Maori Religion and Mythology / Illustrated by Translations of Traditions, Karakia, &c., to Which Are Added Notes on Maori Tenure of Land - Edward Shortland

MAORI RELIGION

AND

MYTHOLOGY.

WILLIAM ATKIN, GENERAL PRINTER,

HIGH STREET, AUCKLAND, N.Z.

Maori Religion

and

Mythology.

ILLUSTRATED BY TRANSLATIONS OF TRADITIONS,

KARAKIA, &c.

TO WHICH ARE ADDED

NOTES ON MAORI TENURE OF LAND.

EDWARD SHORTLAND, M.A., M.R.C.P.,

LATE NATIVE SECRETARY, NEW ZEALAND,

AUTHOR OF

“TRADITIONS AND SUPERSTITIONS OF THE NEW ZEALANDERS.”

LONDON:

LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.

1882.

TO THE MEMORY

SIR WILLIAM MARTIN

THESE PAGES ARE DEDICATED,

THE AFFECTIONATE TRIBUTE

A FRIENDSHIP OF MANY YEARS.

[pg VII]

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 source.

The others not being sufficiently skilled in writing, it was necessary to take down their information from dictation. In doing this I particularly instructed my informant to tell his tale as if he were relating it to his own people, and to use the same words that he would use if he were recounting similar tales to them when assembled in a sacred house. This they are, or perhaps I should rather say were, in the habit of doing at times of great weather disturbance accompanied with storm of wind and rain, believing an effect to be thereby produced quieting the spirits of the sky.

As the dictation went on I was careful never to ask any question, or otherwise interrupt the thread of the [pg VIII] being guided by the sound in writing any new and strange words. When some time had thus passed, I stopt him at some suitable part of his tale: then read over to him what I had written, and made the necessary corrections—taking notes also of the meanings of words which were new to me. Chapters [v.] and [vi.] are with some omissions translations of a Maori MS. written in this way.

Chapter [ii.] contains a tradition as to Maori Cosmogony more particular in some details than I have ever met with elsewhere. My informant had been educated to become a tohunga; but had afterwards become a professing Christian. The narrative took place at night unknown to any of his people, and under promise that I would not read what I wrote to any of his people. When after some years I re-visited New Zealand, I learnt that he had died soon after I left, and that his death was attributed to the anger of the Atua of his family due to his having, as they expressed it, trampled on the tapu by making noa or public things sacred—he having himself confessed what he no doubt believed to be the cause of his illness.

In [Appendix] will be found a list of Maori words expressing relationship. It will be observed that where we employ definite words for ‘father’ and ‘brother’ the Maori use words having a more comprehensive meaning, [pg IX] like our word ‘cousin’: hence when either of the words [matua], &c., are used, to ascertain the actual degree of relationship some additional explanatory words must be added, as would be necessary when we use the general term cousin.

A short vocabulary of Maori words unavoidably introduced in the following pages, which require explanation not to be found in any published dictionary, are also printed in the Appendix,—as well as a few selected karakia in the original Maori, with reference to pages where their translations appear, as a matter of interest to some persons.

Auckland, January, 1882.

[pg!XI]

CONTENTS.
	PAGE
[Chap. i.—Primitive Religion andMythology. Aryans and Polynesians]	[pg 1]_
[Chap. ii.—Maori Cosmogony and Mythology]	[pg 10]_
[Chap. iii.—Religious Rites of the Maori]	[pg 25]_
[Chap. iv. „ „ „]	[pg 38]_
[Chap. v.—The Maori Chief of Olden Time]	[pg 51]_
[Chap. vi.—Claiming and Naming Land]	[pg 68]_
[Chap. vii.—The Maori Land Tenure]	[pg 88]_
—————
[APPENDIX.]
[Terms of Maori Relationship]	[pg 106]_
[Explanation of some Maori words occurring infollowing pages]	[pg 107]_
[Karakia Maori]	[pg 109]_

[pg!XII]

p.	[pg 8]_	for	“Pendora”	read	“[Pandora].”
p.	[pg 21]_	„	“Herekeke”	„	“[Harakeke].”
p.	[pg 11]_	„	“Whananga”	„	“[Wananga].”
p.	[pg 24]_	„	„	„	[„]
p.	[pg 28]_	„	“manumea”	„	“[Manumea].”
p.	[pg 90]_	„	“and”	„	“[land].”
p.	[pg 96]_	„	“conquerers”	„	“[conquerors].”

[pg 1]

PRIMITIVE RELIGION AND MYTHOLOGY.

CHAPTER I.

ARYANS AND POLYNESIANS.

Νόμιζε σαυτῷ τοὺς γονεῖς εἶναι Θεούς.

The religious feeling may be traced to the natural veneration of the child for the parent, joined to an innate belief in the immortality of the soul. What we know of the primitive religion of Aryans and Polynesians points to this source. They both venerated the spirits of deceased ancestors, believing that these spirits took an interest in their living descendants: moreover, they feared them, and were careful to observe the precepts handed down by tradition, as having been delivered by them while alive.

The souls of men deified by death were by the Latins called “Lares” or “Mânes,” by the Greeks “Demons” or “Heroes.” Their tombs were the temples of these divinities, and bore the inscription “Dîs manibus,” “Θεοῖς χθονίοις;” and before the tomb was an altar for sacrifice. The term used by the Greeks and Romans to signify the worship of the dead is significant. The former used the word [pg 2] “πατριάζειν,” the latter “parentare,” showing that the prayers were addressed to forefathers. “I prevail over my enemies,” says the Brahmin, “by the incantations which my ancestors and my father have handed down to me.”[¹]

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 invocations very numerous. Tiki was the first instructor, and from him descended his instructions to our forefathers, and have abided to the present time. For this reason they have power. Thus says the song:—

E tama, tapu-nui, tapu-whakaharahara,

He mauri wehewehe na o tupuna,

Na Tiki, na Rangi, na Papa.

O child, very sacred—very, very sacred,

Shrine set apart by your ancestors,

By Tiki, by Rangi, by Papa.”

The researches of philologists tend to show that all known languages are derived from one original parent source. The parent language from which the Aryan and Polynesian languages are derived must have been spoken at a very remote time; for no two forms of [pg 3] language are now more diverse than these two are. In the Polynesian there is but the slightest trace of inflexion of words which is a general character of Aryan languages. The Polynesian language seems to have retained a very primitive form, remaining fixed and stationary; and this is confirmed by the fact that the forms of Polynesian language, whether spoken in the Sandwich Islands or in New Zealand, though their remoteness from each other indicates a very early separation, differ to so small a degree that they may be regarded as only different dialects of the same language. The Maori language is essentially conservative, containing no principle in its structure facilitating change. The component parts or roots of words are always apparent.

When we consider the great remoteness of time at which it is possible that a connection between Aryans and Polynesians could have existed, we are carried back to the contemplation of a very primitive condition of the human race. In the Polynesian family we can still discover traces of this primitive condition. We can also observe a similarity between the more antient form of religious belief and mythological tradition of the Aryans and that still existing among Polynesians; for which reason we think it allowable to apply to the interpretation of old Aryan myths the principle we discover to guide us as to the signification of Polynesian Mythology.

