1898-99. | PRIMITIVE NATURE STUDY. 329 
out Eastern Polynesia the term for God is atwa (akua), which, according 
to Mr. Gill, is derived from az, “ core, kernel” : 
‘“ As applied to a ‘master’ or ‘lord,’ the term suggests that his favour 
and protection are essential to the life and prosperity ofthe serf. By an 
obvious analogy, the welfare of mankind is derived from the divine 
Atu’ or ‘Lord,’ who is the Core and Kernel of humanity. In the nearly 
related word ‘ Atua,’ ‘God, the final a is passive in form but intensive in 
signification, as if to indicate that He is ‘ the very Core of Life’ of man. 
A person who, at a critical moment has lost courage, is said to be 
‘topai te io, ze, forsaken by his god,—that divine something which 
imparts courage to fight or to endure.” (J/yths and Songs of S. Pactfic, 
PP: 33-34). 
This view of the meaning of awa is strongly supported by the 
analogy of zo. 
“The word ‘io, commonly used for ‘ god,’ properly means ‘ pith’ or 
‘core’ of a tree: What the core is to the tree, the god was believed to 
be to the man. In other words, the gods were ¢he “éfe of mankind. 
Even when a worshipper of Motoro was slain in fair fight, it was 
supposed that the enraged divinity would, by some special misfortune 
or disease, put an end to the offender. Most appropriately and beauti- 
fully do the natives transfer the name /o ora, or The living god, to 
Jehovah, as zs worshippers never die!” (p. 28.) 
We learn further (p. 10): 
An analogy was believed to exist between the pith of a tree and the 
umbilical cord at birth. Hence the expressions, ‘ara io,’ ze. ‘ path- 
way of the pith,’ or simply ‘ io, z2., ‘ pith,’ as still used for ‘ God,’ 
Among the phrases and terms due to the atmosphere of vegetation in 
which the Polynesians live are, according to Mr. Gill: 
Rautki Nut,‘ ocean,’ lit. “ the-vast-outspread-plantain-leaf.” (p. 18.) 
Pua ua mai, Bud forth or blossom,” as of a tree. Used in speaking 
of the beginning of the world. (p. 21.) 
Met tupua roa mat. “ In the phrase ‘ mei ¢apua roa mai’ (the essential] 
part of which is ‘tupua’), the sense is ‘ from the very beginning, 1.e., from 
the time when things first began to ‘ ¢apu,’ ‘ grow’ or ‘happen.’” (p. 34.) 
E rimua ua atu. “The word ‘rimu’ means moss, ‘rimua,’ ‘s0s5- 
ys 
grown, the final a, as in the word ‘ Atua, being intensive. Thus it comes 
