Tu-i-Tonga, the highest chief, descended from one of the gods that formerly visited Tonga. The respect shown him arises solely from his religious character. He was a kind of sovereign pontiff, and until modern times nothing of importance was done without consulting him. Veachi, another chief or egui of divine descent; second in rank to the Tu-i. The priests have no social consideration as such, unless they are inspired.
Hu, or the king, is the highest in power, but not in nobility. Egui, nobles, are allied and related to the families of Tu-i, Veachi or Hu. Matabule, the class just below the egui, are counsellors and officers. The title is hereditary, and the son does not enter the class of matabule until the father’s death. Until then he belongs to the class called mua, composed of the sons, brothers and descendants of matabule. The sons and brothers of a mua belong to the last class called tua until the death of the parent. The tua comprise all who do not come under one of the preceding categories of rank. They are the common people.
Hogs in Tonga are called buaka, as in Marquesas; in Hawaii, puaa.
The Tongans were not cannibals, but sometimes in imitation of the Vitians, it became a military point of honor for the young warriors to eat the flesh of an enemy slain in battle.
Among the Tongan dances were the hea, a very ancient and stately dance performed by men, and the ula, also very ancient, practised formerly only by the low classes, but a Tonga chief having seen it performed at Samoa,—where it was said to have been invented,—made it fashionable in Tonga. [[263]]
MARQUESAS.
From the Hiwaoa traditions and meles, collected by Mr. William Lawson, several cosmogonies seem to have existed among the Marquesans. I notice:
1. The Vanana na Tanaoa relates, that in the beginning there was no life, light or sound in the world; that a boundless night, Po (darkness) enveloped everything, over which Tanaoa and Mutuhei (silence) ruled supreme. Atea (light) sprang from Tanaoa, made war on him, drove him away and confined him within limits. Ono (sound) sprang from Atea and broke up Mutuhei. From the struggles between Tanaoa and Atea, Ono and Mutuhei, arose Atanua (shade).
Atea and Ono ruled the universe together as body and spirit (tino and uhane). Atea took Atanua for wife and begat their first-born, Tumea.