The story of Raumea and Te Uanuku, warrior brothers from Mangaia, Cook Islands

Ma'ara Maeva tells the legend of the Mangaian brothers Raumea and Te Uanuku and how this story has distinguished Mangaian carvings to this day. Mangaia is an island in the Cook Islands. Raumea is the oldest brother, followed by Te Uanuku, then Ikoke - Ma'ara is a descendant of Ikoke.
This was part of a knowledge-sharing session at Auckland Museum for Akairo a te Taunga, the Cook Islands component of the Pacific Collection Access Project. Learn more and explore the enriched Cook Islands Collection at: www.aucklandmuseum.com/akairo-a-te-taunga.
Recorded 17 September 2016 at Auckland Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira.

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This story are my forefathers. Hence my family lived in a place called Raumea in Te Makatea, Oneroa Mangaia Cook Islands. The story of the brothers were - they were warriors who protected their families and tribe from other warriors who would kidnap or kill those in their way during the dispute of land and tribal issues back in the days. In those days women were usually never seen. Fathers had this notion of hiding their daughters in the house or underground for their own safety from warriors seeking for wives. This is what the Mangaians called as (tapara) their women. This means the girls usually doesn't see the sun and end up with fair skin sometimes. Bathe times are at dawn and dusk. Apparently the brothers were decieved seeing a young woman for the first time in their life made them linger and loose their concentration and were overpowered. So they said to each other that they would turn back to back and fight, digging their spears into their enemy and tossing them one after another. One brother was wounded tired and overwelmed, he told his brother to run and to live and he will stay back to hold every one to his last breath. Out of the brother that lived is us. (A Lotomau)