Notes on the Customs of Mota, Banks Islands. 129 



11. Spikits. 



(a.) Spirits who correspond rather to deified ancestors, 

 since they were born, married, had children, and yet were 

 vuis. The chief of these was Qat, who was born in Vanua 

 Lava, and had several brothers, whose names are Tangaro. 

 Qat is said to have made men, and with his brothers was 

 invoked in danger, yet can hardly be said to have been con- 

 sidered a god. They were all, nevertheless, vuis, not men — 

 something more than men. 



(6.) Beings like fairies, called Nopitu-vuis, yet occasionally 

 visible in human form, and becoming invisible at will. They 

 gave money and food to those whom they visited ; came in- 

 visibly, and sang most sweetly in a child's voice ; entered 

 into people, who performed strange feats by their power ; 

 had children by women ; and also, as females, lived with 

 men. 



(c.) Beings altogether incorporeal, and having certain 

 powers in nature. Certain places were sacred (rongo), be- 

 cause of connection with a vui. So, also, are certain stones, 

 which are said to be vuis in the shape of a stone, and are of 

 good or evil repute, according to the origin of the connection 

 between the vui and the stone. Stones which are of an un- 

 happy character are avoided ; those of happy associations 

 are used as media for obtaining advantages. These had what 

 may be called their priests — certain persons who knew the 

 stone, and called its vui theirs ; not as having power over the 

 vui, but as being "near" it, having a connection with it. 

 Such a man received money from any one who desired riches, 

 a good harvest, or other kind of success, and offered some of 

 it on the stone, making sacrifice (oloolo) with a prayer to the 

 vui. 



There does not seem to be any notion of a vui doing- 

 harm to men. They were certainly not propitiated as 

 malignant powers. Diseases were not supposed to be caused 

 by them directly ; but perhaps a man might use the power 

 he had acquired from a vui to bring disease upon his 

 enemy. 



[I am at present inclined to think that all the spiritual beings of Fiji, includ- 

 ing the gods, are simply the Mota tamate. Williams, however, tells us that he 

 met with a tradition of fairies at Vanua Levu, an island which must be distin- 

 guished from Mr. Codrington's Vanua Lava. His informant declared that he 

 had seen them. "They were all little, like your sons," he said, and his eyes 

 glistened as lie told the tale. I have had no opportunity of investigating the 

 customs of that island, save during two hurried visits of short duration. Its 

 customs seem to be peculiar in several important respects, and it is there that 



