The legend of the coconut tree
by Poeti Carrara and Ranirau Peters
The coconut tree is
one of the most
common trees in
Tahiti and its islands.
The Polynesians
always tell a legend
about its creation…
The coconut tree
legend…
A long time ago, a young girl
called Hina was of real beauty
due to her suntanned skin and
silky hair. She was meant to
marry the prince of eels.
Frightened by the physique of her
suitor, who had a gigantic body
and an enormous head, Hina ran
away and took refuge in the
house of the fishing God – Hiro.
Hiro was dazzled by the
beauty of Hina and touched
by her history, so he took one
of the young woman’s hairs
and with, it fished the
approaching eel. Hiro cut up
the prince of eels and
wrapped his head in leaves.
Before dying, the eel said to
Hina: “of all the Men who
hate me, including you Hina,
you will one day kiss me to
thank me. I will die, but my
prediction is eternal.
Hiro entrusted the
head of the eel to
Hina and then
advised her: “Hina,
girl of beauty, you
can return to your
family and there, you
will destroy this
head. But
throughout your
journey do not put it
on the ground
because then the
curse of the eel will
come true.”
On her way back, the
beautiful young woman and
her followers who
accompanied her, became
tired and decided to take a
bath in the river, forgetting
the warning of the God Hiro.
The eel’s head which had
been put on the ground
penetrated the earth, and
from it a large tree was born,
with a long trunk just like an
immense eel, and with foliage
similar to hair; the coconut
tree had just been born
Hina was then condemned by the
Gods to remain close to this river
because the tree had become
taboo… Life went on until the day
when a terrible dryness struck the
lands and during which only the
coconut resisted the sun. Thus, in
spite of the God’s prohibition to
touch this tree, men picked its fruit
full of clear and nutritive water.
Each fruit was marked with 3 dark
spots laid out like two eyes and a
mouth on which the men put their
lips in order to drink the coconut
water…. Hina did the same thing
….. And the prophecy of the prince
of eels had just come true.
THE END