Tataa, souls takeoff place

There, the vārua meditates over its past incarnation and understands its deeds. It then concentrates to understand and see, between the various paths, the most appropriate one to reach its spiritual abode.

 

It is therefore not surprising that our ancestors had given the name Tataa to this holy place, the word taa having two meanings :
1- to separate, to remove itself and
2- to understand.
The atmosphere of quietness, peace and serenity which has always prevailed there, is necessary for the intense concentration of the vārua and suits the function of the site ; this atmosphere has to  be preserved.

As André LEVERD points out in his article referenced below, the north-western most headland of each island of Polynesia is usually reserved for such a duty.

Called Ke-Kaa (the equivalent of Te-Taa or Ta-Taa) on the island of Māui (Hawaii), it is more often called Te-Rei-a-Vārua, Rere-a-Vārua, with all the linguistic variations particular to each archipelago :
Renga-Vaerua in Mangaia (Cook Islands),
Reinga-Wairua at Cape North (New-Zealand),
Leina Ka’uhane at Ka’ena (O’ahu),
Te Rerega (Mangareva) amongst others.

In the Society islands, these north-westernmost points are today shortened as Tereià, like for example the one in Fitii (Huahine),  

in Patio, (TAHAA)



in Taatoi (Maupiti)




in Tevaitapu, Porapora



or bear a name related to the embarking of the vārua on the journey to Te Pō, like Tià Maùe on Tiaraaunu motu of Tetiàroa atoll



Kiukiu (which means very ancient) on Hiva-Oa is the departure place of the souls for all the islands of the Marquesas Islands.




Respected by the local inhabitants, all these places have, until today, kept their natural state.

The absence of human-built lithic structures such as marae or paepae expresses the will to reserve these places for the exclusive use of Te Pō-bound vārua.
This asserts or confirms the extreme sacredness of the site, so sacred that man does not dare put his mark. These places do not actually belong to Te Ao (the visible, material world) but they belong to Te Pō (the invisible, spiritual world).

Tataa promontory should therefore remain free of any man-built structure.

What about Pai then, who left his left foot imprint at the base of Tataa cliff ? It is indeed the exception that confirms the rule. Oral tradition teaches us that at least two human beings, namely Pai and Tafaì, made a stop at Tataa.
However, these were two particularly evolved beings who, on their journey to self-initiation, experienced, while being in a human form, the going into and coming back from Te Pō. Morever, Pai’s footprint is located, not at the top nor on the side of the hill, but on a beach-rock constantly washed by sea water, as if excusing itself for the intrusion.

 

We know that the two watersprings that are next to the hill, namely Puna-au on Puna-auia side, and Vai-Raì on Faaa side are part of this sacred site because, according to traditional teachings, the vārua dives into a very cold spring before ascending the promontory and leaping into Te Pō.

These sites are eternally sacred. Recognition and respect of these sanctuaries help to raise our consciousness and the necessity to recognize and respect each individual inner sanctuary.

Bibliography :
- DANIELSSON Bengt : TAHITI, Circle Island Tour Guide, Les Editions du Pacifique, 1987, p152
- HENRY Teuira : TAHITI aux temps anciens, Société des Océanistes, 1968, notions d’une vie future p 208 & 209, Tafa’i et Hina p577
- LEVERD, André : Croyances relatives aux âmes et à l’autre vie chez les polynésiens, réédité in BSEO n°248, sept 1989, p 129 à 139
- TE ARAPŌ : Parau Tumu no TAFAÌ, CPSH Te Anavaharau, 1998.