It was a favourite opinion with Christian apologists, Eusebius and others, that the Pagan deities represented deified men. Others consider them to signify [pg 4] the powers of external nature personified. For others they are, in many cases, impersonations of human passions and propensities reflected back from the mind of man. A fourth mode of interpretation would treat them as copies distorted and depraved of a primitive system of religion given by God to man.[²]

The writer does not give any opinion as to which of these theories he would give a preference. If, however, we look at the mythology of Greek and Latin Aryans from the Maori point of view the explanation of their myths is simple.

This mythology personified and deified the Powers of Nature, and represented them as the ancestors of all mankind; so these personified Powers of Nature were worshipped as deified ancestors. There is no authority for any other supposition. With regard to the two latter theories above referred to it may be remarked that fiction is always liable to be interpreted in a manner conformable to the ideas prevailing at any particular time, so that there would be a natural tendency, in modern times, to apply meanings never originally thought of to the interpretation of mythology. Man in early days, ignorant of the causes of natural phenomena, yet having a mind curious to inquire and trace observed effects to some cause, formulated his conceptions on imaginary grounds, which, although now manifestly false and absurd, yet were probably sufficiently credible in the infancy of knowledge.

There is a notable mental condition of the [pg 5] Polynesian to which we desire to direct attention. The Maori has a very limited notion of the abstract. All his ideas take naturally a concrete form. This inaptitude to conceive any abstract notions was, it is believed, the early mental condition of man. Hence the Powers of Nature were regarded by him as concrete objects, and were consequently designated as persons. And this opinion is confirmed by the fact that the researches of comparative philologists give proof that all words are, in their origin or roots, expressive of visible and sensuous phenomena,[³] and consequently that all abstract words are derivable from such roots. The absence, too, of all abstract and metaphysical ideas from Homer has been noticed by Mr Gladstone as very remarkable.

I have seen it stated in print that the New Zealander has no sentiment of gratitude; in proof of which it was mentioned that he has no word in his language to express gratitude. This is true; but the reason is that gratitude is an abstract word, and that Maori is deficient in abstract terms. It is an error to infer that he is ignorant of the sentiment of gratitude, or that he is unable to express that sentiment in appropriate and intelligible words.

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, and Thalassa (=Sea).

From Heaven and Earth sprung Okeanos (=Ocean), Japetus, Kronos (=Saturn), Titans.

Hesiod also relates how Heaven confined his children in the dark caverns of Earth, and how Kronos avenged himself.

In the “Works and Days” Hesiod gives an account of the formation of the first human female out of Earth, from the union of whom, with Epimetheus, son of the Titan Japetus, sprung the human race.

So far Hesiod’s account may be derived from Aryan myths. The latter and greater part, however, of Hesiod’s Theogony cannot be accepted as a purely Aryan tradition; for colonists from Egypt and Phœnicia had settled in Greece, at an early period, and had brought with them alien mythical fables which were adopted in a modified form, in addition to the antient family religion of worship of ancestors.

Herodotus asserts that Homer and Hesiod made the Theogony of the Greeks; and to a certain extent this may be true, for the bard was then invested with a kind of sacredness, and what he sung was held to be the [pg 7] effect of an inspiration. When he invoked the Muses his invocation was not a mere formal set of words introduced for the sake of ornament, but an act of homage due to the Divinities addressed, whose aid he solicited.[⁴]

The traditions prevalent in Bœotia would naturally be strongly imbued with fables of foreign origin; and Hesiod, who was a Bœotian by birth, by collecting these local traditions and presenting them to the public in an attractive form, no doubt contributed, as well as Homer, to establish a national form of religion, made up of old Aryan tradition and what had been imported by Phœnician and Egyptian colonists.

Thus Zeus and the other Olympian deities formed the centre of a national religious system; but at the same time the old Aryan religion of worship of ancestors maintained a paramount influence, and every tribe and every family had its separate form of worship of its own ancestors. The prayer of the son of Achilles, when in the act of sacrificing Polyxena to the manes of his father, is a striking instance of the prevalent belief that the deified spirits of ancestors had power to influence the destinies of the living.

“O son of Peleus, my father, receive from me this libation, appeasing, alluring, the dead. Come now, that you may drink the black pure blood of a virgin, which we give to thee—both I and the army. And be kindly disposed to us, and grant us to loose the sterns [pg 8] of our ships, and the cables fastening to the shore, and all to reach home favoured with a prosperous return from Ilium.”[⁵]

Euripides would not have put these words into the mouth of the son of Achilles had they not been in accord with the sympathies of an Athenian audience.

Comparing the Greek mythological traditions, such as they have come down to us, with those of the Maori, some striking resemblance is to be observed. First, there is the fact that both treat the elements of nature, and abstract notions as persons capable of propagating from each other by generation. In both Light springs out of Darkness. The sons of Heaven and Earth in both accounts conspire against their father for the same reason—that their father had confined them in darkness. And lastly the first human female, in both, is said to have been formed out of earth. The first woman, in the Maori Mythology, drags down her offspring to Po (=Night), meaning to death. And the first woman of the Greek Mythology, Pandora, introduces all kinds of afflictions as an heritage for hers.

It is also to be noticed that just as Zeus and the Olympian Gods were national deities for Greeks, so their old mythical deities—Po, Rangi, Papa, Tiki, &c., were invoked alike by the whole Maori race, especially in the ceremonies required to free a person from the sacred restrictions comprised under the term tapu. They were the Maori national Gods, for they were their common ancestors. But at the same time [pg 9] every Maori tribe and family invoked independently each its own tribal and family ancestors, just as was the practice of the Greeks and Latins.

[pg 10]

CHAPTER II.

MAORI COSMOGONY AND MYTHOLOGY.

An quoquam genitos nisi Cœlo credere fas est

Esse homines.—Manilius.

The Maori had no tradition of the Creation. The great mysterious Cause of all things existing in the Cosmos was, as he conceived it, the generative Power. Commencing with a primitive state of Darkness, he conceived Po (=Night) as a person capable of begetting a race of beings resembling itself. After a succession of several generations of the race of Po, Te Ata (=Morn) was given birth to. Then followed certain beings existing when Cosmos was without form, and void. Afterwards came Rangi (=Heaven), Papa (=Earth), the Winds, and other Sky-powers, as are recorded in the genealogical traditions preserved to the present time.

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] for we find the names of Rangi, Rongo, Tangaroa, &c., mentioned as Atua or Gods of the Maori of the Sandwich Islands and other Islands of the Pacific inhabited by the same race. The common worship of these primitive Atua constituted the National religion of the Maori.

2. In addition to this the Maori had a religious worship peculiar to each tribe and to each family, in forms of karakia or invocation addressed to the spirits of dead ancestors of their own proper line of descent.

Ancestral spirits who had lived in the flesh before the migration to New Zealand would be invoked by all the tribes in New Zealand, so far as their names had been preserved, in their traditional records as mighty spirits.

3. From the time of the migration to New Zealand each tribe and each family would in addition address their invocations to their own proper line of ancestors,—thus giving rise to a family religious worship in addition to the national religion.

The cause of the preservation of their Genealogies becomes intelligible when we consider that they often formed the ground-work of their religious formulas, and that to make an error or even hesitation in repeating a karakia was deemed fatal to its efficacy.

