atoll research buuetii?

ATOLL

RESEARCH BUUETII?

Issued by

TI-IE PACIFIC SCLENCE BOARD

National Academy of Sciences--National Research Council Washington,

D.

C.

September 30,

1954

Place names on Nukuoro A t o l l

Vern C a r r o l l

12/

I.

I s l a n d names and a t o l l b u i l d i n g i n h k u o r o

Nukuoro A t o l l (Ponape D i s t r i c t , T r u s t T e r r i t o r y o f t h e P a c i f i c I s l a n d s ) i s a n e a r l y c i r c u l a r a t o l l with a deep c e n t r a l lagoon and a n e a r l y unbroken f r i n g i n g r e e f m e r a g i n g one t h i r d of a m i l e i n width.

From t h z Northwest i n a cloclcwiss d i r e c t i o n around t o t h e Southwest, range a s e r i e s of

mod&,

o r small i s l a n d s ( s e e map). A t low t i d e i t i s u s u a l l y p o s s i b l e t o walk from one t o a n o t h e r without g e t t i n g wet; a t high t i d e , t h e modu a r e s e p a r a t e d by narrow w a t e r c o u r s e s .

-

!dhen t h e t i d s i s coaing i n o r o u t , t h e s e a r e s w i f t l y moving.

EtymoZogically

modu

means something

'

termina.ted'

.

I n t h i s c a s e i t i s t h e l a n d above t h e high water l e y ~ e l , on which grows a t y p i c a l a t o l l v e g e t a t i o n , which is broken by s a n d , c o r a l and sometimes water.

The p r e s e n t d i s p o s i t i o n o f t h e f o r t y - s i x

modu

i n Nukuoro a t o l l i s thought by t h e i n h a b i t a n t s t o have p e r s i s t e d f o r a l o n g time:

p e o p l e a r e m a r e cf o n l y a fel?~ mlnor c h n g e s i n t h e a t o l l topogrnphy.

C a r e f u l r e s e a r c h , howev?r, h a s uncovered evidence of g r e a t e r chaage t h a n i s p o p u l a r l y r e c o g n i z e d . !There i s a l s o c o n s i d e r a b l e evidence t h a t some of t h e s e changes r e p r e s e n t a c c r e t i o n s t o t h e a t o l l i n t h e form of whole i s l a n d s b u i l t by t h e hand of man. S i n c e a t o l l - b u i l d i n g i s n o t g e n e r a l l y thought o f as comprising p a r t o f t h e t e c h n i c a l r e s o u r c e s a v z i l a b l e t o t h e i n h a b i t a n t s o f i n s u l a r Oceania, this evidence i s thought t o be s i g n i f i c a n t . The mode o f r e s e a r c h i n t o t h i s m a t t e r which we have employed i s a l s o thought t o r e p r e s e n t ^a u s e f u l method which n i s h t pro- duce comparable r e s ~ l t s elsewhere.

Our f i r s t i n d i c a t i o n of t h e e x i s t e n c e of e x t r a n~unes f o r modu, i n a d d i t i o n t o t h o s e narms which we had c o l l ~ c t e d f o r t h e

modu

now v i s i b l e , came with o u r r e c o r d i n g o f a

E,

o r mnemonic ( s e e below), f o r

modu

which w a s d i f f i c u l t t o r e l a t e t o t 5 e p r e s e n t d i s p o s i t i o n of t h e a t o l l . C l e a r l y t h e

-

mou l i s t e d t h e

modu

names i n o r d e r

-

b e g i n n i n g t ~ i t h t h e modu i n t h e extreme Southwest of t h e a t o l l and proceeding i n a counter-

-

clockwise d i r e c t i o n t o t h e t e r m i n a l _modu i n t h e Northwest. Thus i t w a s p o s s i b l e t o u s e t h o s e names f o r contemporary

&

which c o i n c i d e d w i t h names i n t h e

mou

a s r e f e r e n c e p o i n t s from which t o zero-in on t h e c o n f u s i n g d i s g a r i t i e s . I n some c a s e s , a synonym was found f o r a c u r r e n t name which c o i c c i d e d w i t h the ilnme; i n some c a s e s 'there were s e v e r a l names where a s i n g l e

COG

now e x i s t s ; i n o t h e r c a s e s a mddu i s now

p r e s e n t , a l t h o u g h i t i s n o t mentioned i n t h e

E.

1/

U n i v e r s i t y o f Chicago.

S p e l l i n g i n t h e a c ~ e p t e d Nu!moro o r t h o g r a ~ h y o f t h e wel.1-horn P o l y n e s i a n word

9 .

Where i t a p p e a r e d t h a t a s i n g l e modu had been formed from s m a l l e r o n e s , g e o l o g i c a l r e c o n n a i s s a n c e u s u a l l y demonstrated t h e former e x i s - t e n c e o f c h a n n e l s i n t h e form o f wide sandy s w a t h s e x t e n d i n g c o n t i n u o u s l y below t h e t o p s o i l from t h e l a g o o n s i d e o f t h e a t o l l t o t h e s e a s i d e . O f t e n p l a c e names f o r

arts

o f t h e i s l a n d ( o f which t h e r e a r e a v e r y g r e a t number-a m a t t e r t o be covered i n a s u b s e a u e n t p a p e r ) c o i n c i d e d w i t h t h e r e l e v a n t modu names i n t h e

z.

