TIARE MAURUA

19 And to split her coconut, she broke it while striking the shark’s forehead which got flatter with each stoke. That is why the reef shark is known today by its black tip and flat head. Some time later, she landed in Vavau and planted a cutting in Hitia’a on a rock because the plant came from a stony ground. Then she left for ’Üporu, now known as Taha’a, with her crocodile need- lefish and placed another plant of maurua tiare on a rock of the Tautau isle. Then, she went to Havai'i, now known as Ra’iatea and planted another one on a rock in marae Ta’inu’u in Tevaito’a. She also went in Mata’irea, now known as Huahine, on her reef shark and planted the last of maurua tiare on a coral rock on Taiahu isle. The beauty and the perfume of the flower made this site famous; the ceremonial clothes of dead chiefs were buried there.