In the forms of karakia addressed to the spirits of ancestors, the concluding words are generally a petition to the Atua invoked to give force or effect to the karakia as being derived through the [Tipua], the [Pukenga], and the [Wananga], and so descending to the living [Tauira].

[pg 12]

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).

Toko-mua (=elder prop).
Toko-roto (=middle prop).
Toko-pa (=last prop).
Rangi-potiki (=child Rangi).

[pg 13]

GENEALOGICAL DESCENT FROM TOKO-MUA.

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:—

1. Ohomairangi.

2. Tawhirioho.

3. Ohotaretare.

4. Oho-mata-kamokamo.

From Ohomairangi descended:—

[pg 17]

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).

GENEALOGICAL DESCENT FROM RANGI-POTIKI.

Rangi-potiki had three wives, the first of which was Hine-ahu-papa; from her descended:—

| Tu-nuku.
Sky | Tu-rangi.
Powers. | Tama-i-koropao.
| Haronga.

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 Sun and Moon at the present day.

Rangi-potiki’s second wife was Papatuanuku. She gave birth to the following children:—

Rehua (a star).
Rongo.
Tangaroa.
Tahu.
Punga and Here, twins.
Hua and Ari, do.
[pg 18]
Nukumera } twins.
Rango-maraeroa }
Marere-o-tonga } do.
Takataka-putea }
Tu-matauenga } do.
Tu-potiki }

Rongo was atua of the kumara.

Tangaroa was ancestor of Fish and the Pounamu, which is classed with fish by the Maori. Tangaroa took to wife Te Anu-matao (=the chilly cold): from which union descended.

All | Te Whata-uira-a-tangaroa.
of the | Te Whatukura.
Fish | Poutini.
Class. | Te Pounamu.

Tahu was atua presiding over peace and feasts.

Punga was ancestor of the lizard, shark, and ill-favoured creatures: hence the proverb “aitanga-a-Punga” (=child of Punga) to denote an ugly fellow.

Tu-matauenga was the Maori war God.

Rangi-potiki’s third wife was Papa (=Earth). Tangaroa was accused of having committed adultery with Papa, and Rangipotiki, armed with his spear, went to obtain satisfaction. He found Tangaroa seated by the door of his house, who, when he saw Rangi thus coming towards him, began the following karakia, at the same time striking his right shoulder with his left hand:—

Tangaroa, Tangaroa,

Tangaroa, unravel;

Unravel the tangle,

Unravel, untwist.

[pg 19]

Though Rangi is distant,

He is to be reached.

Some darkness for above,

Some light for below

Freely give

For bright Day[⁹]

This invocation of Tangaroa was scarce ended when Rangi made a thrust at him. Tangaroa warded it off, and it missed him. Then Tangaroa made a thrust at Rangi, and pierced him quite through the thigh, and he fell.

While Rangi lay wounded he begat his child Kueo (=Moist). The cause of this name was Rangi’s wetting his couch while he lay ill of his wound. After Kueo, he begat Mimi-ahi, so-called from his making water by the fireside. Next he begat Tane-tuturi (=straight-leg-Tane), so-called because Rangi could now stretch his legs. Afterwards he begat Tane-pepeki (=bent-leg-Tane), so-called because Rangi could sit with his knees bent. The next child was Tane-ua-tika (=straight-neck-Tane), for Rangi’s neck was now straight, and he could hold up his head. The next child born was called Tane-ua-ha[¹⁰] (=strong-neck-Tane), for Rangi’s neck was strong. Then was born Tane-te-waiora (=lively Tane), so called because Rangi was quite recovered. Then was born Tane-nui-a-Rangi (=Tane great son of Rangi). And last of all was born Paea, a daughter. She was the last [pg 20] of Rangi’s children. With Paea they came to an end, so she was named Paea, which signifies ‘closed.’

Some time after the birth of these children the thought came to Tane-nui-a-Rangi to separate their father from them. Tane had seen the light of the Sun shining under the armpit of Rangi; so he consulted with his elder brothers what they should do. They all said, “Let us kill our father, because he has shut us up in darkness, and let us leave our mother for our parent.” But Tane advised, “Do not let us kill our father, but rather let us raise him up above, so that there may be light.” To this they consented; so they prepared ropes, and when Rangi was sound asleep they rolled him over on the ropes, and Paea took him on her back. Two props were also placed under Rangi. The names of the props were Tokohurunuku, and Tokohururangi. Then lifting him with the aid of these two props, they shoved him upwards. Then Papa thus uttered her farewell to Rangi.

“Haera ra, e Rangi, ē! ko te wehenga taua i a Rangi.”

“Go, O Rangi, alas! for my separation from Rangi.”

And Rangi answered from above:

“Heikona ra, e Papa, ē! ko te wehenga taua i a Papa.”

“Remain there, O Papa. Alas! for my separation from Papa.”

So Rangi dwelt above, and Tane and his brothers dwelt below with their mother, Papa.

Some time after this Tane desired to have his mother Papa for his wife. But Papa said, “Do not turn your inclination towards me, for evil will come to you. Go to your ancestor Mumuhango.” So Tane took [pg 21] Mumuhango to wife, who brought forth the totara tree. Tane returned to his mother dissatisfied, and his mother said, “Go to your ancestor Hine-tu-a-maunga (=the mountain maid).” So Tane took Hine-tu-a-maunga to wife, who conceived, but did not bring forth a child. Her offspring was the rusty water of mountains, and the monster reptiles common to mountains. Tane was displeased, and returned to his mother. Papa said to him “Go to your ancestor Rangahore.” So Tane went, and took that female for a wife, who brought forth stone. This greatly displeased Tane, who again went back to Papa. Then Papa said “Go to your ancestor Ngaore (=the tender one).” Tane took Ngaore to wife. And Ngaore gave birth to the toetoe (a species of rush-like grass). Tane returned to his mother in displeasure. She next advised him, “Go to your ancestor Pakoti.” Tane did as he was bid, but Pakoti only brought forth harakeke (=phormium tenax). Tane had a great many other wives at his mother’s bidding, but none of them pleased him, and his heart was greatly troubled, because no child was born to give birth to Man; so he thus addressed his mother—“Old lady, there will never be any progeny for me.” Thereupon Papa said, “Go to your ancestor, Ocean, who is grumbling there in the distance. When you reach the beach at Kura-waka, gather up the earth in the form of man.” So Tane went and scraped up the earth at Kura-waka. He gathered up the earth, the body was formed, and then the head, and the arms; then he joined on the legs, and patted down the surface of the belly, so as to give the form of man; and when he had done this, he returned to his mother and said, “The [pg 22] whole body of the man is finished.” Thereupon his mother said, “Go to your ancestor Mauhi, she will give the raho.[¹¹] Go to your ancestor Whete, she will give the timutimu.[¹¹] Go to your ancestor Taua-ki-te-marangai, she will give the paraheka.[¹¹] Go to your ancestor Pungaheko, she has the huruhuru.” So Tane went to these female ancestors, who gave him the things asked for. He then went to Kura-waka. Katahi ka whakanoho ia i nga raho ki roto i nga kuwha o te wahine i hanga ki te one: Ka mau era. Muri atu ka whakanoho ia ko te timutimu na Whete i homai ki waenga i nga raho; muri atu ko te paraheka na Taua-ki-te-marangai i homai ka whakanoho ki te take o te timutimu: muri iho ko te huruhuru na Pungaheko i homai ka whakanoho ki runga i te puke. Ka oti, katahi ka tapa ko Hineahuone. Then he named this female form Hine-ahu-one (=The earth formed maid).

