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Rotuman Custom as told to Gordon Macgregor in 1932
from notes archived at
Bishop Museum, Honolulu, Hawai'i

Districts: Oinafa

Category:

Oinafa(1)

Topic:

Ho'aga

Consultant:

Poar

Macgregor's Notes

Comments

Ho'aga

Fa 'es Ho'aga

Fuag ri

Marama

Raivoi

Hoisiga

Ohu

Katoagtaumua

Savaiki

Melia

Tumafua

Rimanu

Sauhata

Taipo

Tutakimatoga

Suasua

Furisefana

Suasua

Utmarei

Muarorota

Su'ura

Uanheta

Tokaniua

Raviagura

Lepi

Poar

Farevai

Vaitoka

Niomfang

Rimanu

Vaimomoka

Sakmen

Tuaravaki

Paolo

Tampea

Fakafi

Vaiea

Koata

Tamania

Valta

Foraghanue

Ganmou

Uanheta

Veragtire

Su'ura

Fakafi

Kauturaf*

Pinsea


*Not used today. Included in Uanheta and Huo. Koturaf died last year. Formerly many more ho'aga when Oinafa more populous once. Death has diminished it.

Ho'aga by Villages

Paptea

  • Marama
  • Paptea
  • Ohu

Oinafa

  • Melia
  • Sauhata
  • Suasua
  • Utmarae
  • Uanheta
  • Lepi
  • Vaitoka
  • Vaimomoko

Lopta

  • Paolo
    • Paolo
    • Vaiea
  • Huo
    • Valta
    • Tua
    • Uanheta
    • Matagi
    • Hofua

Category:

Oinafa(2)

Topic:

Bush Sites

Consultant:

Undisclosed

Macgregor's Notes

Comments

There were five groups of bush people or fuag ri situated on the side of Solhafu, namely Rotua, Rimanu, Lulalo, Regisea, and Solhafu. This last site was on the top of Solhafu. Each one seems to be named from the main fuag ri in it. Rotua is a fuag ri on the land called Faere. Below Rotua is another fuag ri called Faere. Rotua is stuated on a little knoll on the side of Solhafu.

Running around the east side of Solhafu is the land Rimanu, with a large fuag ri, rectangular in shape with two terraces. Across the path is the rectangular tamura with small graves low to the ground. The pa are covered with small slabs of coral and stone from the beach. It may be that these are not pa but the tops of ri hafu.

Rimanu adjoins Faere.

Muasol is a knoll on Solhafu? on the top of which is a fuag ri, called Rihaha. Running south east from this is a ridge called Solfamuagmua. About 75 yards from Muasol is a small tamura called Solu on the land called Solu. At the end of the ridge is a point with large trees running in the direction of the sea and called Ikmua.

There are several fuag ri around Muasol and the group is known as Muasol. Muasol proper is the grave?

 

fuag ri = house foundation

 

 

 

 

 

pa = stone wall

ri hafu = stone house

 

 

 

tamura = cemetery

Category:

Oinafa(3)

Topic:

Rotuma divisions

Consultant:

Poar

Macgregor's Notes

Comments

There is a saying that "Rotuma is like a canoe, one side is Oinafa and the other is the rest of the districts".

This is to be seen in the titles of district chiefs. Oinafa's are derived from Oinafa. The rest from Noa'tau.

At Muasol, Oinafa mua were buried in one grave, mua from all other districts in second grave.

Category:

Oinafa(4)

Topic:

First Chiefs

Consultant:

Tavo

Macgregor's Notes

Comments

First Chiefs of Oinafa

  • Faga
  • |
  • Asekava
  • |
  • Ti'u (no chief)
  • |
  • Asekava
  • |
  • Tokaniua Rataviki
  • |
  • Sautapuaki
  • |
  • Famaniua
  • |
  • Suratafua [female]
  • |
  • Kautane
  • Tok. ia ala mo Sautapaki sapa se itu to.
    Famaniua ha ia Toko. ma ia inoso se Hugo-lelei ka ese Tok. Pala mo Furisafua reio? Taka-halea ma Arokau ma Vanika ma Sosokii Suratafa ia inoso se Ferii (title Tuakoi) e T. ma ia ese Hapta ma Taipo ma Ufe ma le' Kopuri, taipo ia inosi Taga ma ese Tokara
    [sic].

    [Translation of above] Tokaniua died and Sautapaki became chief of the district. Famaniua took the name of Tokaniua and he married Hugolelei. To them were born Tokaniua-Pala and Furisafua and Taka halea and Arokau and Vanika and Sosoku.

    Suratafu , daughter of Famaniua, married Ferii of Tuakoi and they had children Hapta, Taipo, Ufe and Kopuri (Taipo).. (le' = child proceeds Kopuri) F. [sic]

    Taipo married Fanga and their child was Tokoara (Perhaps the beginning of the Taipo in Lopta name).

    Category:

    Oinafa(5)

    Topic:

    Chiefly Titles

    Consultant:

    Poar

    Macgregor's Notes

    Comments

    Faufisi. Tokaniua. Oinafa Village

    Head of Lopta - Taipo. Lopta Village

    Taipo is the title of the Unheta ho'aga, which elects the head officer of Lopta from among its own members. The Taipo at present lives in Oinafa village and Poar has appointed Fa'äf as head.

