Tagalogs who handed down old sayings

A Hawaiian who wrote down surf-riding

19th century · Hawaii · From an account of the old pastimes, the part on surf-riding. Just before it come the names and lengths of the boards and the names of the waves. The pohuehue is a creeping vine of the beach; the book's note says swimmers would swing strands of it round their heads and lash the water together while chanting. Kahiki is the word for the far lands across the sea. The English is the translation printed beside the Hawaiian in the same book (edited by Thomas G. Thrum).

If there is no surf, invoke seaward in the following manner: Arise, arise ye great surfs from Kahiki, The powerful curling waves. Arise with the pohuehue, Well up, long raging surf.

Ina aohe nalu, alaila, kahea aku i kai, penei e hea ai. Ku mai! Ku mai! Ka nalu nui mai Kahiki mai, Alo poi pu! Ku mai ka pohuehue, Hu! Kaikoo loa.

Fornander Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-lore, Third Series (1919) · "Relating to Amusements: Surf-riding (Heenalu)"

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Samoans who traded riddles

19th century · Samoa · A riddle; the answer is the surf on the reef, which never rests.

There is a man who calls out continually day and night.

A riddle printed in George Turner, Samoa, A Hundred Years Ago and Long Before (1884), no. 5 · in place of the original: the English translation by George Turner (1884)

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Tagalogs who handed down old sayings

before the 19th century · Philippines · A riddle; the answer is a wave. Marigondon is a place name. Given in the old spelling.

The pig of Marigondon comes rolling all the way here.

Baboy sa Marigondon Hangang dito gumugulong.

Isabelo de los Reyes, El Folk-lore Filipino, vol. 1 (1889) · riddles about the sea

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