Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/374

 342 The Bird Cult of Easter Island.

the sea, is by a narrow passage through the thickness of the wall, along which it is just possible to crawl. The slabs opposite the doorway, and where consequently there is a certain amount of light, are often painted ; the ao appears on them, also bird designs and frequently repre- sentations of European ships. In the middle of the village is the house in which stood the image now at the British Museum, the front of which had to be broken down before the statue could be removed. The image is typical in form, but to find one under cover and in such a position is absolutely unique ; its name, " Hoa-haka-nanaia," is roughly translated as " the wave turns over and breaks " ; the word Taura-renga is also associated with it, some- times being applied to the house and sometimes to the image. The village terminates as it approaches the narrowest part of the cliff amongst a number of carved rocks, between which a semicircle of small houses have been built ; in some cases the houses cover the carving, which is evidently the older. These dwellings were occupied during the festival by the " tangata rongo-rongo," or the men who recited from the hieroglyphic tablets which form one of the mysteries of the island ; half the houses were apportioned to the savants from Kotuu, the other half to those from Hotu-iti. " They chanted all day ; they stopped an hour to eat, that was all." This group of rocks and dweUings is known as " Mata-ngarau," and was taboo during the festival to the common herd.

There are in the whole settlement forty-six houses, of which many are practically intact, while others have been ruined in the endeavour to obtain the painted slabs within. The Ao spent the time while awaiting the birds in dancing each day in front of the buildings, food being brought to them from below, where, according to one authority, a friendly clan kept watch at Mataveri. A short way down the cliff immediately below Orongo is a cave known as " Haka-ronga-manu," or " The cave of