^x c a d a s t r a l s u r v e y a l s o showed t h a t t h e s e former c h a n n e l s were i n v a r i a b l y p l o t b o u n d a r i e s - c o n t r a s t - i n g i n t h e i r i r r e g u l a r i t y w i t h norma.1 s t r a i g h t l a n d b o u n d a r i e s . s a c h o f t h e o l d e r a t o l l i n h a b i t a n t s was a b l e t o c i t e one o r two c a s e s o f such p r o c e s s e s ; e v e n t u a l l y e v e r y s u s p e c t e d c a s e was confirmed i n one o r more t r a d i t i o n a l s t o r i e s c o l l e c t e d from t h e s e people.

It might seem s t r a n g e t h a t a ilrnnemonic" f o r t h e names o f t h e modu i n a n a t o l l c o u l d have s o l o n g r e s i s t e d b e i n g changed t o a c c o r d w i t h

t h e contemporary f a c t s . But t h i s a p p e s r s t o have been p r e c i s e l y t h e c a s e . These

E,

o f which t h e r e a r e a c o n s i d - e r a b l e number-covering t h e nzrnes f o r d i f f e r e n t k i n d s of s e a l i f e , p l a n t s , v a r i e t i e s of pandanus, names o f

p r i e s t s , b i r t h o r d e r of people born i n t o t h e community d u r i n g a c e r t a i n s p a n o f t i m e , etc.-are c o n s i d e r e d somewhat e s o t e r i c ; one s e e k s o u t one o f t h e ' o l d p e o p l e t who knows such t h i n g s u s u a l l y o n l y l a t e i n o n e ' s own l i f e - time-to e q u i p o n e s e l f w i t h t h e knowledge t o assume o n e ' s r o l e as one o f t h e ' o l d p e o p l e '

.

^The

^mou

g i v e s o n l y one o r two s y l l a b l e s from e a c h o f t h e complete names which i t i n c o r p o r a t e s , s o i t i s n o t immediately a p p a r e n t t o t h e i n c ~ l r i o u s t h a t a c o n t r a d i c t i o n e x i s t s between t h e a b b r e v i a t e d name and t h a t t h i n g i t r e p r e s e n t s . Few p e o p l e who have l e a r n e d t h e s e

mou

make a n e f f o r t t o r e l a t e them t o t h e e n t i t i e s t h e y a r e supposed t o r e p r e - s e n t . It i s , a f t e r a l l , o n l y t h e knowledge of t h e

-

mou which counts- n o t i t s i m p l i c a t i o n s . Thus i t i s r e a l l y n o t , p r o p e r l y spetilci.ng,.a

-

'mnemonic' ; i t i s a token f o r t h e k i n d of s y s t e m a t i c lcnowleclge which i s prized. a s a n emblem o f s t a t u s , w i t h o u t much c o n t r i b u t i n g t o t h a t knowledge.

Where such d e v i c e s o c c u r , t h e y might be e x p l o i t e d i n t h e way i n which we have done h e r e t o p r o v i d e some h i s t o r i c a l p e r s p e c t i v e on geography.

The f a c t t h a t t h e y do n o t change w i t h t h e t i m e s i s f o r t h e h i s t o r i a n a b l e s s i n g . The f i e l d w o r k e r i s warned, howevzr, t h a t some i n d i v i d u a l s

-

^do

compare t h e i r

mou

t o t h e contemporary names, o r compare t h e i r

mou

t o t h o s e o f o t h e r people-the

mou

t h e r e b y becoming c o r r u p t t h r o u g h a l t e r a t i o n . Only t h e c o l l e c t i o n o f a l a r g e number o f

mou

and t r a d i t i o n a l s t o r i e s supplemented by o n - s i t e i n s p e c t i o n can be e x p e c t e d t o produce s a t i s f y i n g r e s i l t s .

F o r

modu

which a2penr on t h e map b u t n o t i n t h e

E ,

we found t h a t t h e s e e i t h e r r e p r e s e n t e d a d i v i s i o n o f one i s l a n d i n t o s e v e r a l f o l l o w i n g a s e v e r e storrn-a f a c t which w a s handed down from one g e n e r a t i o n t o t h e n e x t as a m a t t e r o f o r a l h i s t o r y - o r had been t t p u r p o s e l y l e f t o u t o f t h e

mou

because t h e y were n o t n e t u r a l i s l a n d s b u t i s l a n d s made by men".

I n g e n e r a l , t h e method of malcing a

modu

a p p e a r s t o have been t h e accumu- l a t i o n of hunks o f l o o s e c o r a l r e l a t i v e l y c l o s e t o t h e l a g o o n s i d e o f a wide p o r t i o n 3 f r e e f , l e t t i n g t h e s e a wash up sandy f i l l , and t h e n p l a n t i n g t r e e s and s h r u b s i n t h i s s o i l t o c o n s o l i d a t e i t ( p e r h a p s u s i n g v e g e t a b l e m . , t t e r from elsewhere t o e n r i c h t h e s o i l ) . An i s l a n d made

i n

t h i s way became t h e e x c l u s i v e p r o p e r t y of t h e m a n o r f a m i l y t h a t made it.

One s u s p e c t s t h a t t h e p r o c e s s would t a k e a t l e a s t s e v e r a l g e n e r a t i o n s .

