KOE HALA KI PULOTU In Tongatapu, the road or a road-to PULOTU is said to have started from a spot called Haalako, on the weather shore near the village of Foui. This part of the coast faces to the west, and is in the hihifo part of Tongatapu. One acct would seem to make a pool (pupu) the actual entrance to the road...while another acct says that the dead go to the waters edge and jump into the sea. Down below theres said to be a great cave...before going down to the waters edge the dead tear off a branch from the shrub called Uhi (Evodia hortensis) and presumably take the branch with them. This would seem to be the meaning of the expression Haaki ae Uhi...though possibly it might mean to pull the shrub up or throw it down. In Haapai, however, the plant so used isnt the Uhi, but the Toa which is so sturdy a tree that tearing off a branch is the only likely meaning. A road to Niuaunofo (tokelau hihifo of Tongatapu) is named from a clump of coconut trees...according to native tradition where the traveller to PULOTU plucks up a reed (kaho). The Uhi, which is namu televo (smelling of devil) is one of the post potent of medicinal plants for curing demonic possession...and for preventing the wandering of ghosts from the graves of the dead. Thus it maya be conjectured that the newly dead take branches of this shrub as a protection against the spirit dangers that await them. My cousin told me that he remembered hearing in his childhood the expression Kuo haake ae Uhi e sii eiki (The poor chiefs broken off the Uhi) used in connection with a chief whod just died. He added the detail that at the time he heard a noise like that made by a whale beating the sea. In Eua...which lies a little south of the exteme easterly point of Tongatapu, KOE HALA KI PULOTU is said to commence in the sea between Eua and the tiny islet Kalau...just off the southern end of Eua. In Haapai KOE HALA KI PULOTU seems to start in the crater of the volcanic island of Tofua...which with the splendid cone of Kao standing close beside it...forms the western extremity of that group. Kuo haaki ae Toa is said of the soul which makes its way to PULOTU by jumping into the crater of Tofua. Toa trees are planted about many cemeteries...though not by any means confined to such positions. Theyre chiefly trees...well suited to adorn any road or compound to which its desired to give an aspect of nobility.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 02:30:47 +0000
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