The Mythology Book

OCEANIA 309

See also: The Dreaming 302–07 ■ Ta’aroa gives birth to the gods 316–17 ■ Tane and Hine-titama 318–19

behavior. In the evenings, he wore

the basket full of mareein around

his neck and beat his special

clapping sticks together, while his

wives danced, all to demonstrate

sacred rituals.

One day, Luma-Luma and his

wives arrived at a place where the

corpses of children were laid out

on platforms. Luma-Luma started

to eat these corpses. When the

people saw the empty platforms

and Luma-Luma’s giant tracks,

they were horrified. Sick of him

eating their food—and now their

children—they plotted to kill him.

Imparted knowledge

Armed with sticks and spears,

the people attacked Luma-Luma

and his wives. The giant told them

to spear him slowly and not use

too many spears, to give him time

to show them the rituals he knew.

They included ubar (which

reminded women they should

obey their husbands); lorgun

(an initiation ritual); and gunabibi

(a string of songs and dances to

win the favor of totemic spirits).

According to some versions of the

story, he also gave them the sacred

criss-cross designs they painted on

their faces during these ceremonies

and the dances that were part of

the rituals.

Once Luma-Luma was satisfied

that the people had received the

rituals, and after giving them his

basket of totems, he finally died.

The people did not bury him but

instead propped him up against

a tree on the beach, tied ropes

around him, and built a canopy

to shade him.

In time, his body was swept

into the sea and disappeared under

the water. There, he came back to

life as a sea creature; some claimed

he became a whale once more. ■

This full-breasted woman, shown

with two dilly bags and a digging

stick, is probably associated with

a fertility ritual.

He’s eating our children.

What are we going to

do to him?

The Speaking Land

US_308-309_Luma-Luma.indd 309 05/12/17 3:00 pm