Ruahatu - god of the ocean

Ruahatu is the Polynesian Neptune, god of the sea. According to the legend from Raiatea it is he who caused the flood which struck the sacred island and submerged the mountain Temehani. But Ruahatu, in love with the Princess Airaro, spared the royal family and all those who shared their refuge on the islet of Toa Marama, beside the great pass, Ava Rua.
In this painting, Ruahatu holds the marae Manunu, on Huahine, neighboring island to Raiatea. Though consecrated to the god Tane, this sanctuary (or according to legend, its foundation stone) was indeed relocated by Ruahatu after the flood that struck Raiatea.
Ruahatu was the theme of a show produced by Coco Hotahota, leader of the dance group, Temaeva. 

This show was presented in Tahiti during the South Pacific Arts Festival in 1985 and it was for this reason that Bobby did the painting.

Bobby Holcomb 1947-1998
Artist and Polynesian poet

The North Wind

The northwest wind. Matai To'erau, is a tropical or equatorial wind, distinctly different from another wind in Tahiti, Maraamu, which comes from the southeast and is much cooler and drier. The To'erau, was believed to bring the rain from Tumu Ruperupe, source of abundance.
In traditional Tahitian society, the people had a detailed knowledge of the winds, since they were vital in navigation and agriculture. The Maori names and directions of the winds do not always correspond to the western magnetic compass or their position on the compass rose.

... and Hina kissed the eel

A magnificent scene, representing the conclusion of the legend of the eel of Vaihiria. The parents of the beautiful Princess Hina of Papeurii (Papeari) wished her to marry a puhi (eel), king of Lake Vaihiria. She was saved by Maui who cut off the animals head. Left lying on the ground, it grew into a coconut tree whose slender form imitated that of the puhi. As for the fruit, it bears tow eyes and a mouth, resembling the head of the eel of Vaihiria that Hina made grow again. In this portrayal, her kisses drink the water of life

Maui, who caught the Sun,
and his sister, Hinihina-Totoio

The legendary Polynesian demigod, Maui, wanted to capture the Sun. So that the Sun might forever shine, this Maori Promeheus is said to have tied the Earth to the Sun with the hair of his sister Hina. Since that day the rays of the sun remind us of Hina's hair. It is significant that the hair goes through the navel, vital energy center of Maui.

Hema and his mother Hina

Hema was the son of Hina who had escaped her cannibal mother, Nona, and married Noa, her rescuer.
Unlike his elder brother Puaariitahi, in the legend Hema agreed to comb his mother's hair. He discovered a louse and showed it to Hina who responded, 'You will marry a woman of high rank.' True to the prophecy he took for his wife the goddess, Hina Tahutahu (Hina the magician). He seized her from the beach by her hair which he later used to fish. This legend once again illustrates the importance of hari in Maori symbolism, the best know being the legend of Maui catching the sun with his sister's hair.

Wings of tapa

Tapa cloth is a fabric made from various barks which are pounded and dried. It as used for clothing in traditional society. The wings of the angel, depicted here wearing tapa, show an artistic vision in which traditional Maori culture is blended with Christianity.
Bobby was always fascinated by angles. The assembly of religious figures found in Catholicism served as inspiration. Interestingly, in his personal philosophy, the Christian angels embodied the wisdom he recognized in the Maori soul.