Likāvaka, the Shore Ogre in Kave’s Tale

Overview

Kave’s tale places an ogre named Likāvaka ashore in Samoa. Pointing his finger kills approaching crews. He shares the canoe-builder’s name, but the account presents them separately. Taetagaloa directs his crew to dodge each gesture and counters the shore figure’s spell.

The canoe reaches land without losing anyone. Likāvaka fears Taetagaloa, who sends him to another part of Samoa and occupies his former place. The episode supplies a dangerous gesture and defeated authority rather than a detailed animal anatomy.

Origins & earliest records

Judith Huntsman publishes Kave’s 1968 performance in Tokelau and English; the earlier Macgregor account is not independently read here.

Records & interpretation

Complete first narrative, English translation pp. 289–291; named performer and version retained.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

1. 01

   Fiction, Fact, and Imagination: A Tokelau Narrative, Narrative 1, pp. 287–291

   Judith Huntsman, recorder and translator; Aloisio Kave Ineleo, narrator · 1990 publication; 1968 performance

   Entire first English narrative read; shore ogre distinguished from namesake canoe-builder.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

1. Primary recorded performance with scholarly commentaryOral Tradition 5/2–3: Huntsman’s bilingual Tokelau narrativeResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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