Tane took Hine-ahu-one to wife. She first gave birth to Tiki-tohua—the egg of a bird from which have sprung all the birds of the air. After that, Tiki-kapakapa was born—a female. Then first was born for Tane a human child. Tane took great care of Tiki-kapakapa, and when she grew up he gave her a new name, Hine-a-tauira (=the pattern maid). Then he took her to wife, and she bore a female child who was named Hine-titamauri.

One day Hine-a-tauira said to Tane, “Who is my father?” Tane laughed. A second time Hine-a-tauira asked the same question. Then Tane made a sign:[¹²] [pg 23] and the woman understood, and her heart was dark, and she gave herself up to mourning, and fled away to Rikiriki, and to Naonao, to Rekoreko, to Waewae-te-Po, and to Po.[¹³] The woman fled away, hanging down her head.[¹⁴] Then she took the name of Hine-nui-te-Po (=great woman of Night). Her farewell words to Tane were—“Remain, O Tane, to pull up our offspring to Day; while I go below to drag down our offspring to Night.”[¹⁵]

Tane sorrowed for his daughter-wife, and cherished his daughter Hinetitamauri; and when she grew up he gave her to Tiki to be his wife, and their first-born child was Tiki-te-pou-mua.[¹⁶]

The following narrative is a continuation of the history of Hinenuitepo from another source:—

After Hinenuitepo fled away to her ancestors in the realms of Night, she gave birth to Te Po-uriuri (=The Dark one), and to Te Po-tangotango (=The very dark), and afterwards to Pare-koritawa, who married Tawaki, one of the race of Rangi. Hence the proverb when the sky is seen covered with small clouds “Parekoritawa is tilling her garden.” When Tawaki climbed to Heaven with Parekoritawa, he repeated this karakia:—

Ascend, O Tawaki, by the narrow path,

By which the path of Rangi was followed;

The path of Tu-kai-te-uru.

[pg 24] The narrow path is climbed,

The broad path is climbed,

The path by which was followed

Your ancestors, Te Aonui,

Te Ao-roa,

Te Ao-whititera.

Now you mount up

To your [Ihi],

To your Mana,

To the Thousands above,

To your Ariki,

To your [Tapairu],

To your [Pukenga],

To your [Wananga],

To your [Tauira].

When Tawaki and Parekoritawa mounted to the Sky, they left behind them a token—a black moth—a token of the mortal body.

Pare gave birth to Uenuku (=Rainbow). Afterwards she brought forth Whatitiri (=Thunder). Hence the rainbow in the sky, and the thunder-clap.

[pg 25]

CHAPTER III.

RELIGIOUS RITES OF THE MAORI.

Ἀλλ᾿ ἄγε δή τινα μάντιν ἐρείομεν.—Hom. Il. 1-62.

The religious rites and ceremonies of the Maori were strange and complex, and must have been a severe burden, as will be understood from the translations of Maori narratives relating to such matters contained in these pages. To make these translations more intelligible to the reader, a brief review of the subject is now given in explanation.

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 things.

The idea in which this law originated appears to have been that a portion of the sacred essence of an Atua, or of a sacred person, was directly communicable to objects which they touched, and also that the sacredness so communicated to any object could afterwards be more or less retransmitted to anything else brought into contact with it. It was therefore necessary that anything containing the sacred essence of an Atua should be made tapu to protect it from being polluted by the [pg 26] contact of food designed to be eaten; for the act of eating food which had touched anything tapu, involved the necessity of eating the sacredness of the Atua, from whom it derived its sacredness.

It seems that the practice of cannibalism must have had a close connexion with such a system of belief. To eat an enemy was the greatest degradation to which he could be subjected, and so it must have been regarded as akin to blasphemy to eat anything containing a particle of divine essence.

Everything not included under the class tapu was called noa, meaning free or common. Things and persons tapu could, however, be made noa by means of certain ceremonies, the object of which was to extract the tapu essence, and restore it to the source whence it originally came. It has been already stated that every tribe and every family has its own especial Atua. The Ariki, or head of a family, in both male and female lines, are regarded by their own family with a veneration almost equal to that of their Atua.[¹⁷] They form, as [pg 27] it were, the connecting links between the living and the spirits of the dead; and the ceremonies required for releasing anything from the tapu state cannot be perfected without their intervention.

On arriving one evening at a Maori settlement, I found that a ceremony, in which everyone appeared to take deep interest, was to take place in the morning. The inhabitants were mostly professing Christians, and the old sacred place of the settlement was, from the increase of their numbers, inconveniently near their houses; a part of it was, therefore, required to be added to the Pa. I was curious to see in what way the land required would be made noa. In the morning when I went to the place I found a numerous assembly, while in the centre of the space was a large native oven, from which women were removing the earth and mat-coverings. When opened it was seen to contain only kumara, or sweet potato. One of these was offered to each person present, which was held in the hand while the usual morning service was read, concluding with a short prayer that God’s blessing might rest on the place. After this each person ate his kumara, and the place was declared to be noa. I could not but think that the native teacher had done wisely in thus adopting so much of old ceremonial as to satisfy the scruples of those of little faith. In this case, every one present, by eating food cooked on the tapu ground, equally incurred the risk of offending the Atua of the family, which risk was believed to be removed by the Christian karakia.

By neglecting the laws of tapu, Ariki, chiefs, and [pg 28] other sacred persons are especially liable to the displeasure of their Atua, and are therefore afraid to do a great many ordinary acts necessary in private life. For this reason a person of the sacred class was obliged to eat his meals in the open air, at a little distance from his sacred dwelling, and from the place which he and his friends usually occupied; and if he could not eat all that had been placed before him he kept the remainder for his own sole use, in a sacred place appropriated for that purpose: for no one dared to eat what so sacred a person had touched.

The term karakia is applicable to all forms of prayer to the Atua: but there are a variety of names or titles to denote karakia having special objects. The translations of those now presented to the reader will, it is believed, speak for themselves as to the nature of Maori worship, and carry with them a more clear and full conviction as to what it really was than any mere statements however faithful. It will be seen that a karakia is in some cases very like a prayer,—in other cases for the most part an invocation of spirits of ancestors in genealogical order,—in other cases a combination of prayer and invocation.

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.

Weave, weave the mat,

Couch for my unborn child,

Qui lectus aquâ inundabitur:

Rupe, et Manumea inundabuntur:

Lectus meus, et mei fetûs inundabitur:

[pg 29]

Inundabor aquâ, inundabor;

Maritus meus inundabitur.[¹⁸]

Now I step upon (the mat).

The Matitikura[¹⁹] to Rupe above,

* * * Toroa *

* * * Takapu *

* * * to cause to be born,

My child now one with myself.

