Treasures Of Tahitian Tombs

Where Maximo's Stone Stool Is Hidden

By A. C. Rowland

HIDDEN in the fastnesses of the moun tains of Tahiti are many burial caves where repose the skulls of ancient chiefs and warriors whose re nown is preserved in the archaic poetry of the islands.

Deposited beside the skull of each chief or warrior is his omore or long spear; the symbol of his authority and mystical source of his valor. Many of these omore were fashioned of the hard, indestruct ible wood of the toroea tree; elaborately sculptured from end to end; and decorated with sacred ura (the red feathers sancti fied in the marae) interwoven with finely plaited aha or sinnet.

Each omore was given a name, the significance of which was known only to its possessor, and to it, before going into battle, the warrior addressed an invo cation called faateniteni; a vaunting chant recounting the past exploits and foretelling the valorous achievements of the magical weapon.

Far inland, in a deep valley near Papeete, is one of these caves. Its en trance is so cleverly concealed that, al though people pass it daily, none but the initiated suspect its existence.

A winding passageway leads to a large, high vaulted cavern. All about are skulls set in recesses of the walls and, at one end, is a pyramid of skulls, laid in orderly courses, which towers nearly to the top of the vault. About, lies a rich trea sure of weapons and ancient implements of religious and domestic use, wrought in wood and stone.

One object is of particular interest: an antique stool sculptured from a block of hard, fine grained, black dolerite, such as is found only in the island of Maupiti.

This is undoubtedly the stool seen in 1775 by the interpreter Maximo Rodriguez, who mentions it twice in his diary‘Month of February, on the first day of the month.

Vehiatua showed me a concave stool carved out of black stone and very highly polished, its form the same as those they make of wood; and he told me it had been brought from Orayatea, where it seems, they keep the best they have for wartime."

Later, in the month of June, the 23rd day is this entry:—“ln the afternoon a reconciliation took place and peace was restored, after a wrangle which had taken place between the Padres and Vehiatua, at mid-day, because he had not given Padre Narciso the concave stone seat after the latter had succoured him* in his illness."

This was a companion piece to the “Mystic Bowl of Taputapuatea" pre sented to Maximo by his taio, Pomare I, and now reposing in the Museo Arqueo logico Nacional at Madrid.

Doctor B Glanvill Comey, the trans lator of the diary, has written this foot note concerning the concave stool; “One wonders what may have become of this remarkable chattel, since Maximo’s time. He tried to obtain it but was un successful, as will appear at a later page.

It would have been an admirable com panion for the stone bowl he acquired."

The concave stool In the cavern, like Maximo’s stone bowl, is very solid and heavy; requiring the strength of four men to lift it.

Even more interesting than the stone seat are two large blocks of Maupiti dolerite, fashioned in the shape of the

atu or auhopu—a large deep sea fish much sought by island fishermen. They are faithful effigies, and the eyes are represented by the button-like stoppers of the maoa shellfish, (the markings re sembling closely the eye of a fish) set ex pertly in the stone.

The two stone fish are placed, a short space apart, exactly parallel, the heads pointing toward the seacoast. Between them—its point also directed seaward — lies an omore of toroea wood, its shaft handsomely carved and partly bound with finely braided sinnet. interwoven with red. green, and yellow feathers.

There js an old tradition that the auhopu and aahi (albicore) will come to the fishing grounds off Tahiti, only so long as the stone fish and omore point toward the sea. Should they be reversed to point inland, the auhopu and aahi will flee away, and fisherman will seek them in vain.

The custodian of the cave told the writer that to test the truth of this tradi

tlon, the natives once turned the fish and omore Inland; and, so so long as they re mained in that position, not an auhopu or aahi was caught off the island. Since that time the three objects have been left undisturbed pointing seaward.

There are famous burial caves In Punaauia, Paea, Papara and in other dis tricts of Tahiti Nui and Taiarapu, the little Tahiti: all of them carefully guarded and their location jealously concealed from white men. (Continued Overleaf)

Years ago, some scientists were conducted to one of these caves, after giving their word of honour that they would disturb nothing. When they broke that word, and afterward went to the cave and looted it, the natives of Tahiti took an oath never again, l to disclose to a European any of their burial caves, and they have kept that oath to this day. ■ Mrs. Bliss, wife of Mr. G. Bliss, formerly SLJS? ,• N S' u A pi cu lture Department, arrived m Rabaul from Sydney by the July “Tanda” to join her husband. They will leave shortly for the mainland where Mr. Bliss will take over the managership of a large estate.