Tapukitea/en

Tapukitea (tapu-ki-tea, holy to Atea (?), the god of space) was the Tongan traditional name for the evening star, Venus. It was named Fetuʻu ʻaho during its morning apparition. It was said to: dwell 6 months in the east and then to dwell 6 months in the west.

A myth obtained from Lesieli Tongamohenoa.

It was said there were 2 fools, Tapu from the eastern district on Tongatapu and Kitea from the western district. When Kitea heard that there was a fool in the east, she went straight on to the east to find him. When she, the female fool Kitea, arrived, he, the male fool Tapu, was hoeing his yam garden. Then she sat down at the end of his patch and yelled: «Male fool come here». He then left his hoe and came to meet the other. Then they went to the home of Tapu, and the woman was fed, and they two stayed in his place. After some time Kitea became pregnant and she said to Tapu that they should go to the west for her to conceive.

Their child was born and it was a boy, and then they decided to name it after themselves, Tapukitea. The boy grew up, but his nature was very misschievous. His parent did not get any rest of mind because of the anger of the chiefs and the people concerning the lad's conduct. They discussed then it would be better to kill their child, so that he could go and stand in the sky so that they could look up onto him, because they could not stand his behaviour any longer. So was done, and Tapukitea went and stood in the sky, and since that time is his standing in the sky. FOKI