Stand firm turuturu[²⁰] of Hine-rauwharangi,

* * * * Hine-teiwaiwa,

Stand by your tia,[²¹] Ihuwareware,

Stand by your kona,[²¹] Ihuatamai,

Chide me not in my trouble,

Me Hine-teiwaiwa, O Rupe.[²²]

Release from above your hair,[²³]

Your head, your shoulders,

Your breast, your liver,

Your knees, your feet,

Let them come forth.

The old lady[²⁴] with night-dark visage,

She will make you stretch,

She will make you rise up.

Let go ewe,[²⁵] let go take,[²⁵]

Let go parapara.[²⁵] Come forth.[^*]

[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 child will generally be born ere ever he returns.

The following form of karakia is also used by members of the same tribe in similar cases:—

O! Hine-teiwaiwa, release Tuhuruhuru,

O! Rupe, release your nephew.

The ancestors of the father of the child are then invoked by name. First the elder male line of ancestors, commencing with an ancestor who lived in Hawaiki and terminating with the living representative of that line. Then follows a repetition of the ancestral line next in succession, and the third in succession, if the child be not born.[²⁶] After which the tohunga addressing the unborn child says, “Come forth. The fault rests with me. Come forth.” The tohunga continues thus—

If the child be not now born, Tiki is invoked thus—

Tiki of the heap of earth,

Tiki scraped together,

When hands and feet were formed,

First produced at Hawaiki.

[pg 31]

If the child be a male, it will be born—if a female, the mother’s line of ancestors must be invoked.

Intimately connected with the superstition respecting things tapu is the belief as to the cause of disease, namely, that a spirit has taken possession of the body of the sufferer. The belief is that any neglect of the law of tapu, either wilful, or accidental, or even brought about by the act of another person, causes the anger of the Atua of the family who punishes the offender by sending some infant spirit to feed on a part of his body—infant spirits being generally selected for this office on account of their love of mischief, and because not having lived long enough on earth to form attachments to their living relatives, they are less likely to show them mercy. When, therefore, a person falls sick, and cannot remember that he has himself broken any law of the tapu, he has to consult a matakite (seer) and a tohunga to discover the crime, and use the proper ceremonies to appease the Atua; for there is in practice a method of making a person offend against the laws of tapu without his being aware of it. This method is a secret one called makutu. It is sufficient for a person who knows this art, if he can obtain a portion of the spittle of his enemy, or some leavings from his food, in order that he may treat it in a manner sure to bring down the resentment of his family Atua. For this reason a person would not dare to spit when in the presence of anyone he feared might be disposed to injure him, if he had a reputation for skill in this evil art.

With such a belief as to the cause of all disease it will not be wondered at that the treatment of it was [pg 32] confined to the karakia of a tohunga or wise man. One or two examples of such cases will be sufficient to explain this as well as to show the in-rooted superstition of the Maori.

When anyone becomes porangi or insane, as not unfrequently happens, he is taken to a tohunga, who first makes an examination as to the cause of the disease. He and the sick man then go to the water-side, and the tohunga, stripping off his own clothes, takes in his hand an obsidian flint. First he cuts a lock of hair from the left side of the sick man’s head, and afterwards a lock of hair from the top of his head. The obsidian flint is then placed on the ground, and upon it the lock of hair which had been cut from the left side of the head. The lock of hair cut from the top of the head is held aloft in the left hand of the tohunga, while in his right hand he holds a common stone, which is also raised aloft, while the following karakia is being repeated by him.

Tu, divide, Tu, split,

This is the waiapu flint,

Now about to cry aloud

To the Moon of ill-omen.

Then the tohunga breathes on the flint, and smashes it with the stone held in his right hand. After this he selects a shoot of the plant toetoe, and pulls it up, and then fastens to it both the locks of hair. Then diving in the river, he lets go the toetoe and locks of hair, and when they float on the surface of the water, he commences his great karakia thus—

This is the [Tiri] of Tu-i-rawea,

This is the [Tiri] of Uenuku.

[pg 33]

Where lies your fault?

Was eating a kutu your fault?

Was sitting on tapu ground your fault?

Unravel the tangle,

Unravel, untie.

Take away the fault from the head

Of the Atua who afflicts this man.

Take away the disease,

And the mana of the curser.

Turn your mana against your tohunga,

And your whaiwhaia.[²⁷]

Give me the curse

To make as cooked food.

Your Atua desecrated,

Your tapu, your curse,

Your sacred-place-dwelling Atua,

Your house-dwelling Atua,

Give me to cook for food.

Your tapu is desecrated by me.

The rays of the sun,

The brave of the world,

The mana, give me.

Let your Atua, and your tapu

Be food for me to eat.

Let the head of the curser

Be baked in the oven,

Served up for food for me

Dead, and gone to Night.

The latter part of this karakia is a curse directed against some tohunga supposed to have caused the disease by his art of makutu.

Makutu was the weapon of the weak, who had no other mode of obtaining redress. There is no doubt but that it exercised a restraining influence, in a [pg 34] society where no law but that of force generally prevailed, as a check to theft and unjust dealing generally; for there is among the Maori a firm belief in and dread of its power. This is very evident from the following account given by one of themselves of the mode employed to detect and punish a petty theft.

A woman is much vexed when any of the flax scraped by her is stolen, and she consults a tohunga, in order to discover the thief. Whether the flax has been stolen from her house or from the water, the woman’s house must be tapu. No one must be allowed to enter it. This is necessary, that the makutu may take effect, and the person who stole the flax be discovered. So when the woman comes to the tohunga he first asks her “Has any one entered your house?” She replies “No.” Then the tohunga bids her return home, saying “I will come to you at night.” The woman returns home, and at night the tohunga comes to her. He bids her point out her house, and then goes with her to the water side. Having taken off his clothes, he strikes the water with a stick or wand, brought with him for that purpose, and immediately the form of the thief stands before them. The tohunga thus curses it—

May your eyes look at the moon—

Eyes of flax be yours,

Hands of flax be yours,

Feet of flax be yours.

Let your hands snatch

At the rays of the Sun.

Let your hands snatch at Whiro,

Whiro in vast heaven,

[pg 35]

Whiro born of Papa.

Snatch, snatch at your own head,

Perishing in the Night of Darkness,

In the Night of Death—Death.

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—

Great curse, long curse,

Great curse, binding curse,

Binding your sacredness

To the tide of destruction.

Come hither, sacred spell,

To be looked on by me.

Cause the curser to lie low

In gloomy Night, in dark Night,

In the Night of ill-omen.

Great wind, lasting wind,

Changing wind of Rangi above.

He falls. He perishes.

Cause to waste away the curser tohunga.

Let him bite the oven-stones.

Be food for me,

The tapu and the mana,

Of your Atua,

Of your karakia,

Of your tohunga.

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 36] the name [kahukahu], the meaning of which word was explained in a former publication.

The Maori has also a firm belief in omens derived from dreams, and from any sudden movements of the body or limbs during sleep, all which signs are believed to be warnings from the Atua.

There is a class of dreams called moe-papa, which are very unlucky: and if any one has one of these dreams, he will avoid going on a projected journey; for it is firmly believed that should he persist in going he will fall into an enemy’s ambush, or meet with some other misfortune. Hence the proverbial remark, if a person has neglected such a warning, and has fallen in with a war-party, “He was warned by a moe-papa, and yet went.” The kind of sleep denoted by this word is described to be the climbing a precipice, the wandering astray in a forest, entering a house, climbing a tree. Such dreams are death warnings. They appear to be such as we term night-mare.

