Vaka ( kuksk. Vaka ) - among the inhabitants of the Cook Islands the name of the tribe , or waka-tangata ( kuksk. Vaka tangata ) and pies , or waka- tere ( kuksk. Vaka tere ). The same word is used by other peoples of Polynesia: va'a among the Tahitians , waka among the Maori of New Zealand , vaka among the Wallisians .
Waka also means the territory in which the tribe lives.
Waka Tangata (Tribe)
While large associations of residents of the Cook Islands were created for the military or for some other purpose, a tribe or waka was the largest social group under the long-term power of a common leader, leader [1] . According to the ideas of the inhabitants of the archipelago, waka united people who were descended from common ancestors who sailed to the island in the same canoe . Over time, the meaning of the term “waka” as a certain unit of society has changed: the word “waka” now refers to a tribe formed as a result of the unification of groups of people who have their pedigree from different ancestors. For example, although the Ariks (local leader) of Rarotonga, named Kainuku, came from people who lived on the island until the people of Tangiya appeared on him, he and his followers subsequently entered into an alliance with the people of Tangiya, becoming part of a waka called Takitumu ( kuksk . Takitumu ).
The titled head of the tribe was the Ariks, who were treated with deep reverence, since according to the ideas of the members of the tribe he was of divine origin and was endowed with supernatural power. Tribal issues were also discussed at the “royal court”, or koutu ( kuksk . Koutu ), but very little is known about the competence of this body.
Waka shared on taper .
Waka-Tere (Pie)
Vaka-tere is the name of the cake on the Cook Islands. In total there are three types of these pie:
- vaka-purua (kuksk . vaka purua ) - double pie or catamaran . In the past, they were used by locals to cover long distances between the islands. The length of these pies could reach 25 meters, and the capacity - up to 50 people with provisions for several weeks.
- vaka-kumete (kuksk . vaka kumete ) - double pies of small sizes (up to 10 meters in length). Also used to cover long distances.
- vaka-tovere (kuksk . vaka tovere ) - small pies. Used to catch fish in the lagoon or near the reef.
Notes
- ↑ According to some experts, the waka was an intertribal association, and not just one tribe.