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33 chapters
PREFACE.
PREFACE.
The Maori MSS. of which translations are now published were collected by the author many years ago. The persons through whom the MSS. were obtained are now, with one exception, no longer living. They were all of them men of good birth, and competent authorities. One who could write sent me, from time to time, in MS. such information as he himself possessed, or he could obtain from the tohunga , or wise men of his family. Chapters iii. and iv. contain selections from information derived from this
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ARYANS AND POLYNESIANS.
ARYANS AND POLYNESIANS.
Similar to this was the common belief of the Maori of Polynesia, and still exists. A Maori of New Zealand writes thus: “The origin of knowledge of our native customs was from Tiki (the progenitor of the human race). Tiki taught laws to regulate work, slaying, man-eating: from him men first learnt to observe laws for this thing, and for that thing, the rites to be used for the dead, the invocation for the new-born child, for battle in the field, for the assault of fortified places, and other invo
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ARYAN MYTHOLOGY.
ARYAN MYTHOLOGY.
The Aryans do not appear to have had any tradition of a Creation. They seem to have conceived of the Powers of Nature very much in the same way as the [pg 6] Maori did,—namely, that the mysterious power of Generation was the operative cause of all things. Hesiod in his Theogony relates that the first parent of all was Chaos. From Chaos sprang Gaia (=Earth), Tartarus, Eros (=Love), Erebus, a dark son, Night, a dark daughter, and lastly, Day. From Gaia alone sprung Ouranos (=Heaven), Hills, Groves
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MAORI COSMOGONY AND MYTHOLOGY.
MAORI COSMOGONY AND MYTHOLOGY.
We have reason to consider the mythological traditions of the Maori as dating from a very antient period. They are held to be very sacred, and not to be repeated except in places set apart as sacred. The Genealogies recorded hereafter are divisible into three distinct epochs:— 1. That comprising the personified Powers of Nature preceding the existence of man, which Powers are regarded by the Maori as their own primitive ancestors, and are invoked in their karakia by all the Maori race; [pg 11] f
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MAORI COSMOGONY.
MAORI COSMOGONY.
From the union of Te Mangu with Mahorahora-nui-a-Rangi (=The great expanse of Rangi) came four children:— Toko-mua (=elder prop). Toko-roto (=middle prop). Toko-pa (=last prop). Rangi-potiki (=child Rangi)....
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GENEALOGICAL DESCENT FROM TOKO-ROTO.
GENEALOGICAL DESCENT FROM TOKO-ROTO.
After the birth of Rauru, the son of Toi-te-huatahi and Kuraemonoa, while Toi was absent from home fishing, Puhaorangi came down from Heaven, and [pg 16] carried off Kuraemonoa to be his own wife. She bore four children from this union:— From Ohomairangi descended:— From Ohomairangi descended:—...
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GENEALOGICAL DESCENT FROM TOKO-PA.
GENEALOGICAL DESCENT FROM TOKO-PA.
Kohu (=Mist) was the child of Tokopa. Kohu married Te Ika-roa (=The Milky-way), and gave birth to Nga Whetu (=The Stars)....
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GENEALOGICAL DESCENT FROM RANGI-POTIKI.
GENEALOGICAL DESCENT FROM RANGI-POTIKI.
Rangi-potiki had three wives, the first of which was Hine-ahu-papa; from her descended:— Haronga took to wife Tongo-tongo. Their children were a son and daughter, Te Ra (=The Sun) and Marama (=The Moon). Haronga perceiving that there was no light for his daughter Marama, gave Te Kohu in marriage to Te Ikaroa , and the Stars were born to give light for the sister of Te Ra, for the child of Tongo-tongo. “ Nga tokorua a Tongo-tongo ” (=the two children of Tongotongo) is a proverbial term for the Su
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RELIGIOUS RITES OF THE MAORI.
RELIGIOUS RITES OF THE MAORI.