    Head of Paptea - Fagamaniua.

    This is the title of Paptea's head, but there is only one heir. Moresiu who lives in Noa'tau and so new family with title. Katoagtaumua is head. M. owns title Fagamaniua.

    Category:

    Oinafa(6)

    Topic:

    Chiefly titles

    Consultant:

    Tavo

    Macgregor's Notes

    Comments
  • 1. Faga
  • 2. Asekava, son of Faga
  • 3. Asekavafa on tiu son of Ti'u
  • 4. Tokaniua, son of Asekava (#3) Fuag ri Hoi, Pure of all Rotuma
  • 5. Sautupuaki
  • 6. Fomaniua - Tokaniua
  • 7. Kautane married and lived at Vaitoka (wife's fuag ri)
  • 8. Kausirafe (became sau later for 6 months Kautane chief during 6 mo.)
  • 9. Tavo Kausirafe - same as #8 - title after sauship
  • 10. Kaurasi, Mother of 11
  • 11. Tavo Rupeni
  • 12. Tavo Epenisi
  • 13. Pora - Pora's mother, sister of Tavo Ep. and Rupeni
  • [chief #] 8. Kausirafe became sau, after he was chief for 6 mo. Sau title Sautiak, which he brought back to Oinafa. Became chief again, and when son Tokoara died, took title Tavo Kausirafe. Kautane his brother chief while K. was sau.

    Ififtoka:fuag ri of all Oinafa chiefs up to Poar, built by Tokoara, brother of Poar's mother Tete'e and father of Tavo Furasau.

    Category:

    Oinafa(7)

    Topic:

    Chiefly Titles

    Consultant:

    Niomfaga

    Macgregor's Notes

    Comments

    Poar

    1. Gagaja 'on itu

    Chief of district

    Tokaniua

    2. Faufisi

    2nd of district

    Sakman

    3. Ho'ag chief

    3rd of district

    Niua

    4. Taki

    War captain

    Vakmatoa

    5. Momoahe

    War lieutenant

    Tavo Farsau

    6. Family chief

    Tavo family title

    Taipo

    7.

    Lopta chief

    .

    8.

    Paptea chief

    kainag gagaj = chiefly family

    Category:

    Oinafa(8)

    Topic:

    Chiefly titles

    Consultant:

    Timote

    Macgregor's Notes

    Comments

    The 5 chiefly families have probably arisen from the sons of one man who was the first chief or originated a line. As long as he can remember, Tavo has been the Oinafa title but Poar changed it and took the title of his mother's father. This title belongs to one family that elects chiefs and to ho'ag Lepi. The Tongan who ruled Oinafa was called Tavo but Timote thinks that the name is Rotuman and antedates the Tongans.

    Category:

    Oinafa(9)

    Topic:

    Poar title

    Consultant:

    Poar

    Macgregor's Notes

    Comments

    Poar, chief of Oinafa, is descended from Sakmen of Noa'tau and the Gilbertese woman from Tarawa who are also the parents of one chiefly line in Noa'tau. Poar reckons he is the fifth generation counting Sakman as one.

    Category:

    Oinafa(10)

    Topic:

    Niua title

    Consultant:

    Niua

    Macgregor's Notes

    Comments

    Niua & Oinafa
    Niua was a name that has belonged to Rotuma from the time the island was brought up out of the sea. The only other old Rotuman name in Oinafa is Tokaniua. That is a Rotuman name, but the first Tokaniua came from Tonga.

    In the days of the first chief Faga, there were 2 friends, Niua and Vakmatoa, who loved to sit about at night and tell yarns of war and discuss it. Faga asked Niua to be head of the district, but he did not wish to nor did Vakmatoa.

    They did not wish to be chiefs, but only fight in the wars, so Faga made Niua war captain of Oinafa or taki, and Vakmatoa, was lieutenant or Momoahe. These two names, Niua and Vakmatoa have since become titles belonging to these Oinafa offices.

    Because Oinafa never lost a war until the last, Niua has become to be looked upon as the leading taki of Rotuma.

    Category:

    Oinafa(11)

    Topic:

    History

    Consultant:

    Timote

    Macgregor's Notes

    Comments

    Oinafa was first in Rotuma because she never lost a war until the last. This was against Faguta and Itu'ti'u. The Oinafa army went up on Solhof to meet Faguta. Meanwhile Itu'ti'u came down the shore and captured Lopta where there were only a few men. Of this battle they said Marorua, or two winners, because Oinafa won in the bush and Itu'ti'u won on the shore. A man was named Marorua 'two winners' and another Maromao (they would have won if they had waited on the shore).

     

     

     

     

     

    maro mao = lost victory

    Category:

    Oinafa(12)

    Topic:

    History

    Consultant:

    Poar

    Macgregor's Notes

    Comments

    After the battle between Oinafa and all other Rotuman districts Oinafa buried their dead at Tofaraki.

    Category:

    Oinafa(13)

    Topic:

    History

    Consultant:

    Niua

    Macgregor's Notes

    Comments

    There were but two maräe in Rotuma in old times, one at Motusa and one at Oinafa. All Rotuma fought Oinafa to gain the use of this maräe and the battle was held in the Oinafa bush. Oinafa was losing when their women came yelling through the bush. The other side thought it was more Oinafa men and fled. On the maräe, men who were killed were placed to show their tatoo.

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