To t h i s day t h e i s l a n d s which a r e claimed t o have been r e c e n t l y b u i l t up i n t h i s way a r e owned by a s i n g l e i n d i v i d u a l o r f m i l y - i n c o n t r a s t t o t h e overwhslming m a j o r i t y of modu, i n which a g r e a t number o f f a m i l i e s have i n t e r e s t s . T h i s c o n t r a s t i s i l l u m i n a t e 2 f u r t h e r by t h e s u g g e s t i o n t h a t

'

ownership' on t h i s a t o l l d e r i v e s u l t i m a t e l y from t h e p e r s o n who made a p i e c e of l a n d p r o d u c t i v e . Before t h e a d v e n t o f t h e c o p r a t r a d e , one s u s p e c t s t h a t a g r e a t d e a l of a v a i l a b l e l a n d on o t h e r

EIO

was n o t exploited-lazzd c l o s e r t o o n e ' s r e s i d e n c e p r o v i d i n g a q l e s u s t e n a n c e . ?knd on t h e main i s l a n d (i\i~l.laoro?, which i s used f o r b u i l d i n g s i t e s a d t h e r a i s i n g of c o c o n u t s f o r e a t i n g and d r i n k i n g , anc! l m d i n t h e s i x t a r o p a t c h e s (t7vo on t h e main i s l a n d and f o u r on n e m b y i s l a n d s ) h a s l o n g been a t a prmiuin axd i s h i g h l y f r a c t i o n a t e d between Gae v a r i o u s f a m i l i e s . Land i n o t h e r

modu

i s s i m i l a r l y d i v i d e d -most probably r e 2 r e s e n t i n ; e a r l i e r s i t u a t i o n i n which t h e p r e s e r l t owner's a n c e s t o r b r o u s h t a p i e c e o f i t under c u l t i v a t i o n f o r s u b s i s - t a n c e p u r p o s e s , o r c l e a r ~ d a house s i t e [ a l t h o u g h h o u s e s a r e p r e s e n t l y c o n c e n t r a t e d i n a v i l l a z e on t h e main i s l a n d , t h e r e was f o r m e r l y con- s i d c r ~ ~ b l e o c c u p ~ ~ t i o n of o t h e r rnoclu, which i n c e r t a i n s e a s o n s p r o v i d e d a more convenient b z s e frorii which t o c o l l e c t and d r y t h e f i s h which wsre e a t e n a t o t h e r ti!:les o f t h e y e a r when t h e f i s h i n g was poorer].

The a f f i n i t y o f n a t i v e i d e a s a b o u t ovinership w i t h t h o s e a b o u t pro- d u c t i v e u s e i s i l l u s t r a t e c l by a s t o r y t h a t r e c o ~ m t s a l a n d d i s p u t e b e t w e n a Nukuoro man and someone ~ h o had a r r i v e d n o t l o n g b e f o r e from a n o t h e r i s l a ~ d . It i s r e c o u n t e d t h a t t h e y d e c i d e d t h e i s s u e between t h e n by each p l a n t i n g a t r e e , w i t h t h e u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h s t t h e one whose t r e e grew up s t r o n g would h e n c e f o r t h have u n d i s p u t e d t i t l e t o t h e i s l a n d . The i n t e r - l o p e r ' s t r e e f l o u r i s h e d and h i s opponent q u i e t l y withdrew!

Having uficovzred s e v e r a l c a s e s of island. b u i l d i n g from t h e o m i s s i o n o f names froin t h e mnemonic, one began t o s u s p e c t sonethisig similar i n t h e c a s e of s e v e r i d s m a l l i s l a d s , a l l o f which a r e c a l l e d Deahu. I n c o n t r a s t t o t h e o t h e r

&,

t h e s e have no d i s t i n c t i v e name-being d i s c r i m i n a t e d where n e c e s s a r y by a d d i n g t h e name of t h e c u r r e n t owner. L i k e t h e modu j u s t d i s c u s s e d , a l l of them a r e owned by a s i n g l e i n d i v i d u a l o r f a m i l y . On a t l e a s t some o f them t h e r e i s e v i d e n c e of t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n o f s e a - w a l l s and o t h e r t e c h n i q u e s f o r m a i n t a i n i n g t h e i n t e g r i t y of t h e small l a n d mass. There i s a p o s s i b i l i t y t h a t t h e s e t o o a r e made by m m , o u r i n f e r e n c e h e r e b e i n g p r i n c i p a l l y p h i l o l o g i c a l . O t h e r i s l a n d names con- t a i n i n z t h e morpheme

-

aliu p o s s i b l y r e f l e c t a si??ilar s t a t e o f a f i ' a i r s .

The etymology o f

--

dealiu i s somewhat obscure.

&

i s one k i n d o f ' a r t i c l e 1 like t h e S n g l i d i

'

^{t h s r} ;

.--

i a h u i s t h e p r e p a r a t i o n made f o r one k i n d of f i r e - t h a t i n which s t i c k s , o r o t h e r covibustible t h i n s ~ a r e

p i l e d up i n an oTdeYly f a s h i o n .

&&

i s n o t used. i n Nukuoro a t t h e p r e s e n t tiinc f o r a p i l e of s t o n e s , b u t i~; ii,lany o t h e r P o l y n e s i a 1 l a n g u q e s , e.g.

