Ure Avai

There's an ancient legend that attributes to a man named Ure Avai, the first manufacture of the mangai ivi tangata, a fish hook made of human bone. The mangai, in the Rapa Nui language, is an artifact widespread throughout Polynesia and was considered one of the most precious objects to have on an island, since through its use, the inhabitants obtained the food necessary for their subsistence. It has played a major role in Polynesian creation myths. One of them describes how the god Maui used a hook and line to “fish” the islands from the bottom of the sea and bring them to the surface. These mythological associations and the tool's own fundamental use may explain why people valued the hook so much. It took a long time to make one of these valuable pieces, so they were passed down from father to son as a family jewel.