The religious rites under consideration are immediately connected with certain laws relating to things tapu , or things sacred and prohibited, the breach of which laws by anyone is a crime displeasing to the Atua of his family. Anything tapu must not be allowed to come in contact with any vessel or place where food is kept. This law is absolute. Should such contact take place, the food, the vessel, or place, become tapu , and only a few very sacred persons, themselves tapu , dare to touch these
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The Karakia of Hineteiwaiwa.
The Karakia of Hineteiwaiwa.
Said to have been used at the birth of her son Tuhuruhuru. It is of great antiquity, dating from a time long anterior to the migration to New Zealand. [pg 30] This karakia is still in use with the Arawa tribe in cases of difficult parturition. When such cases occur, it is concluded that the woman has committed some fault—some breach of the tapu , which is to be discovered by the matakite (=seer). The father of the child then plunges in the river, while the karakia is being repeated, and the chil
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Whakahokitu
Whakahokitu
Is the name given to forms of makutu employed to counteract the curse of some other tohunga , or wise-man; for whoever practises makutu , even though he be skilled in the art, may have to yield to the mana of some other wise-man who can command the assistance of a more powerful Atua . The following is a specimen of this kind of makutu — Among the Atua much held in awe by the Maori were the Atua noho-whare , or house-dwelling gods—spirits of the germs of unborn infants. They are also known by [pg
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RELIGIOUS RITES OF THE MAORI.
RELIGIOUS RITES OF THE MAORI.
My writing to you begins with the karakia for a mother when her breasts give no milk. After a child is born, if the mother’s breasts have no milk, her husband [pg 39] goes for the tohunga . When the tohunga arrives the mother and child are carried to the water-side, and the tohunga dipping a handful of weed in the water, sprinkles it on the mother. The child is taken away from the mother by the tohunga , who then repeats this karakia :— After this the child is dipped in the water, and the mother
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CEREMONY OF TUA.
CEREMONY OF TUA.
When a male child is born to a Chief, all his tribe rejoice. The mother is separated from the inhabitants of the settlement, to prevent her coming in contact with persons engaged in cultivating the kumara , lest anything belonging to the mother should be accidentally touched by them, lest the kumara should be affected by her state of tapu ; for the sacredness of any rehu-wahine is greatly feared. When the child is about a month old, and strives with its hands to reach its mother’s breast, the ce
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CEREMONIES FOR THE DEAD.
CEREMONIES FOR THE DEAD.
When a man dies his body is placed in a sitting posture, and is bound to a stake to keep it in a good position. It is seated with its face towards the sun as it rises from its cave. Then every one comes near to lament. The women in front, the men behind them. Their clothes are girded about their loins. In their hands they hold green leaves and boughs, then the song called keka commences thus:— Tohunga chants It is not a man, All „ Tohunga „ My evil omen, All „ After the keka , the uhunga
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THE REINGA OR HADES.
THE REINGA OR HADES.
When the spirit leaves the body it goes on its way northward, till it arrives at two hills. The first of these hills is a place on which to lament with wailings and cuttings. There also the spirit strips off its clothes. 31 The name of this hill is Wai-hokimai. The name of the other hill is Wai-otioti: there the spirit turns its back on the land of life, and goes on to the Rerenga-wairua (Spirit’s-leap). There are two long straight roots, the lower extremities of which are concealed in the sea,
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TALE OF TE ATARAHI.
TALE OF TE ATARAHI.
There was a man named Te Atarahi, who remained five nights and five days in the Reinga, and then returned to life. On the fifth day after this man died, two women went out to cut flax leaves. While so employed they [pg 46] observed the flower stalks of the flax springing up every now and then, at a little distance from them. Then one of the women remarked to her companion—“There is some one sucking the juice of the korari flowers.” By degrees this person came nearer, and was seen by the woman, w
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NGA PATUPAIAREHE OR FAIRIES.
NGA PATUPAIAREHE OR FAIRIES.
