Page:Hawaiki The Original Home of the Maori.djvu/181

Rh (Uapou island) where lived Parau-nikau, whose daughter Onokura marries; her name was Ina. From here Onokura goes to Tupai, where he died of old age, and his spirit went to Navao. I cannot say which Tupai this is, possibly the little island north of Porapora, Society group.

The above is an extremely abbreviated account of the doings of Onokura which in the original covers 50 pages of closely written foolscap. No doubt it relates a nautical warlike expedition from Tahiti to the Marquesas, undertaken by these Rarotongan and Tahitian ancestors. It is interesting as showing the intercourse that took place in those times between distant groups, and the extent to which the ever-warlike Polynesian carried his arms. We must remember that this is about the middle of the period of Mr Stair's so-called "Samoan Voyages," and it was during Onokura's life-time (or in 1150) that communication was again established with Hawaii, after a seclusion of 500 years, of which Fornander has given so excellent an account in his "The Polynesian Race." In the story of Onokura, I do not recognise the name of any of the Maori ancestors, unless Ngarue, referred to above, is the same as one of that name shown on Maori genealogies, but proof is wanting.

The following is a confirmation of the communication with Hawaii above referred to from Rarotonga History. In the times of Tamarua-paipai, who was a contemporary of Onokura (circa 1100), and who lived in Avaiki-raro (either Fiji or Samoa), great disputes arose over the distribution of certain food, part of which was the ariki's tribute. Naea was the ariki, but his younger brothers