Poia atu / mai (?) taku poi – The Polynesian Origins of Poi

Abstract

Poi is recognised around the world as a performance item unique to Māori. The word poi refers to a Māori dance or game performed with a ball-like object, to which a cord of varying length is attached. Poi refers to both the ball and the dance, which normally includes hitting and swinging the ball on its string, usually accompanied by music or a chant of some kind. One of New Zealand’s most renowned anthropologists, Sir Peter Buck, who was an authoritative figure spearheading the research into the material culture of the Māori, states that “the women’s poi dance … used an accessory in the form of the poi ball which is unique for Polynesia.” This is a common view of poi. However, this paper questions the uniqueness of poi to the Māori people by showing that the origins of poi can be found in other regions of Polynesia. Specifically, it will trace the movement of poi from Western to Eastern Polynesia; the same path taken by Māori during their migration to New Zealand. It will look at ball games from islands throughout Polynesia with forms and functions similar to those of poi to demonstrate the evolution of poi towards its use in Māori society. Poia atu taku poi, wania atu taku poi (swing far my poi, skim onward my poi) are the age-old words used figuratively in poi compositions to send the poi on a journey over the land and its people; visiting mountains, rivers, forests, villages, whānau (families), hapü (sub-tribes), and iwi (tribes). The words demonstrate the importance of the connections a composer of poi compositions has with each of the above entities. Using this saying I pose the question: Poia atu taku poi? Poia mai taku poi? Did Māori send the poi to the world or was the poi sent to them?UnpublishedFALSEP Buck, The Coming of the Maori, 2nd edition (Wellington: Maori Purposes Fund Board, 1950), 243. / HW Williams, Dictionary of the Maori Language. 7th edition (Wellington: GP Publications, 1971), 288. / W Mariner, An Account of the Natives of the Tonga Islands (London: John Murray, 1817), 344. / EG Burrows, Ethnology of Uvea (Wallis Island), Bulletin 145 (Honolulu: Bernice P Bishop Museum, 1937), 154. / JB Stair, Old Samoa, or, Flotsam and Jetsam from the Pacific Ocean (London: Religious Tract Society, 1897; reprint Papakura: Southern Reprints, 1983), 138. / E & P Beaglehole, Ethnology of Pukapuka, Bulletin 150 (Honolulu: Bernice P Bishop Museum, 1938), 361. / P Buck, Arts and Crafts of the Cook Islands, Bulletin 179 (Honolulu: Bernice P Bishop Museum, 1944), 250. / KP Emory, Material Culture of the Tuamotu Archipelago (Honolulu: Bernice P Bishop Museum, 1944), 233. / EG Burrows, Native music of the Tuamotus, Bulletin 109 (Honolulu: Bernice P Bishop Museum, 1933), 37. / E Best, Games and Pastimes of the Maori: An Account of Various Exercises, Games and Pastimes of the Natives of New Zealand, as practised in former times; including some information containing their Vocal and Instrumental Music (Wellington: Whitcombe & Tombs, 1925), 54. / P Buck, Ethnology of Mangareva, Bulletin 157 (Honolulu: Bernice P. Bishop Museum, 1938), 185. / ESC Handy, The Native Culture in the Marquesas, Bulletin 9 (Honolulu: Bernice P Bishop Museum, 1923), 302. / J Davies, A Tahitian and English Dictionary (Tahiti: London Missionary Society’s Press, 1851), 194. / EN Ferdon, Early Tonga: As the Explorers saw It 1616 – 1810 (Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1987), 173-174. / P Buck, Arts and Crafts of Hawaii, Bulletin 45 (Honolulu: Bernice P. Bishop Museum, 1957), 375-376. / C Wilkes, Narrative of the United States’ Exploring Expedition during the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, (Papakura: R. McMillan, n.d), 110. / R Linton, The Material Culture of the Marquesas Islands, Publication 5 (Honolulu: Bernice P Bishop Museum, 1923), 388. / E Dieffenbach, Travels in New Zealand; with contributions to the Geography, Geology, Botany, and Natural History of that Country (London: John Murray, 1843; reprint, Christchurch: Capper Press, 1974), 56. / JH Beattie, Traditional Lifeways of the Southern Māori: Otago University Museum Ethnological Project, 1920. Edited by Atholl Anderson. (Dunedin: University of Otago Press in association with the Otago Museum, 1994). / J Evans, Discovery of Aotearoa (Auckland: Reed, 1998), 25. / R Harlow, “Regional Variation in Maori,” New Zealand Journal of Archaeology 1 (1979): 135. / E Tregear, The Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary (Christchurch: Whitcombe and Tombs, 1891), xiv