One day while Ruarangi was absent from his house a Patupaiarehe or Fairy came to it, and finding only the wife of Ruarangi within, carried her off to the hills. When the husband returned home his wife could not be found. He, however, traced footsteps to the hills where the Fairies dwelt, but saw nothing of his wife. Then he felt sure she had been carried off by the Fairies, and returned sorrowing and thinking of some plan to recover her. At length, having thought of a plan, he summoned the tohun
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CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER V.
Tia and Maka went to Titiraupenga, at Taupo, and there remained. Oro went to Taupo, and thence to Wanganui. Ngatoroirangi went to Taupo, and died at Ruapehu. Marupunga went to Rotorua, and died there. Ika went to Wanganui, and died there. Whaoa went to Paeroa. Hei went to Whitianga (Mercury Bay). He was buried at O-a-Hei, on the extremity of the promontory. Tama-te-kapua went to Moehau (Cape Colville). Waitaha, son of Hei, and Tapuika, son of Tia, and Tangihia, son of Ngatoro-i-rangi, remained a
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CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VI.
Then Ihenga went alone in pursuit of his birds along the borders of the lake. He passed by Ohinemutu, where he found the hot springs, and the steam which he had supposed to be the smoke of a fire. When he reached the hill at Kawaha, looking down he saw the smoke of a fire burning below at Waiohiro; so he thought with himself, “Shall I go on, or no?” He decided on the no; for he saw a net hanging near a stage, on which there was food, so he went to look for the tuahu or sacred place for the net.
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MANA.
MANA.
The chief of any family who discovered and took possession of any unoccupied land obtained what was called the mana of the land. This word mana , in its ordinary use, signifies power, but in its application to [pg 90] land corresponds somewhat with the power of a Trustee. Thus mana gave a power to appropriate the land among his own tribe according to a well recognized rule which was considered tika or straight. Such appropriation, however, once made, remained in force, and gave a good title to t
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Descent of Land.
Descent of Land.
1. Male children succeed to their father’s land, female children to their mother’s land. So says the proverb—“ Nga tamariki tane ka whai ki te ure tu, nga tamariki wahine ka whai ki te u-kai-po. ” “Male children follow after the male, female children follow after the breast fed on at night.” 2. If a female marries a man of another tribe— he tangata ke —she forfeits all right to land in her mother’s tribe. So says the proverb—“ Haere atu te wahine, haere marokore. ” “The woman goes, and goes with
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A NEW ZEALANDER’S WILL.
A NEW ZEALANDER’S WILL.
Under this title in a former publication 66 I gave a literal translation of a written communication which I received from the celebrated Wi Tamihana Tarapipipi of Matamata, as follows:— “A certain man had a male child born to him, then another male child, and then another male child. He also had daughters. At last the father of this family being at the point of death, the sons and daughters and all the relations assembled to hear his last words, and to see him die. And the sons said to their fat
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RAHI.
RAHI.
is the term applied to a tribe reduced to a dependant condition by a conquering tribe. The same authority says, “Hear the custom in regard to lands which are held by right of conquest, that is lands fallen to the brave ( kua riro i te toa ). Suppose some large tribe is defeated. Suppose that tribe is defeated a second and a third time, till at last the tribe becomes small, and is reduced to a mean condition. It is then made to do the work of dependants—to cultivate the land for food, to catch ee
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NGATI-HANUI.
NGATI-HANUI.
One day a chief named Hanui and his travelling companion Heketewananga fell in with the old chief Korako seated in the hollow trunk of a tree, which he had converted into a temporary abode. Then said Hanui’s companion, “I will make water on the old man’s head, to degrade him (lit., that his growth may be stunted).” Hanui was displeased; for the old man was his cousin, being the son of the younger brother of his father Maramatutahi, that was the cause of his displeasure at the words of his compan
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TAPUIKA.
TAPUIKA.
