ABSTRACT
The roofplate of heaven is smitten, it murmurs; give heed to my song A song of the voyage of the sea brood, Taburimai and Aurawai It comes in sight from the east; it lashes the sea to foam Insolent and importunate is the hero with his spear, the swift, the broad-pointed What has he destroyed? He has destroyed the land of Abemama He has thrust home east of Kamaataoa; there stays the mark of Nawaibitia’s spear ‘I will take aim and pierce them through!’ He strikes the bedrock, it is shattered The porpoise and the whale lie dead in the wake of Bue and Rirongo’s children 1 Piteously wail Nareau and Ningoningo from the treetops by the western beach They dare not face the wrath of the fishes who came by magic under the southern sky I hasten forth with my fleet far out over the horizon; but where shall the rumour of my going fall silent? Loud is the noise of Auemange’s swarm, a countless host, a shoal of porpoises For it would slay and devour; the day of its voyaging is come See, I know the charms to appease the fish coming from eastward; their names are Bikeiniku and Bikeiewa Once, twice repeat the spell; let it fall upon the face of the ocean, so— I, even I who speak, will tell the tale: I, even I who speak, remember the homeland Manra Let me not die, to be buried by the rocks and stony sides of Mao and Kiita, for so would the days of my manhood be extinguished Far away is the land of my manhood’s love; I have left it in the land of Manra, in the land of Bouru at Neineaba Let us tread again the rocky places that reach out to sea; so smooth they are We shall slip if the fin of porpoise or whale is lifted to strike from Abatoa or Abaiti, from Baba-n-Mao to eastward I will call down the winds to bring me words of song, the wind of my ghostly forefathers It falls in the midst, in the midst of my people; I hear its rumour and its rumbling Lo, let us tread the rocky places of the sea; let us find beautiful words to tell of it It thunders; the sides of heaven resound with the waves of the West wind Take up the song; let the people gaze upon the dancers in their beauty; The wind comes to me from heaven; I will disclose the story My canoe is ready rigged; my spell, my Kamakinikin is done: I am endowed with strength At the first words of my story the fierce fish hasten eastward; they are insolent in their wrath See, they are lost; they disappear under the clouds at the very sides of heaven above us We get our canoes, Te Akaatora, Te Taubukintekiba; I yearn after my lands at Aokirikiri and Tengaongao The trees at the lagoon passage come in sight; the people go forward to be joined with the Atinai and the Ikarinibuti They swarm over the surface; it is black with them, as though the sea were adorned with floating reeds Ngaia! Enough! Swell the song till heavens answer with thunder manifold … Enough … Enough … Akea
