Chapter 17
The Mythological Context: Tree Worship
and the Evolution of Creation Myths
Abstract The settlement history of the Pacific is reflected in the diffusion of tree
worship, of associated rituals and of Creation myths relating to the Cosmogonic
Tree. Of central importance is the preservation in the isolation of the Chatham
Islands, which lie in the Southern Ocean 870 km east of New Zealand, of a 4,000year-old version of a totemic Creation myth involving the Cosmogonic Tree. This
totemic myth is far older than the Creation myths recorded in Eastern Polynesia
which involve a purposeful Creator. We suggest that the ancient Creation myth
found in the Chatham Islands and also found vestigially amongst an ancient tribe
in New Zealand and the tree worship and rituals associated with it were carried
to New Zealand with Lapita-age first settlers. For these myths and rituals echo the
tree worship known to have been practised in recognized Lapita colonies in Island
Melanesia and Western Polynesia. In these colonies the distribution of the sacred
Benjamin fig, the focus there for tree worship, matched the distribution of Lapita
pottery. The preservation in the isolated Chatham Islands and in New Zealand of
a Lapita-age myth and associated rituals supports the case for a Lapita-age first
settlement of New Zealand.
Keywords Moriori · Totemic creation myths · Lapita tree worship · Cosmogonic
tree
17.1 Introduction
The support for a Lapita-age first settlement of New Zealand that we offer in this
chapter involves what is perhaps the most indirect and implicit evidence that we have
gathered. It is nonetheless telling. We argue in this chapter that the settlement history
of the Pacific is reflected in the diffusion of tree worship, of associated rituals and of
Creation myths relating to the Cosmogonic Tree or Vine. Of central interest is the
preservation in the extraordinary isolation of the Chatham Islands of a 4,000-yearold version of a myth involving the Cosmogonic Tree. We suggest that this myth,
and tree worship and rituals associated with it, which have their origin in the Spice
Islands, may well have been carried to New Zealand with Lapita-age first settlers.
285
C.E.M. Pearce, F.M. Pearce, Oceanic Migration,
DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-3826-5_17, C
Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010
The Mythological Context: Tree Worship
and the Evolution of Creation Myths
Abstract The settlement history of the Pacific is reflected in the diffusion of tree
worship, of associated rituals and of Creation myths relating to the Cosmogonic
Tree. Of central importance is the preservation in the isolation of the Chatham
Islands, which lie in the Southern Ocean 870 km east of New Zealand, of a 4,000year-old version of a totemic Creation myth involving the Cosmogonic Tree. This
totemic myth is far older than the Creation myths recorded in Eastern Polynesia
which involve a purposeful Creator. We suggest that the ancient Creation myth
found in the Chatham Islands and also found vestigially amongst an ancient tribe
in New Zealand and the tree worship and rituals associated with it were carried
to New Zealand with Lapita-age first settlers. For these myths and rituals echo the
tree worship known to have been practised in recognized Lapita colonies in Island
Melanesia and Western Polynesia. In these colonies the distribution of the sacred
Benjamin fig, the focus there for tree worship, matched the distribution of Lapita
pottery. The preservation in the isolated Chatham Islands and in New Zealand of
a Lapita-age myth and associated rituals supports the case for a Lapita-age first
settlement of New Zealand.
Keywords Moriori · Totemic creation myths · Lapita tree worship · Cosmogonic
tree
17.1 Introduction
The support for a Lapita-age first settlement of New Zealand that we offer in this
chapter involves what is perhaps the most indirect and implicit evidence that we have
gathered. It is nonetheless telling. We argue in this chapter that the settlement history
of the Pacific is reflected in the diffusion of tree worship, of associated rituals and of
Creation myths relating to the Cosmogonic Tree or Vine. Of central interest is the
preservation in the extraordinary isolation of the Chatham Islands of a 4,000-yearold version of a myth involving the Cosmogonic Tree. We suggest that this myth,
and tree worship and rituals associated with it, which have their origin in the Spice
Islands, may well have been carried to New Zealand with Lapita-age first settlers.
285
C.E.M. Pearce, F.M. Pearce, Oceanic Migration,
DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-3826-5_17, C
Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010