Tahitian, Hawaiian, i t necms j u s t t h a t . The argument h e r e i s a t b e s t t e n u o u s , b u t i t d o e s a t l e a s t s u g g e s t t h a t i s l a n d b u i l d i n g on Rukuoro may have been a much more i m p o r t a n t f a c t o r i n t h e p r e s e n t l a y o u t of t h e a t o l l t h a n our few better-documented c a s e s would l e a d u s t o s u s p e c t .

S e v e r a l o t h e r inodu have a l t e r n a t i v e names which i n c l u d e t h e r o o t

-

ahu. Here a g a i n we suspect, a t o l l - b u i l d i n g a t soroe r e a o t e p o i n t i n time.

-

I n a d d i t i o n , c e r t a i n aclc'itional i s l a n d names p o i n t t o human o r n a t u r a l c o n s o l i d a t i o n .

A u g e n t a t i o n o f o n e ' s p r o p e r t y a t t h e ex2ense o f t h e s e a p r o c e e d s t o t h i s day i n mmy s m a l l e r ways, e s p e c i a l l j r a l o n g t h e lagoon f a c e of t h e main i s l a n d . P r o p e r t y owners h e r e have e r e c t e d s t o n e p i e r s t o h a s t e n t h e accu:nulation o f d r i f t i n g s a n d ; s e a w a l l s a r e b u i l t o u t a b i t from t h e h i g h w a t e r l e v e l and d e b r i s i s thrown i n t o any 101.1 damp a r e a behind them t o p r o v i d e f i l l ; o n l y enough c o r a l i s reaovcd from t h e r e e f on t h e lagoon s i d e t o p r o v i d e a channel f o r canoes t o t h e i r s k o r a g e s h e d s a t low t i d e , t h e r e s t b e i n g l e f t t h e r e t o prevenk sand from wash- i n g away.

A p r a c t i c z l f e a t u r e of o u r o b s e r v a t i o n s h e r e i s t h e _ u o s s i b i l i t y which ma:y s t i l l e x i s t on rmng a t o l l s f o r i n c r e c s i r y ; t h e a v a i l a b l e land under c u l t i v a t i o n . d h e r e l a g o o n d e p t h , f i s h i n s , r a i n f n l l , and o t h e r r e s o u r c e s ~ e r m i t , a t o l l b u i l Z i n g under .;overnxent s p o n s o r s h i p might prod-uce e x t r a l a n d f o r ;?n expanding p o ~ u i a t i o n w i t h o u t good o p p o r t u n i - t i e s f o r m i g r a t i o n . On c o r n p a r a t i - ~ e l y well-endo\iecl a t o l l s , such as i\:u!ct;oro, such p o t e n t i a l i t i e s p u t t h e m a t t e r of " p o p u l a t i o n p r e s s u r e " i n c l e a r e r p e r q ~ e c - L i v e : p r e s u n a b l y i f t h e p o p t l l a t i o n were i n f a c t " p r a s s i n g "

on a v a i l a b l e r e s o u r c e s , t h e y would be d-oing s o n e t h i n g about i t .

T a b l e I m-d accompanying n o t e s p r e s e n t t h e s ~ b s t ~ t i a t i v e d e t a i l which we h e o m i t t e d i n t h e above d i s c u s s i o n .

T a b l e I Order

1.

* * *

2.

* * * 3. ***

4.

* * * 5. **

6. * *

7. *

8.

9. * *

Moduilalo Olomanga Deahua

Gausema S enugudai Ivlasabu Masagumani-

i n g a g e

-

Mou g e l e

010

.<!

,r

g e i e gau nugu h i l i

m2.U ahu nau clada g i n a h i d i bua

Mou Name liogelegele-

i d a h a idem

Mogelegele- i l o d o idem idem

Mohilignadua idem

Ahua -nau Madalam -gina

D a g a h i d i h i d i Noduobua

Other Names a n d X o t e s

----

I,

0

( 3 &

4

t o g e t h e r c a l l e d

~ u m o d u ) L, 0 M

J ; Senuku (= a b b r e v i a - t i o n )

B

T a b l e I ( c o n t . ) Order P r e s e n t Name

11. L a d i 1 2

.

^Demodu

1 4

*

N g a l i g i

15

Sungaulohu

16. *

T u i l a

17.

Haduganae

18.

Balaiasi

1 9

.

Ivioduovega

20. Baonga

21.

* * *

Ahuloloa

22. Ploduodula

23.

* * *

Ahuedolu

24. Moduovae

25.

* * *

Deahu 26.

* * *

Deahu

27.

-%* Deahu

Sabinimadogo Modubodai Ivioduidua Aliuilodo Dahmgahaino Dahangadabu Iihulegalega Masagumani-

i l a l o F i u l e g i d a Ahulanui Dolungahale Dalagivao Moduia

I ~ ~ O U

-

dau d i n i modu n i n i h a i baga l i g i sunga h o l u

t u i hadu b a l a vega bao l o a d i n i l a g e d u l e l a g e b ⁰

gub a vae ahu ahu e i b i n i d a i dua l o d o hanga l~anga l e g a m a n i n i u

#

d o l u d a l a i a d e n i

Daumaha idem idem

Ninidauana idem

Zakau idem maholu idem id.em idem idem idem idem

id.em idem idem

idem idem idem i d e n i d em id.em idem idem i d e a idern idem idem

Other Xames and Notes

--I__--

K ; Taumaha ( s i n w l a r o f daumaha )

(di + 2

f o r completion o f

-

mou e l e m e n t )

D

B; Deangimaiolo E ; Bagau

Moduosaualoualo, Ngana G

H , !!J H

A,

H

( i n d i c a t e s a pause between major g r o u p s o f modu)

Table I !cont .) Order P r e s e n t Name

- -

^{I40u Mou Name}

-- ----

O t h e r N m e s and Notes

41. Nodunui

42. Namooilodoa namo idem

43-

* * *

Hauosiga s i g a idem Ahuesiga

44. G a b i n i v e l e v e l e idem

45 Dalainamo hau Haungaobo

46.

