348 Foniaiidcr Collection of Flmvaiiaii Folk-lore. 



The emblem of Siwa, in Hindu nnthologv, is the double trident. On tlie hill 

 called Kaulanahoa, back of Kalae, Molokai, of the Hawaii group, are a number of 

 singularly shaped volcanic stones, standing on the brow of the hill, amongst which is 



one marked with a double trident _!_ in two places. 



Jos. Roberts (Oriental /lliistrafioiis. London, 1835) makes the following obser- 

 vations: To look back after leaving a house or to be called after, was an unfortunate 

 sign in India and in Hawaii (p. 22). "In India, as in Polynesia, salutations between 

 people are made by smelling of each other," (p. ^2). And "whenever a favor has to be 

 solicited, peace made or an interview desired, presents are always sent before. On 

 Hawaii and elsewhere in Polynesia presents always accompanied the visitor or were 

 sent before," (p. 39). "In India priests and people shave the head, leaving only a tuft 

 on the crown. In Hawaii the heads were frequently shaven so as to leave only a ridge 

 or crest on the top of the head" (p. yi j. "Shaving the head is a sign of mourning com- 

 mon in ihe East as well as among the Polynesians — also among the Arabs, according 

 to Herodotus," (p. 471 ). "In India tatooing, by puncturing the skin, is practiced. Ta- 

 tooing prevails throughout Polynesia." (p. 91). "An unhealthy country is said to 'eat up 

 the inhabitants,' a victorious or oppressive rajah is said to 'eat up the country'. In 

 Hawaii the expression ai-jnokii, 'eating uj) the land,' is an e])ithet of chiefs. The 

 expression 'to live in the shadow" of another is common. So also in Hawaii" (p. loi). 

 "To projrose riddles and hard questions for solution at entertainments in India is a com- 

 mon amusement. Such custom obtained also in Hawaii when chiefs entertained each 

 other" (p. 199). "The sacred groves, or trees, invariable accessories of India temples 

 and sacred places, have their counterpart in most of the Polynesian heiaus and morals; 

 the sacred aoa tree in Raiatea. Society Islands. Females in India eat apart from their 

 husbands or men generally. Under the Hawaiian kapii system females not only ate 

 apart, but were also forbidden many kinds of food of which men ate freely" (p. 255). 



"Nearly all the females (of India) wore jewels of gold in their nostrils, or in 

 the septum of the nose. In Hawaii this custom was not in use, but in other parts of 

 Polynesia it was customary to have a ring or a bone inserted in the septum" (p. 367). 



"The Hawaiian sooth-sayers or kilokilo turned to the north when observing the 

 heavens for signs and omens. So did the ancient Hindus : so did the Iranians before 

 the schism, when they ])laced the Divas in the north; so did the Greeks; so did the 

 ancient Scandinavians before their conversion to Christianity." "Hawaiians turned to 

 the west when naming the cardinal points, Ayrans to the east. With the former, left 

 was south." (Excerpts from Pictet, Vol. II.) 



According to the researches of J. Grimm (['her das I'erbreniieii der Leieheu). 

 all the Aryan peoples, with one exception, practiced incremation at their funerals from 

 time immemorial, in place of interment. The Indians, Greeks, Romans, Gauls, Ancient 

 Germans, Lithuanians and Slavs during heathen times, burned their dead with cere- 

 monies which present evident traces of resemblance, notwithstanding their diversity. 

 The Iranians alone at an early time abandoned this ancient custom on account of the 

 radical difference which arose in their religious creed. The Hebrews and Arabs never 

 practiced incremation (p. 504). The Egyptian Cushites practiced embalming. The 



