The third messenger went to Vehiatua i te Matai of Hui and Taia-rapu, and Vehiatua called for the chiefs of the outer Tevas. In calling out the clans the names of the districts were rarely used; the official names of the head-chiefs alone were enough, but these names were really titles of rank, and sound quite unpronounceable to any but a native. In Taiarapu, for example, the head-chiefs ot the district first called (Vairao and Toahotu, next the isthmus) were Teahahurifenua and Moeterauri; the head-chief of Tautira was Tetuanui haamarurai; of Pueu, the title was Tetuanui Maraetata; of Afaahiti, it was Tetuanui Moearu. These chiefs or chiefesses represented the four outer Tevas, and came to Papara when summoned by Teriirere i Tooarai.

The Tevas had a common cry or signal call:

Teva te ua, Teva te matai,

Teva te mamari, e mamari iti au na Ahurei.

Teva the rain, Teva the wind,

Teva the roe, the roe dear to Ahurei.

I suppose it means that Teva is strong and swift like rain and wind, and numerous like the roe of fish; but I do not know why Ahurei loved fish-roe.

At the time of Wallis's visit in 1767, Amo, or properly Tevahitua, was head-chief of Papara and of the Tevas; or rather his son Teriirere, born about 1762, was head-chief, and Amo exercised power as his guardian, according to the native custom which made the eldest child the head of the family immediately on its birth. Amo's power as head-chief depended much, on his good understanding with Vehiatua and the outer Tevas; but the power of a head chief was made up of so

Indigenous Histories