* " *

Deungagelegele

#

0

Key t o columns i n T a b l e I

= s e r i a l p o s i t i o n o f t h e modu b e g i n n i n g a t t h e Southwest e x t r e m i t y o f t h e i s l a n d c h a i n m d p r o c e e d i n g countercloclrrrise t o t h e Northwest e x t r e m i t y [ t h i s i s t h e l o c a l c o n v e n t i o n f o r t h e enumeration o f

t h e

-

^modu]. [ s e e accompanying map]

A s t e r i s k s i n d i c a t e t h e e v i d e n c e f o r a t o l l b u i l d i n g :

*

i n d i c a t i o n of a g g l o m e r a t i o n o f

modu

t h r o u g h n a t u r x l o r humL= agency

*

^{:k -} p r e s e i i t e x t e n t and p r o d u c t i v i t y o f modu a p p e a r s t o be t h e r e s u l t o f a t o l l b u i l d i n g

* * *

p r o b a b l y owes i t s e x i s t e n c e t o human q e n c y

" P r e s e n t rAarneI1 = name i n most common u s e a t t h e ? r e s e n t t i m e . These names, and a l l o t h e r Nukuoro words i n t h i s p a p e r , a r e w r i t t e r i n t h e s t a n d - ard phonemic o r t h o g r z p h g f o r Nu.kuoro. T h i s o r t h o g r a p h y w a s developed by a former C h i e f ; we have a s s i s t e d o n l y i n c o d i f y i n g i t and i n h e l p i n g t o s t a n d a r d i z e c e r t a i n u s a g e s , s p e l l i n g of p r o p e r names, word d i v i s i o n , and t h e l i k e . One such usage-now l o c a l l y accepted-which i s r e f l e c t e d i n t h e s e names, is t h e w r i t i n g of a l l p r o p e r names a s a s i n g l e word w i t h an i n i t i a l c a p i t a l l e t t e r , except where t h i s o b s c u r e s j u n c t u r e between vowels. I n t h e l a t t e r c a s e , a hyphen s e p n r ~ t e s t h e vowels :diich might o t h e r w i s e be e i l i d e d [v.

8

&

35

above].

Wou"

- -

g i v e s t h e e l e m e n t s o f t h e gn i n order [ c o n v e n t i o n a l l y r s c i t e d i n l i n e s of f c u r e l e m e n t s each]. The r u l e s o f t h i s (and a11 o t h e r )

mou

t h a t ena.ble one t o associate t h e e l e m e n t s w i t h Games f o r modu a r e t h r e e i n number: ( 1 ) each element c o n s i s t s o f two s y l l a b l e s ; ( 2 r each e1emen.t p e r t a i n s t o one modu;

(3)

t h e e l e m e n t s a r e i n order-as o u t - l i n e d above f o r t h e enumeration o f t h e modu.

"?& naiiel'

-

t h e name f o r t h e modu t o which t h e

mou

element r e f e r s . These a r e a l l thought o f a s a!.ternat,ive-usually older-names f o r t h e modu. "Idem1' i n t h i s column i n d i c a t e s t h a t t h e p r e s e n t ncme and t h e

mou

--

name a r e i d e n t i c a l .

"Other nan;esfl = a l t e r n a t i v e names f o r t h e

e,

i n a d d i t i o n t o the mov. name.

-

"Notes"

-

r e f e r s by I e t t e r , t o t h e n o t e s f o l l o w i n g ,

Notes

.

Numbers f o l l o w i n g l e t t e r s r e f e r t o

m,

as enumera.ted above.

No g l o s s i s provided below f o r

-

a h . 'This we have t r e ~ t e d a s b e s t we c m i n t h e t e x t .

2 -

I s l a n d s t h u s marlred a r e s a i d t o have been l e f t o u t of t h e

because "they a r e n o t n a t u r a l i s l m d s b u t made by men". S i n c e t h e r e is c o n s i d e r a b l e evidence t h a t t h e

r;t_qu

i n c l u d e s a p t i f i ~ i a l l y made modu, t h i s i s t s k e n t o mean t h a t t h e modu i n q u e s t i o n were con- s t r u c t e d l o n g a f t e r t h e e a r l i e r e f f o r t s r e f l e c t e d i n t h e

m.

^A

rough d a t e could p o s s i b u be e s t a b l i s h e d f o r each o f t h e s e c a s e s through g e o l o g i c a l comparison of t h e c c n s o l i d a t i o n of t h e s e modu with t h o s e u n d i s p u t a b l y much o l d e r .

A. 27 was formed from two ahu.: Ahuidua

+

Ahuidai

B.

S e v e r a l contemporary mod11

-

names a r e s a i d . t o be names f o r o n l y one of t h e s e v e r a l

modu

from which i t was formeci:

7,

1 4 ,

13

( H a i s i s i s a i d by some t o be j u s t

part

of D e a n g i a a i o l o ) , It i s n o t o f c o u r s e p o s s i - b l e t o determine i n t h e s e c a s e s whether t h e j o i n i n g of ad-jacsnt

&

proceeded s;pontaneously o r was e f f e c t e d w i t h huinan a s s i s t a n c e , e x c e p t by d e t a i l e d g e o l o g i c a l survey.

