## Anutan

Anuta is a tiny volcanic island which, though located within the Solomon Islands of Melanesia, is populated by Polynesians. Stars provide the Anutans' most important tool for long range navigation. Major guiding stars and constellations are known as 'kaavenga'. Star paths that are followed from one island to the next (even if they have not risen, or already set) are called 'kau panogna porau'. Unnamed stars which are not used as major navigational aids are called 'petuu vare' (foolish, common, or undistinguished).

### Nomenclature

Anutan name | English translation | Western skylore
--- | --- | ---
Te Tino A Manu | The Bird's Body | Sirius
Te Kapakau Tonga | The East Wing | Canopus
Te Kapakau Pakatokerau | The North Wing | Procyon
Te Kaokao O Manu | The Bird's Armpit | Group of four small starts just east of Manu's Body
Te Kope | The Bamboo | Grus
Ara Toru | Path of Three | Orion's belt
Te Angaanga | The Tongs | Taurus's forehead
Matariki | Small Face, or Small Eyes | Pleiades
Kaavei | Octopus Tentacle | Aries
Taki Roto | Middle Precursor | Corner of Great Square (one large star)
Taki Mua | Forward Precursor | Pegasus's front legs and Shoulder
Toki | Adze | Delphinus
Te Aamonga | The Carrying Stick | Three stars in Aquila in a straight line
Te Paka Poi Ika Tapu | Sammara Squirrelfish | Four large stars in Sagittarius
Te Rua Tangata | Double Man | Alpha and Beta Centauri
Te Rakau Tapu | The Net, or The Sacred Timber | Southern Cross
Taro | Taro plant | Scorpius, Antares is Te Kau (the stem). Five star around Antares is Ona Rau (its leaves)
Te Rakau Tapu | The Net, or The Sacred Timber | Southern Cross
Te Tukaniva | — | Milky way
Te Aro Rere | The Running Cloud | Large Magellanic Cloud
Te Ao Toka | The Restrained Cloud (?) | Small Magellanic Cloud
Te Petuu Ao | The Morning Star | Venus
Tiuriuri | The Morning Star(?) | Venus(?)

### References

- Feinberg, Richard. (1998). "Polynesian seafaring and navigation: ocean travel in Anutan culture and society" The Kent State University Press, Kent, Ohio: ISBN 0-87338-352-4.
- Rensch, K.H. (1994). "Fish Names of Western Polynesia: Futuna, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uvea, Outliers" Archipelago Press, the University of California : ISBN 9780959378771.

### Author

This sky culture was contributed to Stellarium by Dan Smale, d.smale(at)niwa.co.nz