Tapu

Tapu^[1]^[2]^[3] [ta.pu] atau tabu^[4] [ta.bu] merujuk kepada adat dan tradisi budaya dalam alam Polinesia yang perihal cara mendepani sesuatu perkara yang suci sehingga melibatkan Pantang larang dan peraturan tertentu.

Ia lazim dalam kalangan budaya orang-orang rumpuan budaya di situ termasuk di Fiji, Aotearoa, Samoa, Kiribati, Rapanui, Tahiti, Hawaii dan Tonga. Penemuan konsep ini di Tonga terutamanya oleh James Cook yang memerhatikan pantang-larang diberi untuk pemakanan penduduk setempat di sana menjadi meluas setelah perkenalan idea ini ke dunia Barat, melalui kata terbitan dalam bahasa Inggeris iaitu taboo [tĕ.bu]:^[5]

Not one of them would sit down, or eat a bit of any thing.... On expressing my surprise at this, they were all taboo, as they said; which word has a very comprehensive meaning; but, in general, signifies that a thing is forbidden.^[6]
["Tiada satu daripada mereka mahu duduk mahupun merasa sedikit makanan tersebut.... Mereka menjelaskan setelah melihat saya terkejut bahawa kesemua makanan ini tabu; perkataan tersebut mempunyai maksud mendalam; namun, ia secara umumnya bermaksud perkara tersebut dilarang."]

^ "Tapu" was translated for James Cook as "consecrated, inviolable, forbidden, unclean or cursed" (Cook & King 1821); also said in some English sources as being from Tongan (Polynesian language of the island of Tonga) ta-bu "sacred," from ta "mark" + bu "especially." But this may be folk etymology. (See Online Etymology Dictionary: Taboo)
^ "Online dictionary". Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. Dicapai pada 2007-06-05.
^ Biggs, Bruce. "Entries for TAPU [OC] Prohibited, under ritual restriction, taboo". Polynesian Lexicon Project Online. University of Auckland. Dicapai pada 9 September 2012.
^ Dixon, Robert M. W. A Grammar of Boumaa Fijian. m/s. 368.
^ Cook & King 1821, halaman 462
^ Cook & King 1821, halaman 348

[1] "Tapu" was translated for James Cook as "consecrated, inviolable, forbidden, unclean or cursed" (Cook & King 1821); also said in some English sources as being from Tongan (Polynesian language of the island of Tonga) ta-bu "sacred," from ta "mark" + bu "especially." But this may be folk etymology. (See Online Etymology Dictionary: Taboo)

[2] "Online dictionary". Lexico Publishing Group, LLC. Dicapai pada 2007-06-05.

[POLLEX-3] Biggs, Bruce. "Entries for TAPU [OC] Prohibited, under ritual restriction, taboo". Polynesian Lexicon Project Online. University of Auckland. Dicapai pada 9 September 2012.

[4] Dixon, Robert M. W. A Grammar of Boumaa Fijian. m/s. 368.

[5] Cook & King 1821, halaman 462

[6] Cook & King 1821, halaman 348

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