S e v e r a l narrres i n t h e mou a r e s a i d t o r e f e r t o once s e p a r a t e d

-

l~~hlhich a r e now joined t o g e t h e r . I n most of t h e s e c a s s s , such names a r e now found a s p l a c e names on t h e c o n s o l i d a t e .

C.

9.

a . mada = Madalama ( m y t h o l o g i c a l name of J.\!ukuoro)

b. -gina- joined Madalama, a s r e p r e s e n t e d i n Madagina ( a n o t h e r v e r y o l d name f o r ~ u k u o r o )

c . De,&ua and -mu- joined t o form iihunau and Ahunau joined Madagina. The S o u t h e a s t e r n p o r t i o n of Iiukuoro h a s two p l a c e names which r e f l e c t t h i s j o i n : Debigi ('roc!rs y u t t o g e t h e r ' ) and Debai.

d. Two s e p a r a t e modu., D a g z h i d i h i d i m d Moduobua ( e a c h of which i s a p l a c e name i n t h e extreme X o r t h e n s t por.tion of Nukuoro i s l a n d ) , each joined t h e above agglomerate t o form t h e p r e s e n t i s l a n d of NUKUORO.

D.

13.

Minidauana i s a p l a c e name on Haisisi.

E. 1 4 . N g a l i g i i s thought by some t o be a synonym f o r Bakau, b u t t r a d i - t i o n r e c o r d s t h a t i t w a s o r i g i n a l l y an s d j a c e n t . i s l a n d .

F. 16.

Naholu i s a p l a c e on T u i l a a t p r e s e n t ( s o c t h e r a p o r t i o n ) . T r a d i - t i o n r e c o r d s t h a t i t w a s once a s e p r a t e i s l e t .

G. 23. khuedolu ( I t h r e e a h u l ) i s s a i d t o have been formed from D i n i l a g e

+

D u l e i l a g e

+

Boguba, each of which w a s formed from two o t h e r s . T h i s c o n s t r u c t i o n l e a v e s t h e s t a t u s of i s l a n d 22 i n doubt.

Notes ( cont

.

⁾

H.

2 5 , 26, 2'7. These a h u , c o l l e c t i v e l y c a l l e d Denga-ahu ( ' t h e ( p l . ) a h u ' ) a r e d i s t i n g u i s h e d where n e c e s s a r y by adding ' b e l o n g i n g t o [name o f owtier;

' .

Place names on s e v e r a l

modu

whose mou name g i v e s no c l u e t o p r i o r c o n s o l i -

-

d a t i o n r e f l e c t some human i n t 2 r v e n t i o n i n i t s formation.

I.

2. Olomanga ( e t y m o l o z i c a i l y ,

&

! p l a c e where t h e sand comes t o g e t h e r '

+

manga 'something b r a n c h i n g ' ) i s d i v i d e d i n t o t h r e e main d i v i s i o n s ( r u n n i n g seaward t o lagoonward).

Deahuagelegele ( g e l e g e l e =

'

sand' ) Deahuagasi ( & a s i = a kind of s h e l l )

3eahuanau (nau = k i n d of tree-planted a t t h e w a t e r ' s edge t o c o n s o l i d a t e s o i l a g a i n s t e r o s i o n by t h e s e a )

J.

6 .

The s i d e o f t h i s i s l a n d toward t h e channel i s c a l l e d Debigi ( ' r o c k s p u t t o g e t h e r ' )

.

K.

1 0 . South s i d e i s c a l l e d Deahunau [ c f , n o t e

I].

A few have d i s a p p e a r e d o r become s m a l l e r .

L A

Between

4

a i d

5

Deahuaodeubi w a s washed. away i n a storm.

M. 5.

Extension of this i s l a n d t o t h e channel (by i t s i n h 8 . b i t a n t s ) was s u b s e ~ u e n t l y washed away.

.

^-

N . Between 25 ar,d 26 one ahu ( ~ h u o Taohenga; l a t e r cz;.lled Lhu. o ~ i a a n e ) was washed away i n a storm.

0 , Those I s l a d s which c o n t a i n g e l e g e l e ( ' s a n d ' ) i n t h e i r name a r e thought t o have been o r i g i n a l l y sandbanks, which r e q u i r e d c o n s i d e r a b l e human e f f o r t t o make i n t o permarient and p r o d u c t i v e rnodu: 1, 2 ,

4, 46.

P. O c c a s i o n a l l y a l e g m d r e c o u n t s t h e making of an i s l a n d by a human being.

11.

---

D i r e c t i o n s on N u h o r o

Looked at on a map o r i e n t e d Eortli, t h e

46

i s l e t s ( m o d ~ )

-

of Mukuoro A t o l l form a backwards W". The c h a i n o f i s l a i i d s s t r e t c h e s from t h e Southwest, aroumd i n a counter-clockwise d i r e c t i o n t o t h e Northwest.

