86 
MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF 
subjection, are considered as personal property, and cannot marry with¬ 
out the consent of their masters. 
The religious belief is of the simplest kind. The name of their 
principal divinity is Wanigain, or Tabu-eriki. He is their most popu¬ 
lar god, and considered by some the greatest. About two-thirds of 
the people worship him as their tutelar divinity. The rest do not 
acknowledge him, but have other deities; and some worship the souls 
of their departed ancestors, or certain birds, fish, and animals. A fe¬ 
male deity is the object of adoration to very many. She is called 
Itivini, is reputed to be of a cruel disposition, and all the little children 
who die are supposed to be killed and eaten by her. The natives 
always refuse to eat the animals, fish, &c., worshipped by them, but 
will readily catch them, that others may partake of the food. 
Tabu-eriki’s image has been before described, and a wood-cut repre¬ 
senting it will be found at the end of the chapter. The coral stone 
which represents him is always tied round with cocoanut-leaves, and 
these are changed once a month, to keep them constantly green. The 
worship paid to this god consists in repeating prayers before this stone, 
and depositing beside it a portion of the food prepared for their own 
use. This is done not only at the time of festivals, but at their daily 
meals, and also whenever they desire to propitiate his favour; the first 
fruits of the season are also offered to this god. Every family of any 
distinction has one of these stones, which is considered by many of 
them rather in the light of an altar than of an idol. 
The female deity, Itivini, is worshipped in a small circle, formed by 
a number of coral stones, three feet in diameter, which is covered with 
white gravel; in the centre a cocoa-nut is set up. At the time prayers 
are offered to her, this nut is bound with a wreath of leaves, and 
anointed with cocoanut-oil. 
There is another female deity, called Itituapea, who is worshipped 
at a flat coral stone situated on the reef between the islets of Kuria 
and Oneoka; the two are known on the chart by the name of Kuria. 
Any one passing it, either on foot or in canoes, never fails to invoke 
her favour, and if they have any food, leave a part of it on the stone, 
which is never taken away. 
The skulls of ancestors are carefully preserved by their family, and 
held in great reverence. When they desire to invoke their spirits, 
these skulls are taken down, wreathed with leaves, laid on a new mat, 
anointed with oil, and presented with food. Fish and animals that are 
held sacred are only addressed w T ith prayers by their worshippers. 
According to Wood, the names of Tabu-eriki, Itivini, and Itituapea 
are unknown at Makin, and the only spirits the natives of that island 
