POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
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cording to Oro’s direction^ by Urutetefa and Orotetefa^ 
and comprised the following individuals ; Huatua, of 
Tahiti; Tauraatiia, of Moorea, orEimeo; Temaiatea, of 
Sir Charles Sander’s Island; Tetoa and Atae, of Huahine; 
Taramanini and Airipa, of Raiatea; Mutahaa^ of Tahaa; 
Bunaruu, of Borabora; and Marore, of Maurua. These 
individuals^ selected from the different islands^ consti¬ 
tuted the first Areoi society. To them^ also^ the gods 
whom Oro had placed over them delegated authority, 
and gave permission to admit to their order all such as 
were desirous to unite with them, and consented to mur¬ 
der their infants.* These were always the names of the 
principal Areois in each of the islands; and were 
borne by them in the several islands at the time of 
their renouncing idolatry; when the Areois name, and 
Areois customs, were simultaneously discontinued. 
It is a most gratifying fact, that some of those who 
bore these names, and were ringleaders in all the vice 
and cruelty connected with the system, have since been 
distinguished for their active benevolence, and moral and 
exemplary lives. Anna, one of the first deacons in the 
church at Huahine, one of the first native teachers sent 
out by that church to the heathen, and who has been the 
minister of the church in Sir Charles Sander’s Island, 
an indefatigable, upright, intelligent, and useful man, as 
a Christian Missionary in the South Sea Islands, was 
the principal Areoi of Raiatea. He was the Taramanini 
of that island, until he embraced Christianity. 
They were a sort of strolling players, and privi- 
* The above is one of the most regular accounts of the origin of the 
Areois institution, extant among the people. Mr. Barff', to whom I 
am indebted for it, received it from Auna, and Mahine the king of 
Huahine. 
