Marquesan Dog  Information & Dog Breed Facts

The Marquesan Canine, sometimes known as the Marquesas Islands Dog, is an extinct dog breed that originated in the Marquesas Islands. It was brought to the Marquesas by the progenitors of the Polynesian people during their migrations, similar to other strains of Polynesian dogs. They were used as tribal totems and sacred emblems and were occasionally eaten as flesh, though this was less common than in other parts of the Pacific due to scarcity. These local canines are assumed to have gone extinct before Europeans arrived, as they were not recorded on the islands. The only proof that the breed ever existed is petroglyphic images of dogs and archaeological relics of dog bones and burials. The island's modern dog population is descended from foreign breeds that were later imported in the 19th century as companions for European immigrants.

The Marquesan language has two words for dog: peto, which is used in the Northern Marquesas, and nuhe, which is used in the Southern Marquesas. Although pero was an option for the dog (Kur) in the related Mori language, the former could have been an English loanword from pet or a Spanish loanword from perro (dog). Another legend is that the name comes from a New Haven dog named Pato, which was left on Nuku Hiva by American marine captain Edmund Fanning from 1798 to 1803. The South Marquesan Nuhe is uncommon among Polynesian languages, however, it may share some similarities with wanuhe, the Brumer Islands' Papuan term for the dog.In his 1904 dictionary Grammaire et dictionnaire de la langue des îles Marquises, French Catholic missionary René-Ildefonse Dordillon noted two further forms: mohoio and mohokio.

The Marquesan Dog is a mysterious creature. The initial Polynesian settlers brought them to the Marquesan Islands, along with domesticated chickens, pigs, and the Polynesian rat. Although some dogs may have lived past the arrival of Spanish explorers in 1595, the dog is assumed to have become extinct.

They were never mentioned in any European accounts. Even before the arrival of Europeans, they were supposed to be rather rare and never numerous throughout the islands. Dogs, as in other regions of Polynesia, were not regarded as a major food source, however, they were occasionally consumed, as evidenced by cut marks on dog bones discovered during archaeological excavations. They were revered by the Marquesans and were intimately associated with the upper leaders and priestly groups due to their scarcity.

Near religious places and mostly residential regions, many petroglyphs or carved representations of dogs were discovered, demonstrating their cherished status and importance in the civilization. A majority of dog petroglyphs have been discovered in the valleys of Aakapa, Haatuatua, and Hatiheu on the northern coast of Nuku Hiva, the meae Vaikivi on Ua Huka, and the meae Iipona and Eiaone Valley on Hiva Oa, according to a survey by American archaeologist Sidsel N. Millerstrom. The function of dogs as symbols of tribal/clan loyalty and identity in the islands may have influenced their regional dispersal. They served as totem animals for the Nakii people.

The Marquesan Dog is frequently shown in exaggerated forms in petroglyphs. Millerstrom observed that these depictions differed from traditional Polynesian dog features, and asked if they were meant to be realistic. She explained:

The necks and bodies of the Marquesan dogs appear to be exaggerated in length. The tails are long and arched over the back, with pointy, square, or rounded ears and muzzles. The legs are small, and the paws are directed in the wrong direction in one example from Hatiheu Valley...

White or spotted, small to medium in size, with a pointed snout and ears, and a long tail, the early post-contact dog is white or spotted, little to medium in size, with pointed snout and ears, and a long tail.