It may happen that a tribe is driven off its lands by a conquering tribe, who may hold possession of the conquered lands for many years, but be, in their turn, driven off by the assistance of tribes allied to the original possessors of the land. It then becomes a question what right the allied tribes acquire in the recovered lands. A case of this sort came under my notice thus: I was instructed to purchase for the Government a piece of land of moderate size at Maketu to be occupied as a Mission
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THE EARLY SETTLERS.
THE EARLY SETTLERS.
When foreigners, called by the natives Pakeha , first came to New Zealand, they were admitted readily by the Maori to dwell among them. They were allowed to acquire land by purchase, and to form alliances with their families; and the children of such connections were considered as belonging to the tribe of their mother. They were never treated as belonging to a stranger tribe—as tangata ke . Tăku pakeha, toku matua , my own pakeha , my father, were the common terms used to denote their sentiment
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THE WAITARA DISPUTE.
THE WAITARA DISPUTE.
It is a recognised mode of action among the Maori , if a chief has been treated with indignity by others of his own tribe, and no ready means of redress can be obtained, for the former to do some act which will bring trouble on the whole tribe. This mode of obtaining redress is termed “ whakahe ,” and means putting the other in the wrong. Strange to say, this very dangerous principle of action, by whatever great evils it may be followed, obtains the respect and not the censure of the whole tribe
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MAORI TERMS OF RELATIONSHIP.
MAORI TERMS OF RELATIONSHIP.
A mother, or aunt on either side. Eldest nephew. Eldest niece; also used more generally. Son, or nephew. Elder brother of males, elder sister of females; also elder brother’s children in reference to younger brother’s children, elder sister’s children in reference to younger sister’s children. The younger brother of males, the younger sister of females; also the younger brother’s children in reference to elder brother’s children, the younger sister’s children in reference to elder sister’s child
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VOCABULARY
VOCABULARY
OF SOME MAORI WORDS REQUIRING EXPLANATION. Ihi has the sense of tapu when occurring in karakia , or invocations of spirits. Kahukahu , the spirit of the germ of a human being: also called Atua noho-whare , or house-dwelling Atua . Verbi kahukahu significatio simplex est panniculus; et panniculus quo utitur femina menstrualis nomine kahukahu dicitur κατ’ ἐξοχὴν. Apud populum Novæ Zelandæ creditur sanguinem utero sub tempus menstruale effusum continere germina hominis; et secundùm præcepta veteris
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TE KARAKIA
TE KARAKIA
Mo te pikinga o Tawhaki ki te Rangi.— vid. p. [pg 23]_....
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KARAKIA
KARAKIA
Mo te wahine i pākia nga u i te whanautanga o te tamaiti.— vid. p. [pg 39]_....
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KARAKIA
KARAKIA
Mo te whakapikinga o te ara o te tupapaku ana ka mate, kia tika ai te haere ki nga mea kua mate atu imua.— vid. p. [pg 44]_. La Cité Antique par De Coulange. Juventus mundi, p. 203. Max Müller, “Science of Language.” Farrar, “Chapters on Language,” p. 6. Hom. Il., 2-484. Invocat. to Muses:— Hecuba, l. 533-9. Whose wife was Hine-titamauri de quâ infra. Whose wife was Puhaorangi de quâ infra. Tamatea was settled at Muriwhenua, and his son Kahuhunu was born there. The latter went on a journey to Nu
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Transcription note The following typographical errors (or presumed such) have been corrected:
Transcription note The following typographical errors (or presumed such) have been corrected:
Transcription note The following typographical errors (or presumed such) have been corrected: p. 2, l. -7: By Tiki, by Rangi, by Papa. ——> By Tiki, by Rangi, by Papa.” p. 12, l. 6: Hine-ruakimoe ——> Hine-ruakimoe. p. 19, l. 17: =straight-neck Tane ——> =straight-neck-Tane p. 21, l. 13: (=the tender one). ——> (=the tender one).” p. 26, l. 1: designed to be eat ——> designed to be eaten p. 29, l. -3-1: the paragraph “ For tradition as to Tuhuruhuru ...” has been tr
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