The startings of the limbs or body during sleep are called takiri, some of which are lucky, and some unlucky, each kind being distinguished by a special name.

The lucky takiri are—

The hokai, or starting of the leg or foot in a forward direction. It denotes the repulse of the enemy.

The tauaro, or starting of the arm towards the body.

The whakaara, when in sleep the head starts upwards. It signifies that ere long the Ariki or his father will arrive.

The kapo, a very lucky sign. While a man sleeps with [pg 37] his right arm for a pillow, if the arm starts so as to strike his head, on awaking he will not mention it to his companions; for he knows by this omen that in the next battle which takes place it will be his good fortune to kill the first man of the enemy.

The unlucky takiri are—

The kohera, a starting of the arm and leg of one side of the body in an outward direction.

The peke, a starting of the arm outwards from the body.

The whawhati, a sleep in which the legs, the neck, and the head are bent doubled up towards the belly. This is very unlucky. The evil will not come to another person, but attends the man himself.

The former takiri do not necessarily denote evil to the individual sleeper, but to any of his companions.

[pg 38]

CHAPTER IV.

RELIGIOUS RITES OF THE MAORI.

Tantum Relligio potuit suadere.—Lucretius.

You ask me about the customs of Maori men, and their origin, how men came to learn them. This is the source whence men learnt them. Their knowledge is not from modern times. Papa, Rangi, Tiki were the first to give rules to men for work of all kinds, for killing, for man-eating, for karakia. In former days the knowledge of the Maori was great, in all matters, from this teaching, and so men learnt how to set rules for this thing and for that thing. Hence came the ceremony of Pure for the dead, the karakia for the new-born infant, for grown men, for battle, for storming a Pa, for eels, for birds, for makutu, and a multitude of other karakia. Tiki was the source from which they came down to the [tupua], the [pukenga], the [wananga], and the [tauira]. The men of antient days are a source of invocation for the [tauira]. Hence the karakia had its power, and came down from one generation to another ever having power. Formerly their karakia gave men power. From the time when the Rongo-pai (=Gospel) arrived here, and men were no longer tapu, disease commenced. The man of former days was not afflicted by disease. He died only when bent by age. He died when he came to the natural end of life.

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:—

Water-springs from above give me,

To pour on the breast of this woman.

Dew of Heaven give me,

To cause to trickle the breast of this woman;

At the points of the breast of this woman;

Breasts flowing with milk,

Flowing to the points of the breast of this woman,

Milk in plenty yielding.

For now the infant cries and moans,

In the great night, in the long night.

Tu the benefactor,

Tu the giver,

Tu the bountiful,

Come to me, to this [tauira].

After this the child is dipped in the water, and the mother and child are kept apart. One whole night they are kept apart, in order that the karakia may take effect. The mother remains alone in her house, while the tohunga seated outside it repeats his karakia. The tohunga also instructs the woman thus—“If the points of your breasts begin to itch, lay open your clothes, and lie naked.” Some time after her breasts begin to itch, and the woman knows that the karakia is taking effect. Afterwards her breasts become painful, and she calls out to the tohunga “my breasts itch and are painful, they are full of milk.” Then the child is brought to the mother. See what power the karakia of the Maori possessed.

This is a word, a thought of mine. There has not [pg 40] been any remarkable sign of late years, from the time of the arrival of the Rongo-pai (=Gospel), like the signs seen in this island when men were tapu, when karakia had power. One sign seen in this island was the Ra-kutia (=the closed sun). At mid-day there was darkness, and the stars were seen. After two hours perhaps of darkness, daylight returned. Our fathers saw this sign: but there are now no signs like those of former days.

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 ceremony of Tūa takes place. Two fires are kindled; one fire for the Ariki, one fire for the Atua. The food to be cooked on the fire is fern-root. Then the tohunga takes the child in his arms, and repeats this karakia:—

Breathe quick thy lung,

A healthy lung.

Breathe strong thy lung,

A firm lung,

A brave lung.

Severing[²⁸] for your bravery,

* * tilling food,

[pg 41] Severing for wielding the weapon,

* * warding off,

* * seizing the first man,

* * storming the Pa.

&c. &c.

&c. &c.

The boy infant is stept[²⁹] over,

* * * * climbed[²⁹] over,

* * * * lifted in the arms,

The boy infant is free from tapu,

He runs freely where food is cooked.

Cause this karakia to flow gently,

To the [Pukenga],

To the [Wananga],

To the [Tauira].

When this karakia ends the ceremony of Poipoi (=waving) follows. The tohunga takes up the fern-root cooked for the Atua, and waving it over the child repeats these words:—“This is for the [Tipua], for the [Pukenga], for the [Wananga]. Eat it. It is the food cooked for you to eat.” The cooked fern-root is then deposited on the sacred place. Afterwards the child is taken in the arms of the female Ariki, who waves over it the fern-root cooked on her fire, and touches with it different parts of the child’s body. The Ariki is said then to eat this fern-root, but does not do so in fact. She only spits on it, and throws it on the sacred place.

If there are several female Ariki of the same family of whom one is absent, a figure is made with weeds to represent her. Then part of the fern-root is offered to [pg 42] the figure and is stuck in it. All these ceremonies take place on sacred ground. The part of the ceremony—that of touching the body of the child with the food to be eat by the Ariki—is named kai-katoa. After this the child is free from tapu, so that persons of the family may take it in their arms.

No further ceremony takes place till the child arrives at youth, when his hair is cut, and the young person is released from tapu. The hair must be cut in the morning in order to insure a strict observance of tapu; for it is not only the tohunga who must be tapu on this occasion, but also the whole tribe. This tapu commences in the morning, and no one must eat food while it lasts. Should any one eat during that time it will be discovered; for if the skin of the child’s head be cut while cutting the hair, it is known at once that some one has eat food. This is a sure sign. After the hair is cut the ceremony of Poipoi is again observed, and the tohunga then raising up his hands repeats this karakia, and the young person is free—

These hands of mine are raised up,

And this sacredness here.

Tu-i-whiwhia, Tu-i-rawea,

Your freedom from tapu

Make sure the obtaining.

Make sure the freedom.

Make it sure to Papa.

Give me my tu:

Lift up the sacredness:

Lift it up: it prevails.

My hands here are raised[³⁰] up,

[pg 43] To Tiki there these hands of mine,

To Hine-nui-te-po these hands of mine,

These now free from tapu.

Freedom. They are free.

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	„	{ It is Rangi now consigned to earth, { Alas! my friend.
Tohunga	„	My evil omen,
All	„	{ The lightning glancing on the mountain peak { Te Waharoa doomed to death.

After the keka, the uhunga or lament commences. The clothes in which the corpse should be dressed are the kahuwaero, the huru, the topuni, and the tatata. The lament ended, presents are spread to view, greenstone ornaments, and other offerings for the dead chief. A carved chest, ornamented with feathers, is also made, and a carved canoe, a small one resembling a large canoe, which is painted with kokowai (=red-ochre); also a stick bent at the top is set up by the way-side, in order that persons passing by may see it, and know that a chief has died. This is called a hara. The carved chest is called a whare-rangi. The corpse only is buried, the clothes are placed in the carved chest which is preserved by the family and descendants as a sacred relic.

