Seketo'a
Encyclopedia
Seketoa was a fish god from Niuatoputapu
and Tafahi
in Tonga
n mythology
.
Originally Seketoa was a mortal, the grandson of Puakatefisi, the first of the traditional line of rulers of Niuatoputapu island, the Māatu dynasty. Puakatefisi had a son by a concubine of his, named Falefehi. That son had two sons, the oldest with the name Moimoi, and the younger was called Seketoa. As common in Polynesia, the older son could command the younger in executing the orders of their father. Still Seketoa was more beloved by his father than Moimoi. Or so the latter believed, and he planned to kill his younger brother.
Moimoi ordered Seketoa to come to his house. The latter obeyed, and sat down outside the former's house, crosslegged with his head bowed and his hands clasped in front, awaiting orders as required by custom. Moimoi told him to come in. But Seketoa was suspicious and said that any commands could be given to him here. Soon Moimoi got angry, went inside and came out with a pōvai (big cudgel), and threw it at the other. But Seketoa jumped up so quickly that it missed him. Then he grabbed the club himself and yelling bakola (Fijian
for: die you wrench) he ran with it towards the other. Moimoi resigned and did not defend himself: "Do what you like to me, Seketoa, for I am powerless."
Thereupon Seketoa threw down the club and said that he would go to drown himself in the sea and become a fish, leaving Moimoi behind to run the errands for Māatu. And he, Seketoa, would watch the seas of these islands until the end of the world, that no fish would ever kill a person, and Māatu would have the right to call him anytime and he then would come in the shape of a fish.
This is still the right of the real chief of Niuatoputapu. He will send out two of his matāpule (official chiefly spokesmen) to throw kava
roots in the sea. That will attract two suckerfish
, who are the matāpule of Seketoa. They will come and then go. Then a small shark comes and goes. And a medium shark comes and goes. And finally a big shark comes. That is Seketoa, and Māatu will speak to him.
Seketoa had an important contribution to the creation of Tafahi
.
Seketoa is also known away from Niuatoputapu and Tafahi, but less widely and more vague. There he is sometimes named as the father of Ilaheva
.
Niuatoputapu
For the 2009 tsunami, see the main article: 2009 Samoa tsunami.Niuatoputapu is an island in the island nation of Tonga, Pacific Ocean. Its name means sacred island. Older European names for the island are Traitors island or Keppel island.Niuatoputapu is located in the north of the country,...
and Tafahi
Tafahi
Tafahi is a small island in the north of the Tonga archipelago, in fact closer to Savaii than the main islands of Tonga. It is only north-northeast away from Niuatoputapu, and fishermen communicate in small outboard motorboats almost daily between the two.Other names for Tafahi are Cocos Eylant ...
in Tonga
Tonga
Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...
n mythology
Polynesian mythology
Polynesian mythology is the oral traditions of the people of Polynesia, a grouping of Central and South Pacific Ocean island archipelagos in the Polynesian triangle together with the scattered cultures known as the Polynesian outliers...
.
Originally Seketoa was a mortal, the grandson of Puakatefisi, the first of the traditional line of rulers of Niuatoputapu island, the Māatu dynasty. Puakatefisi had a son by a concubine of his, named Falefehi. That son had two sons, the oldest with the name Moimoi, and the younger was called Seketoa. As common in Polynesia, the older son could command the younger in executing the orders of their father. Still Seketoa was more beloved by his father than Moimoi. Or so the latter believed, and he planned to kill his younger brother.
Moimoi ordered Seketoa to come to his house. The latter obeyed, and sat down outside the former's house, crosslegged with his head bowed and his hands clasped in front, awaiting orders as required by custom. Moimoi told him to come in. But Seketoa was suspicious and said that any commands could be given to him here. Soon Moimoi got angry, went inside and came out with a pōvai (big cudgel), and threw it at the other. But Seketoa jumped up so quickly that it missed him. Then he grabbed the club himself and yelling bakola (Fijian
Fijian language
Fijian is an Austronesian language of the Malayo-Polynesian family spoken in Fiji. It has 450,000 first-language speakers, which is less than half the population of Fiji, but another 200,000 speak it as a second language...
for: die you wrench) he ran with it towards the other. Moimoi resigned and did not defend himself: "Do what you like to me, Seketoa, for I am powerless."
Thereupon Seketoa threw down the club and said that he would go to drown himself in the sea and become a fish, leaving Moimoi behind to run the errands for Māatu. And he, Seketoa, would watch the seas of these islands until the end of the world, that no fish would ever kill a person, and Māatu would have the right to call him anytime and he then would come in the shape of a fish.
This is still the right of the real chief of Niuatoputapu. He will send out two of his matāpule (official chiefly spokesmen) to throw kava
Kava
Kava or kava-kava is a crop of the western Pacific....
roots in the sea. That will attract two suckerfish
Remora
The remora , sometimes called a suckerfish or sharksucker, is an elongated, brown fish in the order Perciformes and family Echeneidae...
, who are the matāpule of Seketoa. They will come and then go. Then a small shark comes and goes. And a medium shark comes and goes. And finally a big shark comes. That is Seketoa, and Māatu will speak to him.
Seketoa had an important contribution to the creation of Tafahi
Tafahi
Tafahi is a small island in the north of the Tonga archipelago, in fact closer to Savaii than the main islands of Tonga. It is only north-northeast away from Niuatoputapu, and fishermen communicate in small outboard motorboats almost daily between the two.Other names for Tafahi are Cocos Eylant ...
.
Seketoa is also known away from Niuatoputapu and Tafahi, but less widely and more vague. There he is sometimes named as the father of Ilaheva
'Ilaheva
In the mythology of Tonga, Ilaheva Vaepopua was a mortal woman, the daughter of Seketoa, who was a chief of Tongatapu, or perhaps a god from Niuatoputapu. Or maybe she the daughter from a Niuē chief. It depends on who told the story...
.