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[148] The Polynesians in South America.

In several papers published in this Journal, it has been suggested that the Polynesian Race, great navigators as they were, reached the coasts of South America, and the inference is that they brought from there the kumara root. Some confirmation of this hypothesis is found in an interesting article published in the “Geographical Journal,” Vol. XVIII (December, 1901), p. 576, by Dr. Francis P. Moreno, entitled, “Notes on the Anthropogeography of Argentina.” He says—“Undoubtedly there is a connection between South Americans and North Americans, and also with the peoples of Polynesian origin, but the basis of the entire population was the union of the three types mentioned” (which he previously had described). “I shall not enquire here into the common origin of some of the Pacific Ocean races with those of South America, or into the similarities which they offer, explainable only by old land connections; but I will merely mention that in the graves of Rio Negro there are human remains that cannot be referred to any living race of South America, but only to those of Polynesia. Some of the skulls from the Rio Negro are of the Papuan type. Maori stone implements have been discovered at Cuzco in Peru, and at Santiago del Estiro in Argentina; carved wood clubs, entirely similar to those of the Marquesas Islands, have also been brought from the ruins of Truxillo in Peru, and from Quillota in Chile, these being preserved in the La Plata Museum, while others have been discovered in Columbia Ecuador, and other places in Peru. The similarity of some Polynesian monuments with those of Peru is well known, but it is unnecessary to go outside America.” P. 582.—“It was near this spot (Santiago del Estèro) that a Maori stone club was discovered.” P. 588.—“We find Polynesian anthropological elements mixed with the Patigonians, Polynesian culture amongst the Calchaqui and old Peruvian culture.” The point in which we should be inclined to differ from Mr. Moreno is that this Polynesian element in South America is much later than the period of any land communication that may formerly have existed to the west of South America.—Ed.

[149] “Hawaiian Beliefs regarding Spirits.”

This is the title of a paper by our fellow-member, Mr. J. S. Emerson, of Honolulu, published in the Ninth Annual Report of the Hawaiian Historical Society just to hand. This paper is well worth perusal in connection with the beliefs of the Polynesian Race, and is, perhaps, more particularly interesting to New Zealanders as showing the identity in belief, notwithstanding the 4,000 miles that separate the two branches of the Race. Mr. Emerson mentions (inter alia) the Leina Kauhane, or jumping-off place of the spirits, in which, of course, the word Leina is identical with the Maori word Reinga, at the north cape of New Zealand where spirits “jump off.” This is pointed out by the editor, but there are several other places of a like nature in other islands of the Pacific, e.g., at Rarotonga, Mangaia, Samoa, &c., each in the west end of these groups. In the Chatham Islands the “jumping-off place” is on the north-west side of the island. It is probable that in each group the “jumping-off place” is approximately on that side from whence the early migrations first made the land when they colonised the various islands of the Pacific—the spirits were supposed to return to the Great Fatherland of the race by the same course the colonists took. It would be interesting to follow this up, and show for each group where the “jumping-off place” is situated geographically.—Ed.