Mgr Tepano Jaussen, Bishop of Tahiti, had four tablets in his possession read out by Metoro, a plantation worker from Easter Islander, who claimed to have been instructed in the rongorongo writing.

Metoro's readings have been seen by some as keys to the decipherment, by others as evidence that the rongorongo did not constitute a proper writing system. Barthel saw in them keys and was persuaded of Metoro's knowledge and competence. Others, such as Métraux, were of opinion that Metoro was merely describing the signs, without any understanding of their meaning. This opinion was recently corroborated by Guy, demonstrating that Metoro had read the second sides of the last two tablets in a disorderly manner more typical of a hoax than of real understanding.