Island of Baba, south of the Banda group, Indian Archipelago, is probably the protonome of Vawa, in the western part of the Fiji group; viz., Oto-vawa, and Ka-vawa, and the Wiwa and Wawa in Hawaiian legends.
The islanders of Baba and Tepa and adjoining islands rub lime into their hair, by which the natural blackness changes to reddish, flaxen color. In Polynesia (Hawaii) it was common practice to rub lime into the hair, whereby it became ehu (red) and sometimes entirely white.
Tepa, a village on Baba, corresponds to Kepa, a land on Kauai, Hawaiian group.
Aluta, name of a village or district on the Island of Baba. At Baba large canoes are called orang baay. Polyn. waa, waha.
At the Aru Islands the eastern portion is called the back of the islands. A similar expression obtains in the Hawaiian group.
S. A. Walkenaer (Monde Maritime, Vol. I,) states that Orangkayas was the name of the Noblesse in Achim, Sumatra. Rangatera in the Society group were the free-holders or the lower class of chiefs (p. 21). “One of the Districts in the Batta Country of [[351]]Sumatra is called Ankola.” Anahola name of one district in Kauai. (Phonetic corruption?) (p. 28.) “In the Batta Country each village has a Bale or place of reunion of the inhabitants;”—“Whale” in New Zealand, “Fale” in Samoa, “Hale” in Hawaii (p. 35).
“Saka was a surname of Buddha. In the Japanese annals Saka lived 1000 years B.C. and the religion of Japan is that of Saka or Siaka. Whence the name Hiaka or Hika in the Hawaiian mythology? Saka is a Sanscrit word signifying era or epoch, and was used as a surname for several celebrated monarchs and founders of dynasties in India.
“On the other hand the Sovereigns of Guzzerat in India bore, during the 7th century A.D., the title of Diva-Saka or Di-Saka (pp. 225, 226). What connection with Hiaka?
“The Malay race expanded from Sumatra to Malaka, and not vice versa. The original country of the Malays (according to their own traditions) was Palembang (the kingdom of) in Sumatra, called the island of Indalous. They lived near the river Malayo, which descends from the mountain Maha-Merou. In 1160 A.D. under Sri-Touri-Bouwana they invaded and conquered the Peninsular of Malacca which was then called Oudjong-Tanah, or the land of Oudjong. The Malays were then called Orang de bavah angen, or people of, or toward the South.
“Other Malay historians trace the origin of the people to Hindustan. They trace their chiefs up to Alexander the Great or Rajah Sekander. One of the sons of Rajah Souren, founder of Besnagour in India conquered Palembang in Sumatra and founded an empire. About the year 1159 the Palembang chiefs invaded Java.” (pp. 41–43.)