Rapa Nui Journal: Journal of the Easter Island Foundation Volume 14 Article 4 Issue 4 December 2000 The irB ds of Paradise Georgia Lee Follow this and additional works at: https://kahualike.manoa.hawaii.edu/rnj Part of the History of the Pacific slI ands Commons, and the Pacific slI ands Languages and Societies Commons Recommended Citation Lee, Georgia (2000) "The irB ds of Paradise," Rapa Nui Journal: Journal of the Easter Island Foundation: Vol. 14 : Iss. 4 , Article 4. Available at: https://kahualike.manoa.hawaii.edu/rnj/vol14/iss4/4 This Research Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the University of Hawai`i Press at Kahualike. It has been accepted for inclusion in Rapa Nui Journal: Journal of the Easter Island Foundation by an authorized editor of Kahualike. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Lee: The Birds of Paradise The Birds ofParadise Georgia Lee, Ph.D. Whilst thefleet ofcanoes o'er the ocean are paddled The flocks ofgods are above in the heavensflying. -Maori song; Beckwith J970:90 INTRODUCTION in it. Lono, the god of IN THE OCEAN WORLD OF POLYNESlA, birds-especially sea­ agriculture, was repre­ birds-played an important symbolic role, and had enormous sented by a long wood influence on the ancient seafarers of the Pacific. In both myth post with a bird figure and cult, the bird theme is the most widespread, but least un­ at the top (Beckwith derstood, ofthe symbolic elements found throughout Polynesia 1970:92, 34). It was (Handy 1940:323). Many studies in the past have connected forbidden to kill frigate birds with visual images found throughout Oceania. Even such birds in the Marquesas a simple element as a V-shape in body paint and tattoo indi­ (Williamson 1924, cated a human connection with birds (Schuster 1939; 1952). In 11:282, 291), and from Polynesia, bird imagery ran the gamut from a simple V or W Rotuna comes the leg­ shape to the elaborately painted birds seen today in Easter Is­ end of two sisters who land caves (Figure 1), to combinations of human and bird that were said to be miracu­ form the famous image of birdman in that isolated island cul­ lously conceived by a ture (Figure 2). great god incarnate in a frigate bird. The Hawaiian Is­ land ofLana'i has many Figure 2. Easter Island birdman bird images carved into figures carved in bas relief, 'Orongo. '. :\\ the rocks; some are hu- "! man figures with bird-like arms or with plumes extending from ) " \ the head, implying feathers (Figure 3). Hawaiian myths tell of !..~ ",j birds as spirit beings, and migratory birds were messengers, for high chiefs who sent them ahead as scouts or to carry mes­ sages. Some birds were intended to bear messages to the heav- ens. The elepaio bird was wor- shipped by ca­ noe makers, and the pilot bird kiwa'a '--------' conducted 30cm navigators to Figure I. Red and white painted birds wheel on the ceiling landing places. ofAna Kai Tangata, Easter Island. A Lana'i legend tells of ............ a man-eating 10cm Sea birds had tremendous importance for seafaring Poly­ bird called Ha­ nesians. They served as givers ofomens, guides, totems, a food lulu. A god Figure 3. Two ofthe many human fig­ resource, and vehicles for spirits of the gods and the dead might appear on ures with bird attributes, Lana'i, Hawai'i. (Barrow 1967:193). Even going back to the beginning of earth in bird mythological time, Polynesian legends describe the creation of form, and Ha- the god Tangaroa as a bird emerging from a cosmic egg, end­ waiian legends tell of a child born from an egg; it hatched into lessly revolving in space; he then grew feathers and became the a many colored bird and became a kapua (supernatural being). trees ofthe forest. In Tahiti, the albatross was the "shadow" of Flying humans also are mentioned in Hawaiian legends and the Tangaroa; in Hawai'i, it was the special bird of the god Tane. cock-like crests on helmets (also seen in sculpture) show bird Tane was the lQrd of the forest and all the creatures who lived connections (Lee and Stasack 1999: 116). Rapa Nui Journal III Vol. 14 (4) December 2000 Published by Kahualike, 2000 1 __________________________________________~=========~I. Rapa Nui Journal: Journal of the Easter Island Foundation, Vol. 14 [2000], Iss. 4, Art. 4 In New Zealand, birds (as well as lizards) are vehicles'"of Trotter and McCulloch potent power (Barrow 1967:203) and are elegantly carved in (1971:75) argue that these wood. The Marquesans carved wooden bowls in the form of motifs are simply bird birds, and Easter Islanders included bird figures in their sacred· figures (Figure 4). Either rongo-rongo boards. way, these sites are con­ Birds that dive