Tahiti Eclipse

According to Teuira Henry, and her reference book Tahiti in ancient times, solar or lunar eclipses were an expression of the anger of the god Raa-mau-riri who would then swallow the star.

« Solar or lunar eclipses were said to happen when the anger of the god Raa-mau-riri (his holiness who holds anger) made him swallow the sun. During eclipses, priests and the terrified population would head to the marae where they prayed, made offerings and begged the god to give the star back. A comet was a god warning about war and disease. A meteor was a bad spirit who roamed around». Teuira Henry, Tahiti aux temps anciens, Paris, pub ; S.O. N°1, 1993, p.234).

In his journal, James Morrison, makes the following observations:

«They believe that the Sun & Moon are the original parents of all the Stars, and when they are in eclipse they say they are in the act of Generation”. Journal of James Morrison boatswain’s mate of the Bounty

According to William Ellis:

« An eclipse of the moon filled them with dismay; they supposed the planet was natua, or under the influence of some evil spirit that was destroying it. Hence they repaid to the temple and offered prayers for the moon’s release.” Polynesian researches, Polynesia, p.331

Louis Cruchet, President of the association of ethno-astronomy association C.I.E.L, does not believe that the solar or lunar eclipse phenomenon was a major reason for sky observation among ancient Polynesians.

“Was it because few of them were visible from the South Pacific at the time relations with the first Europeans were described, or is it because the Polynesians only gave it a minor significance? The history of celestial eclipses would suffice to demonstrate, on a wider scale than the first contacts, the scope of possibilities to observe the phenomenon.

[…] In Easter Island, the evil god of eclipses, Katiki (who was supposed to reside in the crater at the point of Poike), and, generally, the observation and fear of eclipses may have been decisive, in the annual cycle of festivities and of the calendar. Indeed, according to the map of solar eclipses compiled by Oppolzer (1887), in which the Easter island is concerned, astronomer William Liller suggests a chart of solar eclipses in the Pascuan area between 762 and 837. Liller points out that the last eclipse, in 722, must have been particularly disconcerting: “its deepest phase, maybe annular, happened during sunset. It is very probable that a lot of the island’s inhabitants may have feared that the sun would not reappear the next day” (LILLER William, « Celestial Happenings on Easter Island: A.D. 760-837 »).  Consequently, one must know that between 762 and 782, there were 5 visible solar eclipses above Easter island. History will tell us if eclipses were observed at a time of historical events which had an impact on the lives of Rapa Nui’s inhabitants, and will allow us to express an opinion on the hypothesis of eclipses’ determinism on ancient Pascuan, or even Polynesian, beliefs.». Louis Cruchet, President of the ethno-astronomy association C.I.E.L. (C.I.E.L., B.P. 11218, Mahina).

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