Samoa, A Hundred Years Ago And Long Before eBook

George Turner (writer)

The village gods, like those of the household, had all some particular incarnation:  one was supposed to appear as a bat, another as a heron, another as an owl.  If a man found a dead owl by the roadside, and if that happened to be the incarnation of his village god, he would sit down and weep over it, and beat his forehead with stones till the blood flowed.  This was thought pleasing to the deity.  Then the bird would be wrapped up and buried with care and ceremony, as if it were a human body.  This, however, was not the death of the god.  He was supposed to be yet alive, and incarnate in all the owls in existence.  The flight of these birds was observed in time of war.  If the bird flew before them, it was a signal to go on; but if it crossed the path, it was a bad omen, and a sign to retreat.  Others saw their village god in the rainbow, others saw him in the shooting star; and in time of war the position of a rainbow and the direction of a shooting star were always ominous.

The constant dread of the gods, and the numerous and extravagant demands of a cunning and avaricious priesthood, made the heathenism of Samoa a hard service.

I have collected and arranged alphabetically in the two following chapters the names of the principal gods formerly worshipped in Samoa.  The notices of each will explain more fully the religion of the people, and especially that system of zoolatry which so extensively prevailed.



1.  AITU LANGI, or Gods of heaven.

1.  These gods were supposed to have fallen from the heavens at the call of a blind man to protect his son from a cannibal chief.  They were scattered over several villages, but did not move about in the bodies of mortals.  A large temple was erected to one of them in which there were ten seats on which sat the principal chiefs.  A large shell was the only visible representation of the god, and in time of war it was carefully consulted.  If it stood on end and made an unusual noise they went to battle cheerfully; if, however, it only murmured what they imagined to be “Go back, go back,” there was no fighting that day.  Tupai was the name of the high priest and prophet.  He was greatly dreaded.  His very look was poison.  If he looked at a cocoa-nut tree it died, and if he glanced at a bread-fruit tree it also withered away.

2.  Aitu langi was the name of a village god in another place, and supposed to be incarnate in the owl.  If, when going to fight, an owl flew before, it was a good sign; but if across the road or backwards they returned immediately.

2.  ALII TU, or The God who stands.

This god was seen in the Ve’a, or rail (Rallus pectoralis).  The flight of this bird was also observed during war.  If it flew before, it was a good omen; if otherwise they went back disconcerted.

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