The Nukuoro p e r c e i v e t h i s i n t h e r e v e r s e way. The southwestern t e r m i n u s o f t h e c h a i n is ngage

(s

makes a s u S s t a n t i v e o f t h e f o l l o w i n g a d j e c t i v e ;

5 ~ 2

i s n o t now used o t h z r t h a n t o i n d i c a t e a d i r e c t i o n on t h e a t o l l - i n many o t h e r Polynesian l a n g u a g e s , however, ( e .g. ~ i n o r i ) i t m e a s

'

f r o n t 1

1.

*The n o r t h w e s t e r n terminus o f t h e c h a i n i s n a a i h o

(s +

j&

' b a c k ' ) . The t r a d i t i o n a l rhyme f o r enumerating t h e

a,

^{t h e}

^{E ,}

S e g i n s a t ngage and ends at ngaiko.

From any p l a c e on t h e a t o l l one is ' g o i n g ngage' when one i s g o i n g away from n g a i h o , and v i c e - v e r s a . I n t h e u n l i k e l y e v e n t t h a t on2 were p r o c e e d i n g a f o o t a l o n g t h e submerged r e e f which s e p a r a t e s ngage and n g a i h o , t h e same r u l e m u i d apply: l e a v i n g n g q e , one i s g o i n g n y ~ a i h o , and v i c e - v e r s a .

Thus i t w i l l be s e e n t h a t d i r e c t i o n s on Nukuoro a r e r e l s t i v e , n o t a b s o l u t e : one may be ' g o i n g ngage ( o r n g n i h o ) ' be p r o c e e d i n g a l o n g any p o s s i b l e comyJass b e a r i n s a t t h e tic!e. T h i s i s somewhat obscured i n t h e minds of some of t h e y o m g e r and b e t t e r - e d u c a t e d Nukuoro who, h a v i n g been t a u g h t compass d i r e c t i o n s i n s c h o o l , vmnt t o c o n s t r u e ngaze as

' S o u t h ' and n g a i h o as 'Kortii'

,

s i n c e t h i s i s t h e c a s e on t h e i s l a n d of Nukuoro on which the s i n g l e v i l l a g e is e s t a b l i s h e d ( m d by f a r t h e area w i t h i n ~ h i c l i t h e s e t e r n s a r e used n o s t f i - e q u e n t l y ) . S i n c e most t r a v e l t o o t h e r i s by canoe ( i n whi.c'n c a s e one would simply s a y t h a t one were ' g o i n g t o [name of mo&]'), t h e s e i n d i v i d u z l s a r e n o t a p t t o use o r h e a r t h e s a es;?ressiona e n o ~ g h t o r e a i n d them t h a t t h e i r usage by t h e m a j o r i t y c o n t r a s t s with t h i s modern usage. Another f a c t o r t h a t t e n d s t o obscure t h e r e l a t i v i s t i c c h a r a c t e r of t h i s usage is t h e f a c t t h a t any t r a v e l t o w s r d s t h e i s l a n d of Nukuol-o is c a l l e d ' g o i n g h a l e ' (

'

^{hornet )}

.

Going away fro111 ngaiho towards Nukuoro o r away from ngage towards Mulcuoro on2 23es n o t h w e o c c a s i o n t o s a y t h a t one i s going n g a i h o o r ngage. T'hus i n everyday usage ' g o i n g n.q&ge' i s used o n l y f o r f o o t t r a v e l frorn Nukuoro towards a d ' g o i n g ngzilio' from Mulruoro towards n g a i h o ; b u t most e s p e c i a l l y t h e s e t e r m s a r e used f o r t r a v e l on t h e i s l e t of iilukuoro

.

P a r a l l e l t o t h i s d i r e c t i o n a l terminology w1-~ich r e f e r s t o 6 i r e c . k i o n around t h e c i r c u m f a r e n c e of t h e c i r c l e formed by t h e a t o l l ' s i s l e t s , i s a p a i r of t e r m s , one of which r e f e r s inwxd toi>!ard t h e c e n t e r of t h e c i r c l e , t h e o t h e r of which r e f e r s outmiid from t h e circumference.

I d.ai ( ' o n t h e w a t e r t , i . e . ' l a g o o n w a r d s ) c o n t r a s t s w i t h i dua ( ' o n

- -

t h e b a c k s , i . e . ' s e a w a r d ' ) . Hcre a g a i n t h e r e i s a b i t of c o n f u s i o n when t h e s e terms a r e made t o s p p l y t o 'West' and 'East' - t h i n k i n g of t h e a b s o l u t e d i r e c t i o n s t o which t h e y correspond on t h e main i s l a n d . Usage o f t h e s e t e r m s , however, i s c o n s i s t e n t : frorn any p a r t of t h e a t o l l , i d a i is toward t h e c e n t e r of t h e lagoon and i dua i s toward t h e open

- -

s e a , i r r e s p e c t i v e of t h e a b s o l u t e d i r e c t i o n s involved.

I t w i l l n o t be argued on t h i s s l e n d e r b i t of p h i l o l o ~ y t h a t t h e o r i e n t a t i o n i n n a t i v e thought of Nukucro A t o l l towards t h e South i n d i - c a t e s t h n t i t s p e o p l e o r i g i n a l l y came frorn there-although t h e people t h e m s e l v e s and e a r l y e t h n o l o g i s t s c l a i n p r e c i s e l y t h i s - b u t we would a r g u e t h a t s p a t i a l o r i e n t a t i o n , e s p e c i a l l y t h e m a t t e r of l o o k i n g

i n w a r d , away from t h e moana ( ' v o i d ' , 'open s e a ' ) i s r e f l e c t e d i n t h e i r s o c i a l o r g a n i z a t j . o n - T h i s m a t t e r , however, i s more c o n v e n i e n t l y

r e l e g a t e d t o a subsequent paper.

