INAUGURATION OF AN AREOI. 241 
instructed to bend his left arm, and strike his right 
hand upon the bend of the left elbow, which at 
the same time he struck against his side, whilst he 
repeated the song or invocation for the occasion; 
of which the following is a translation. 
“ The mountain above, moua tabu * sacred 
mountain. The floor beneath Tamapua,\ project¬ 
ing point of the sea. Manunu, of majestic or 
kingly bearing forehead. Teariitaria,X the splen¬ 
dour of the sky. I am such a one, (pronouncing 
his new Areoi name,) of the mountain huiTihuru.” 
He was then commanded to seize the cloth worn 
by the chief woman present, and by this act he 
completed his initiation, and became a member, or 
one of the seventh class. 
The lowest members of the society were the 
principal actors in all their exhibitions, and on 
them chiefly devolved the labour and drudgery of 
dancing and performing, for the amusement of the 
spectators. The superior classes led a life of dis¬ 
sipation and luxurious indolence. On this account, 
those who were novices continued a long time in 
the lower class; and were only admitted to the 
higher order, at the discretion of the leaders or 
grand masters. 
The advancement of an Areoi from the lower 
classes, took place also at some public festival, 
when all the members of the fraternity in the island 
were expected to be present. Each individual 
appointed to receive this high honour, attended in 
the full costume of the order. The ceremonies 
* The conical mountain near the lake of Maeva, 
t The central district on the borders of the lake, lying 
at the foot of the mountain. 
t The hereditary name of the king or highest chief of 
Huahine. 
