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GLOSSARY

Common Terms
 
  • Kastam - customary ways and ritual observances – such as what people do for the occasions of for birth, marriage, death, reconciliations, etc.

  • Lata - the first person to build and sail a voyaging canoe – a pan-Polynesian culture hero

  • The Story of Lata - an oral history that tells how Lata was born, became orphaned, grew as a precocious child, built a canoe, selected a crew, and what happened on his voyages to other islands

  • Te Matua - Father/Mother/Ancestor

  • Te Aliki - Chief or Royal

  • Te - an article that is conventionally used before any noun to show respect – usually  translates as “the”

  • Te Vaka - voyaging canoe

  • Te Vaka o Lata - The Vaka made by Lata (and those who are the heirs of Lata). Proa design and massively outrigged.

  • Te Puke - largest type of Vaka o Lata. minimum length of 6 fadom (fingertip to fingertip with outstretched arms), Has a house. Has a riser box in between main hull and outrigger beams, massive outrigger structure, nearly submarine main hull.  Typically carries 10 people and 3 tons cargo.

  • Te Alo Lili - smaller type of Vaka o Lata.– up to 5.5 fathoms long, no riser box, may or may not have a house, main hull made of more buoyant wood, faster and lighter, normally carries up to 3 to 4 people.

  • Taumako -  literally “strong cultural knowledge/arts”

 


From the Story of Lata
 
  • Te Ube - the bird who helped Lata to build the first voyaging canoe (in the ancient story)

  • Hina/Hinora/Sina - the woman in the Story of Lata, who at first objected to Lata cutting down her tree, then gave him permission to cut it down.

Community & Kastum
 
  • memea - children

  • wahine - femaie

  • tangata / kane - male

  • imua - forward

  • halau - sacred house, house dedicated to a special purpose. house of learning.

  • mangiangi - to create/control/influence wind

  • lakau - piece of wood

  • tupa - adze

  • manu - bird

  • ihu - nose

  • talinga - ear

  • niho - teeth

  • moe - sleep

  • makemake - die

  • malo - bark cloth clothing

  • ehu - light hued or reddish

  • mahila - knife

  • Te Ua - rain

  • Te  Ngatae - trade wind season

  • Te Angeho - cyclone season

  • malino - calms and very light, variable, wind, fine weather

Place Names
 
  • Taumako - old name of Duffs Group

  • Kahula - the kainga (traditional land division) on the windward side of Taumako, the birthplace of Lata and of Koloso Kaveia

  • Tahua - artificial island built on the shallow lagoon on the east side of Taumako

  • Tohua - natural islet in the lagoon of Kahula.  Tohua is known as the birthplace of Lata

  • Ndeni/Nendo - local names for Santa Cruz Island

  • Nohono - Reef / Outer Reef Islands

Canoe Parts

  • Tamanu - a species of hardwood tree (Callophylum) used for the main hull of Te Puke

  • Ulu - a stringy, soft hardwood tree called Breadfruit in English, used for the main hull of Te Alo Lili

  • Foe - steering or paddling blade

  • Ama - the main float on the outrigger

  • Lakahalava - outrigger beam

  • Matae - front and back boards/members of the riser box on a te puke

  •  Papa alova - side boards of the riser box on a te puke

  • Lou - front and back structural members of the outrigger

  • Te Papa - solid wood platform fronting the haehale, with breakaway lashing in case of capsize

  • Li’i - windlasses that hold structures together

  • Te Alunga - the pillow piece that holds up the leeward platform of a Vaka o Lata

  • Utongi - additional float(s) lashed to the ama to form the outrigger, or to the hull to add buoyancy. 

  • Laa - sail, as in the distinctive sail of Lata (Te Laa o Lata)

  • Laula - sail panel(s) woven from pandanas (laufala) strips

  • Haehale - half house on a Vaka o Lata

  • Saa - canoe bailer

  • Saa Moana - oceanic vaka bailer (with the handle inside)

  • kaha - cordage

 


Navigation
 
  • Te Nohoanga Te Matangi - navigation and knowledge system

  • Te Matangi - wind

  • noho - to sit or position or be based

  • anga - to make or do

  • kainga - land division

  • Te Moana - ocean

  • fetu/hetu/fitu - star(s)

  • Te Mahina - moon

  • Te Laa - sun

  • hokohua - swells

  • Hokohua Loa - big swells that come from afar

  • Hokohua poroporo/poporo - reflected swell (bounced back from land)

  • te lapa - light flashes from distant land to the deep sea

Common Terms
 
  • komburo - cyclone

  • panna - yam

  • kalo - taro

  • kumara - sweet potato

  • niu boho - drinking coconut

  • niu - coconut

  • plaka - lawyer cane or rattan

  • one - sand or sand-beach

  • maunga - mountain

  • ai - food or eat

  • Puu - grand parent or grand child

  • pu - conch shell trumpet

  • tanga - basket

  • ika - fish

  • limu - seaweed

  • umu - earth oven in very shallow pit

  • peu/feu - fire

  • inu - drink

  • inu wai - drink fresh water

  • Tangaloa - ancestral God of the sea

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