"Now the time has come, long waited for. Today has come Te aro poanaa, one of our people, asking revenge for the murder of her sons. I have taken up her quarrel, for I have had the blood washed away in my sacred bath of Vaipiura. Now I call you to be my arms to revenge the death of the four sons of Tearopoanaa, and the insult to my Marae, Maraetefano."

The people rose with the cry: "Your will shall be done. Death to the Atiroos, those in Moorea and those in Tahiti, not one shall live!"

On the hills which divided Marama’s people from the Atiroos dwelt two of Marama’s warriors -- twins -- Tapuhote and Tetunania, noted for their success in sports. One of them was at the gathering, and returning home arranged with his brother to lead the attack.

They began by cutting in the woods several hundred sticks which they decorated with autis -- leaves of the ti, -- and in the night planted these sticks down the hill bordering the Atiroos’ district, to look like warriors. They took down the two main posts of their house, and made them into fighting-spears (omare). This meant that they gave themselves up to the fight, and would never return to their homes.

The Atiroos knew what was coming. Their murder of the boys was a challenge; the mother had gone openly up and down the whole island, bathed in blood, crying for revenge; the drums of Maraetefano had called to arms. By way of further defiance, in the early morning the Atiroos gathered on the shore, at the edge of their district, and while waiting, went into the water, fishing, within Marama’s fishing-ground, and, as they killed their fish, called to each other. "Matatuia

Indigenous Histories