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Category:

Beliefs(1)

Topic:

Land of Rao

Consultant:

Nataniela

A land in the bottom of the earth is called Rao. The old people believed in this. Nataniela was not sure about it. He believes it was not considered to be inhabited. Doubtful place.

Category:

Beliefs(2)

Topic:

Accidents

Consultant:

Undisclosed

If a person fell off a tree, they would put a white mat under the tree where the person fell, and would wait for something to fall on the mat and this would be quickly gathered up and rushed to the injured person and thus his soul is brought back.

If nothing had fallen on the mat, it meant that the man would die.

1. If he dies, his soul went and won't return to the spot.

2. If he lives, he would never fall again.

These are two reasons for using the mat.

This ritual is called hapagsu.

Category:

Beliefs(3)

Topic:

Superstition

Consultant:

Undisclosed

If a rooster crowed in front of one's house while facing it, it signified that someone would die in the family. When a bird (Fä'ere) chirps on the road, someone is about to appear.

Kaläe is the name of a bird. If it makes a noise all night, someone in that place will die.

Fä'ere: kind of bird with a pleasing whistle. Pinarolestes (Myiolestes) Vitiensis Hartl

Category:

Beliefs(4)

Topic:

Superstition

Consultant:

Solvalu

The old historic fuag ri, Solmena, has two superstitions connected with its sacredness:

1. Two people who lived on it lost their voices until they moved away.

2. Whenever a fire is made on it, the rain falls shortly after, to see who is there.

This fuag ri (house foundation) is in the district of Malhaha. See Land Tenure .

Category:

Beliefs(5)

Topic:

Su'ura Sau

Consultant:

Rosarima

Su'ura, the old sau's fuag ri is abandoned because there was a shed on it once where people stored food. But everytime someone did this, the young boy who was the owner became half blind. He told the people to stop because his father, who had been dead 8-10 years, was making him blind over this.

This most likely refers to a house foundation in Noa'tau, but fuag ri with that name also exist in Oinafa and in the village of Savlei in Itu'ti'u.

Category:

Beliefs(6)

Topic:

Death Beliefs

Consultant:

Tavai

The fuag ri of Ravak is one in Malhaha which is given this name because Ravak, a deified chief of Malhaha visited it to tell prophecies and answer questions of the people of his district. He was also a god of Malhaha. When a spirit was about to go to 'oroi, the spirits from there carried it to this fuag ri to have kava and then they went to 'oroi. A death any place in the island is always marked by a green coconut leaf falling on the floor. Deaths are announced before (and sometimes after?) they happen. When Ravak comes to the fuag ri, one can smell flowers at night.

The spirits can be recognized in the fuag ri by a white light or glow on the floor.

The fuag ri has three parts: east, Fakraupotu; mid, Potpotmasara; west, Tukrauraraki.

'oroi means hidden, or unseen; 'oroi ta is the abode of spirits of the dead, located under the sea.

Category:

Beliefs(7)

Topic:

Land in the Sky

Consultant:

Nataniela

Heaven was a hanua favi, or suspended place. There was a sau's palace here, and the place or community was Tukensau. The pathway or means of entrance to this skyland was by a kokona let down from heaven.

There is evidence of this in the story of Aeatoso who ascended into heaven by a large food tray hung from the skies.

Tagroa , the greatest of Rotuman gods, lived in hanua favi. favai?

The dead came back to tell our forefathers about the land in the sky. There as a place called Tokagsau or house of the sau. There was no night in the land, always daylight. The wind always blew in a gale and lightning flashed continually. Only pure people were allowed to live here and they were called sur ne 'aitu = entering of the god. All people when they died could go to parts of the 'oroi but only good men went to the sky. No gods could go to the land of Tagroa. Tagroa was shut in a sleeping apartment, called a tatau. This was the private walling off of a chief. No one could see Tagroa but the sur ne 'aitu. They left the sky and came to Rotuma and returned again.

(The sur ne 'aitu are very much like angels, and the private place of Tagroa is very much like a heavenly palace of the Old Testament. This seems more like a Biblical interpretation than a true Rotuman one. Nataniela is a retired minister. Biblical influences are most probable here.

Probably Tukagsau

A kokona is a food container consisting of a net around a wooden frame. It is suspended from the rafters to keep rats from the food.

Category:

Beliefs(8)

Topic:

Concepts

Consultant:

Nataniela

The whole world as far as the Rotuman could see was believed to be enclosed by a coconut plait wall. This wall was made of the mats or plaits called forau. The church and the white man burst through these walls to come to Rotuma. The wall rested on the horizon.

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