, it would have
been regarded as the god Tiaio himself come on a visit, and that it
would accordingly have been allowed to return to the water
unmolested.[27] It is quite possible that this derivation of the eel-god
or shark-god from a former king of Mangaia may be historically correct;
for we are told that "many of the deities worshipped in the Hervey Group
and other islands of the eastern Pacific were canonised priests, kings,
and warriors, whose spirits were supposed to enter into various birds,
fish, reptiles, insects, etc., etc. Strangely enough, they were regarded
as being, in no respect, inferior to the original deities."[28] Among
the creatures in which gods, and especially the spirits of deified men,
were believed permanently to reside or to be incarnate were reckoned
sharks, sword-fish, eels, the octopus, yellow and black spotted lizards,
as well as several kinds of birds and insects.[29] In Rarotonga the
cuttle-fish was the special deity of the reigning family down to the
subversion of paganism.[30] In Mangaia the tribe of Teipe, whose members
were liable to serve as victims in human sacrifices, worshipped the
centipede: there was a shrine of the centipede god at Vaiau on the
eastern side of Mangaia.[31] Again, two gods, Tekuraaki and Utakea, were
supposed to be incarnate in the woodpecker.[32] A comprehensive
designation for divinities of all kinds was "the heavenly family" (_te
anau tuarangi_); and this celestial race included rats, lizards,
beetles, eels, sharks, and several kinds of birds. It was supposed that
"the heavenly family" had taken up their abode in these creatures.[33]
Nay, even inanimate objects, such as the triton-shell, sandstone, bits
of basalt, cinnet, and trees were believed to be thus tenanted by
gods.[34] The god Tane-kio, for example, was thought to be enshrined in
the planets Venus and Jupiter, and also, curiously enough, in cinnet
work.[35] Again, each tribe had its own sacred bird, which was supposed
to be sent by a god to warn the people of impending danger.[36] In these
superstitions it is possible that we have relics of totemism.

[24] See above, pp. 182 _sqq._, 200 _sqq._

[25] W. W. Gill, _Myths and Songs from the South Pacific_, pp.
10 _sq._ 19. Another god called Turanga, who was worshipped at
Aumoana, was also supposed to be incarnate in white and black
spotted lizards. See _id._, _Life in the Southern Isles_, p. 96.

[26] W. W. Gill, _Myths and Son