[pg 44] On the morning following the burial, some men go to kill a small bird of the swamps called kokata, and to pluck up some reeds of wiwi. They return and come near the grave. The tohunga then asks “Whence come you?” The men reply, “From the seeking, from the searching.” The tohunga again asks “Ah! what have you got? ah! what have you gained?” Thereon the men throw on the ground the kotata and the wiwi. Then the tohunga selects a stalk of toetoe or rarauhe, and places it near the grave in a direction pointing towards Hawaiki to be a pathway for the spirit, that it may go in the straight path to those who died before him. This is named a [Tiri], and is also placed near where he died, in order that his spirit may return as an Atua for his living relations. The person to whom this Atua appears is called the [kaupapa] or waka-atua. Whenever the spirit appears to the [kaupapa] the men of the family assemble to hear its words. Hear the karakia of the [kaupapa] to prevail on the spirit to climb the path of the [Tiri].

This is your path, the path of Tawaki;

By it he climbed up to Rangi,

By it he mounted to your many,

To your Thousands;

By it you approached,

By it you clung,

By it your spirit arrived safely

To your ancestors.

I now am here sighing,

Lamenting for your departed spirit.

Come, come to me in form of a moth,

Come to me your [kaupapa],

Whom you loved,

For whom you lamented.

Here is the [Tiri] for you,

[pg 45]

The [Tiri] of your ancestors,

The [Tiri] of your [Pukenga],

Of your [Wananga],

Of me this [Tauira].

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, while the upper ends cling to a pohutukawa tree. The spirit stands by the upper end of these roots, awaiting an opening in the sea weed floating on the water. The moment an opening is seen, it flies down to the Reinga. Reaching the Reinga, there is a river and a sandy beach. The spirit crosses the river. The name of the new comer is shouted out. He is welcomed, and food is set before him. If he eats the food he can never return to life.[³²]

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, who said “the man is like Te Atarahi, why, it surely is Te Atarahi.” Her companion replied—“It cannot be Te Atarahi, he is dead.” Then they both looked carefully, and saw that the skin of the man was wrinkled and hanging loose about his back and shoulders, and that the hair of his head was all gone.

So the women returned to the Pa, and told how they had seen Te Atarahi. “Are you quite sure it was Te Atarahi?” said the men of the Pa. And the women answered, “His appearance was like Te Atarahi, but the hair of his head was all gone, and his skin hung loose in folds about his back.” Then one was sent to look at the grave where Te Atarahi had been buried. He found the grave undisturbed, so he returned and said “Sirs, the body is well buried, it has not been disturbed.” Then the men went, and examined the place carefully on every side, and found an opening on one side, a little way off. Then they went to the place where Te Atarahi had been seen by the women, and there found the man seated on a ti tree. They at once knew him to be Te Atarahi; so they sent for the tohunga. The tohunga, came and repeated a karakia, after which, the man was removed to the sacred place, and the tohunga remained with him constantly repeating karakia, while the people of the Pa stood without looking on. There the man remained many days, food being brought for him. Time passed, and he began to have again the appearance of a Maori [pg 47] man. At length he recovered and got quite well. Then he told how he had been in the Reigna, how his relations came about him, and bid him not to touch the food, and sent him back to the land of Light. He spoke also of the excellence of the state in which the people of the Reigna dwelt, of their food, of their choice delicacy the ngaro, of the numbers of their Pa, and the multitude of the dwellers there, all which agreed with what the Atua have said, when they visit men on earth.

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 tohunga of the tribe—those skilled in bringing back love—those skilled in makutu—in short all the tohunga. When these all assembled before him, he said to them “The cause of my calling you is this. My wife has disappeared.” The tohunga replied “When it is night, all of you leave your houses.” So when night came every one came forth from his house as the tohunga had ordered. Then the tohunga skilled in restoring love stood up, and after some while discovered that the lost woman was with the Fairies. So he commenced a karakia to make her love for her Maori husband return.

What wind is this blowing softly to your skin:

Will you not incline towards your companion,

[pg 48] To whom you clung when sleeping together,

Whom you clasped in your arms,

Who shared your griefs.

When the wind bears to you this my love,

Incline hither thy love,

Sighing for the couch where both slept.

Let your love burst forth,

As the water-spring from its source.

When the tohunga had ended this karakia he said to the husband “Go, fetch your wife. When she meets you, be quick to rub her all over with kokowai (red-ochre).” So the man went, and when night came he lay down to sleep by the way side. While he slept he saw his wife coming to meet him. With this he awoke knowing well that the tohunga had spoken truly. At day-light he went on his way, and after some time came in sight of the Pa of the Fairies. No one was within the Pa. All had gone forth to look at the Maori woman. Now a great desire towards her Maori husband had come to the woman borne to her by the karakia of the tohunga, so the woman said to her Fairy husband “Let me go and visit my new brothers-in-law.” This she said deceitfully; for when her Fairy husband consented, she went straight away to meet her Maori husband, who, as soon as she came near, rubbed her all over with kokowai, and hastened home with her.

Meanwhile the Fairy husband awaited her return. He waited a long while, and at last went to look for her: at length he discovered footsteps of a man and woman, then he knew she had gone off with her husband. So the war-party of the Fairies assembled, and went to attack the Maori Pa. But they found the posts of the Pa daubed over with kokowai, and the leaves used in the [pg 49] ovens for cooking, thrown on the roofs of the houses: the Pa too was full of the steam of cooked food. As for the woman, she was placed for concealment in an oven. So the Fairies feared to come near; for how could they enter the Pa in their dread of the kokowai, and the steam of the ovens which filled the court-yard. So great is their dread of cooked food.

Then the tohunga Maori all standing up sung a karakia to put to sleep the Fairies.

Thrust aside, thrust afar,

Thrust aside your sacredness,

Thrust aside your tohunga:

Let me, let me mark[³³] you,

Let me mark your brow,

Give me thereupon your sacredness,

You mana, your tohunga,

Your karakia give me,

To place beside the oven-stones,

To place beside the cinders,

To place beside the kokowai.

Now these rest on your head,

On your sacred places,

On your female Ariki.

Your sacredness is undone.

By the time this karakia came to an end, all the Fairies were seated on the ground. Their chief then stood up, and sung thus:—

Alas! for this day

Which now oppresses me.

I stretched out my hand

To the mate of Tirini.

Followed were my footsteps,

And charmed was returning love,

[pg 50] At Pirongia there.

This the dreaded tribe is undone,

Tiki[³⁴] and Nukupouri[³⁴]

And Whanawhana[³⁴]

And I Rangi-pouri:[³⁴]

I carried off the woman,

I the first aggressor:

I went to enter the house of Ruarangi,

To stretch out my hand,

To touch the Maori skin.

The boundary is oven-marked,

To prevent its being moved aside,

To guard the wife in safety.

He thought the power of his karakia would appear; but it could not conquer the devices of the Maori tohunga; for how could it prevail against the cooked food, and the oven-stoves, and the kokowai, and the many other devices of the tohunga. Hence it was seen that the power of karakia was not possessed by the Fairies. The only power given to them was to smother men.