into water are, in addition, related to the sidered to be quite an­ concept ofdescent into the underworld and have-as creatures cient, dating to the Ar­ of all the elements-<:onnotations of fertility and the transition chaic Maori period. of life between cosmic planes. For this reason they are so fre­ ohly a few carvings quently associated with the dead (Barrow 1967:199). or p~intings have been noted in Polynesia that ----.. FEATHERS: MANA OF THE GODS specifically depict frigate 20cm The god Tane was lord of the forest and aU its creatures. birds; and these are from Tahitian references to the "bird of Tane", the sacred red bird Easter Island, located at Figure 5. A fine example ofa called manukura, reflect the importance of red feathers in Mata Ngarau on the crater frigate bird from 'Orongo. which sacred mana was concentrated. The ura girdle marked edge at 'Orongo (Figure royal family status; this was a symbolic umbilical cord binding 5) and on the islet of the gods and man. It was made of sacred red feathers, lock­ Motu Nui (Figure 6); one stitched on tapa backing. The needle was also sacred and never has been recorded at Rano taken out because it was meant to continue forever, with new Raraku, the statue quarry. sections being added with each successive reign. A human sac­ Another, distinguished by rifice was made for the first putting in of the needle, and two its two heads, is carved on more sacrifices were made during the course ofthe work. One a topknot (pukao) at Abu chiefly girdle from Ra'iatea was 21 feet long and 6 inches wide Akahanga on the south (Poignant 1967:43). Many of the most sacred images of Ha­ coast of the island, wai'i are completely covered with brilliant and symbolic feath­ (Figure 7) and there are ers. some other two-headed Feathers thus symbolized flight and had spiritualconnota­ examples at 'Orongo. tions. On Rapa Nui they were magical and were worn by The motif of bird­ priests; they even had a special god of plumage (Barthel man (tangata manu) on 20cm 1978:144-5:154-5). All feathers had great value: white roosters Easter Island is curious, were used for magic (ibid. 1978:144-5) and early explorers as it is the sooty tern Figure 6. This frigate bird is noted individuals wearing headdresses of white and black (manutara) (Figure 8) in a cave shelter at Motu Nui. It feathers (Ayers 1973:303). Hawaiian feathered objects are of that was so eagerly seems to have a fish near its mouth course prime examples of the spiritual importance of feathers. sought, at least by the his­ and a komari below the right wing. Plumes and feathers share the power of flight and thus convey toric period. And yet it is it to the wearer. the frigate bird (makohe) that is depicted in the BIRD IMAGES IN POLYNESIAN ROCK ART combined figure of bird­ Painted or drawn bird figures are found at some New Zea­ man (Figure 2). This is land rock art sites. Barrow (1967:203) calls them birdmen but clearly seen in the charac­ teristic shape of the beak and pronounced gular pouch. Frigate birds no longer nest on Easter Is­ land nor on its off-shore islets, but they must have done so in the past be­ cause the artists who carved the designs clearly Figure 7. A fallen pukao at were aware of the gular the site ofAkahanga. This example pouch that is characteris­ has a double headed frigate bird as tic of frigate birds, but well as a manutara. Figure 4. Birdman drawing from Frenchman's Gully site, which is only inflated dur- South Canterbury, New Zealand. ing matfug. At that time, the gular pouch of the male frigate bird inflates into a spectacular bright-red display (Nelson 1979:95). The fact that red was a sacred color throughout Poly- Rapa Nui Journal 112 Vol. 14 (4) December 2000 https://kahualike.manoa.hawaii.edu/rnj/vol14/iss4/4 2 Lee: The Birds of Paradise nesia surely enhanced traditional authority of the ariki, and is suggestive of food this bird in native eyes. shortages, overpopulation, and perhaps anarchy. We may be McCoy (1978:212) re­ seeing hints for the beginning ofthe birdman cult. corded a place name on The egg of the frigate bird was probably the prize in the Motu Hi that infonnants beginning of the cult, which explains the iconography of the claimed was the loca­ birdman. But over time, the focus changed to accommodate the tion from which frigate changing ecology as frigate birds stopped nesting, and thus the bird eggs were col­ sooty tern took its place in the cult ceremonies. However, once lected in ancient times. the canons ofthe art were established and conventionalized, the Aside from the red fonn remained because its symbolism validated and defined the gular pouch, frigate social group in power.