NUKUORO ATOLL

. .

- - - _{. . .-}

_{I D A 1}

- " - ^{. .}

^{l DUA}

METERS

0 2 000

SKETCH MAP ADAPTED FR)M H.O. 6 0 42

I . The narncs of t h ~ i s l e t s on h k ~ 1 . o r o A t . 0 1 1

I n making maps, i t

i s

g e n e r a l l y c o n s i d e r e d c h e a t i n g t o s i q l y co-py an o l d e r ma?. However, no such s t r i c t t l r e s seetr, t o apply t o p l a c e nanes.

C a r t o p a p h s r s 2 r e wont .to p e r ~ 3 e t u a t e th e most p r e p o s t e r o u s e r r o r s t l x o u g h i n a t t e n t i o n t o t h i s a s p e c t of map-making.

There a r e s e v e r a l u n f o r t u n a t e r e s u l t s . N a t i v e p e o p l e s , now almost u n i v e r s a l l y l i t e r n t s i n t h e i r o m l a n g u a g e , a r e n o t i n f r e q u e n t l y offended when t h e n a n e s of t h e i r i s l a n d s a r e i n c o r r e c t l y s p e l l e d . T h i s i s espe- c i a l l y t r u e where t h e r e i s a s t a n d a r d o f f i c i a l . orthography t o which t h e surv3ying p a r t y pays n o t t h e s l i g h t e s t h e e d , p r e f e r r i n g t o r e c o r d p l a c e names i : i l p r e s s i o n i s t i c s l l y ( a d , i r i e v i t a k l g

,

i n c o n s i s t e n t l j . )

.

^{Would i t}

be a.pyroprinte f o r a I h t c h geographer t o s p e l l New York as 'Kieu J o o k ' ? I n non-self-governing t z r r i t o r i e a e d u c a t o r s a r e making an e f f o r t t o t e a c h l o c a l p e o p l e a r e s p e c t f o r Zuropean s t a n d a r d s of s c h o l a r l y and s c i e n t i f i c work. Maps a r e t ; i d e l y c i r c u l a t e d i n t h e s e t e r i - i t o r i s s . E r r o r s i n t h e maps themselves may escape n ~ t i c e f o r c1eca.des; b u t p l a c e names a r e i r m e d i a t e l g v i s i b l e - a n d immeuiately judged.

The worst p o s s i b l e r e s u i t of i c a c c u r a . t e gaogrcphic names i s t h e c o n f u s i o n t h e y eagencier. i)n i\ivkuoro, t h e ~ e o p l e a r e i n c l i n e d t o b e l i e v e t h a t " t h e white %an knows b e s t . " I f t h e n m e s on t h e imps a r e r i g h t , t h e n t h e Nukuoro o r t h o g r a p h y , which h a s been t h e e d u c a t i o n a l s t a n d a r d f o r o v e r f o r t y y e e r s , i s wrong. I n p o i n t of f a c t , t h e h k u o r c o r t h o - graphy c o n - f ~ r m s t o t h e hig'riest s - t a n d a r d s of 1 i n g u . i s t i c s c i e n c e . The a u t h o r , a t r a i n e d l i i l g u i s t end m t b r o p o l o g i . s t , w3.s u.nable t o iinprove on t h i s orthogra?hy, which had Seen d e v i s e d r a r e thm a g e n e r a t i o n ago by a l o c a l c h i e f . The naines on t h e xiaps, on t h e o t h e r hand, a r e most d e f i n i t e l y wrocg. Bot only i s t h e orthography i n e r r o r , b u t i s l e t s a r e , i n some CZLSBG

,

niisnamod z l t o g e t h e r

.

,E?e f o l l o w i n g i s a d e f i n i t v e l i s t of t h e p r e s e n t names f o r t h e i s l e t s of Nukuoro A t o l l . Names on o t h e r c h a r t s a r e l i s t e d t o s u p p o r t t h e above a c c u s a t i o n s .

Table I1

Names of I s l e t s on P!V?LUO~O At&

Names a t F r e s e n t Pioduilalo Olomanga Deahua i~loduilodo Gausema Senugud-ai IUIasabu

Masagurnmi-ingaze N m a O R O

dagamanga Ladi Demodu Haisisi N g a l i g i Sungaulohu ' h i l a Haduganae E a l a i a s i Moduovega Baonga Ahuloloa Moduodula Ahuedolu Moduovae

S h e e t

51 33

1

EE

;INS S e r i e s US56 Oromange

Deahna ( ~ e a h u a ) rllotuiloto

Kau j ema Shenukdei

Piasops (~viol~iringatua) Piasaltorflani

NUI'X?O;',O Takonran R a t i I I e i s i s i Te Notu Pakhau Sliugnaurohu T u i l a

Hatu Kanai P a l a i i a s i I\'loduoveka Paonga Ahuroroo Idoduotura khuwe t o r u Motuwei,

U.S. gavy B.O.

c h ~ t 60112

--- --

Oromange Deahna Motu I l o t o Kau j erna Shenukdei

Shugnaurohu T u i l a

Deutsche Admirali- t 2 t s B a r t e

97

( c o r r e c t e d t o 1911)

- --

Orornan~e De&ua

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