaul in March.