Of Giant Fish and Shaken Islands: Geological Interpretations of Euhemeristic Myths Concerning Underwater Eruptions and Abrupt Land Movements in the Pacific Islands

Abstract

Many Pacific Island myths are euhemeristic, based on historical events. Two types of relevance to reconstructions of geological events are described here. Myths from the Pacific describing how islands were fished up are widespread. Most contain details that refer to the fish-island thrashing and agitating the ocean water as it emerges, details that are likely to be based on observations of shallow-water volcanic eruptions, particularly in Tonga. Another group of myths refers to a god stamping his foot on a low island in order to raise it, often successively. These myths are interpreted as incorporating details that come from observations of earthquakes that cause land to rise (coseismic-uplift events) that are common in many southwest Pacific Island groups. The importance of recording Pacific Island myths that have never been written down is clear, as are their potential practical uses in disaster risk reduction.