[pg 51]

CHAPTER V.

THE MAORI CHIEF OF OLDEN TIME.

Θεὸς δ’ ὣς τίετο δήμῳ.—Homer.

The Chiefs who came from Hawaiki to Aotea-roa in the canoe Arawa were the following:—Tia, Maka, Oro, Ngatoroirangi, Maru-punganui, Ika, Whaoa, Hei, and Tama-te-kapua. After their canoe was hauled ashore at Maketu, these chiefs set out to explore the country, in order to take possession of land each for himself and his family.

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 at Maketu. Tuhoro, and his younger brother, Kahumata-momoe, sons of Tama-te-kapua, also remained at Maketu. Their Pa was named Te Koari, and is still a sacred place. Their house was named Whitingakongako. Kahu had a cultivation named Parawai, which his mother gave him.

[pg 52] While he was at work one day in his garden, Tuhoro struck him, and they strove together. The elder brother fell, and being beneath his younger brother was held down by him on the ground. Then their children and the whole tribe cried out, “Let your elder brother rise up.” So he let him go; but their quarrel continued with angry words. “Some day I will be the death of you,” said Kahu, “and no one shall save you.” Tuhoro, enraged, again struck Kahu; but he was thrown to the ground a second time by Kahu. Then Tuhoro seized hold of Kahu’s ear, and tore from it a green-stone; the name of this stone was kaukaumatua. Tuhoro kept it, and some time afterwards buried it in the ground, at the foot of the post by the window of their father’s house.

After this Tuhoro resolved to follow his father, Tama-te-kapua. So he went, he and all his children. He left none behind. He went to Moehau, and there he and his father both died.

When Tama-te-kapua was on the point of dying, he said to his son, Tuhoro, “You must remain sacred for three years, and dwell apart from the tribe. Let there be three gardens by the sides of your house, set apart as sacred, in which you are to cultivate food for the Atua. On the fourth year awaken me from sleep; for my hands will be ever gathering up the earth, and my mouth will be ever eating worms, and grubs, and excrement, the only food below in the Reinga (abode of spirits). When my tuuta[³⁵] drops down, and my head falls down on my body, and my hands drop down, and the fourth year [pg 53] arrives, turn my face to the light of day, and disinter my papa-toiake.[³⁶] When I arise you will be noa (free from tapu.)

If clubs threaten to strike,

You will see to it—Yes, yes.

If a war party is abroad,

You shall strike—Yes, yes.”

Having thus said, Tama-te-kapua died, and was buried by his son on the summit of Moehau.

The three years enjoined by Tama were not ended, when Tuhoro commenced cultivating food as formerly; so the sacred remains of his father turned against him, and he died.

A short time before his death, his sons, Taramainuku, Warenga, and Huarere, assembled in his presence. Whereupon Tuhoro said, “Your younger brother must bury me.” So the younger son was called. Ihenga came and sat beside his father in his sacred house, who thus instructed him: “When I am dead, carry me out of the house, and lay me out naked to be your Ika-hurihuri[³⁷] (twisting fish). First bite with your teeth my forehead, next bite with your teeth my tahito[³⁸] (perineum). Then carry me to the grave of your grandfather. When I am buried, go to Maketu.”

“Why must I go to Maketu?”

“That your uncle may perform the ceremonies to remove your sacredness.”

[pg 54]

“But how shall I know him?”

Then the father said, “He will not be unknown to you.”

“Ho! some one will kill me on the way.”

“Not so. You will go in safety along the sea-shore.”

“But I shall never find him.”

“You cannot mistake him. Look at his right ear for a part hanging down. He is a big, short man, with a sleepy eye. When you approach your uncle, in order that he may know you, go at once and seat yourself on his pillow. When you are both freed from sacredness, search for the ear-drop of your uncle under the window-post.”

“But how shall I find it?”

“You will find it. Dig for it. It is buried there wrapt in a piece of cloth with manuka bark outside it.”

So, when the father died, his naked body was brought out of the house, and laid on the ground. The younger son bit with his teeth the forehead, and then bit with his teeth the tahito of his father, saying at the same time, “Teach me when I sleep.”

The reason why he bit the forehead and the tahito was that the mana, or sacred power of his father, might inspire him, so that he might become his [tauira], i.e., the living representative of his mana and karakia. Then the young man thus addressed the corpse: “If an enemy attack us hereafter, show me whether death or safety will be ours. If this land be abandoned, you and your father will be abandoned, and your offspring will perish.”

Then the corpse moved, and inclined towards the [pg 55] right side. Afterwards it inclined towards the left side. A second time it inclined to the right, and afterwards to the left side. After that the moving of the body ceased. Therefore it was seen that it was an ill-omen, and that the land would be deserted.

After this laying out of the corpse, its legs were bent, so that the knees touched the neck, and then it was bound in this position with a plaited girdle. Afterwards two cloaks, made of kahakaha, were wrapt around the corpse, over which were placed two cloaks such as old men wear, and then a dog-skin cloak. Feathers of the albatross, the huia, and the kotuku (white crane), were stuck in the hair of the head, and the down breasts of the albatross were fastened to the ears. Then commenced the tangi (dirge, or lament). Then the last farewell words were spoken, and the chiefs made speeches. The lament of Rikiriki, and the lament of Raukatauri for Tuhuruhuru was chanted; and the corpse was buried on the ridge of Moehau.

Now, when the young man slept, the spirit of his father said to him, “When you are hungry, do not allow your mouth to ask for food; but strike with a stick the food-basket. If you are thirsty, strike the gourd.” Every night the spirit of the father taught the young man his karakia, till he had learnt them all; after which he said to his son, “Now we two will go, and also some one to carry food.”

So they went both of them, the father’s spirit leading the way. Starting from Moehau they passed by Heretaonga, Whangapoua, Tairua, Whangamata, Katikati, and Matakana. There they rested. After that they [pg 56] went on to Rangiwaea, where Ihenga embarked in a small sacred canoe, while his travelling companion went on board a large canoe. Then they crossed over to Waikoriri. Here Waitara wished to detain him, but he would not stay. He went straight onwards to Wairakei, and the Houhou. He met a man, and enquired where Kahu dwelt. The man said, “At the great house you see yonder.” So Ihenga went on, and having reached the place where the Arawa was hauled ashore, he looked about him, and then went on to the sacred place, the Koari, and there left his father’s ueta[³⁹]. He then ascended the cliff to the Teko, and climbing over Kahu’s doorway, went straight on to the sacred part of the courtyard, and seated himself on Kahu’s pillow.

Meanwhile Kahu was on the beach, where guests were usually entertained, busied about sending off a canoe with food for the Atua at Hawaiki, and for Houmaitahiti, food both cooked and uncooked. This canoe was made of raupo (a species of bulrush). There was no one in the canoe, only stones to represent men. There Kahu was busied sending off his canoe, when his wife, Kuiwai, shouted to him, “Kahu, Kahu, there is a man on your resting place.” Then Kahu cried out, “Take him; shove him down here.” The woman replied, “Who will dare to approach your pillow; the man is tapu.” Then Kahu shouted, “Is he seated on my pillow?” “Yes.” “I am mad with anger,” said Kahu; “his head shall pay for it.”

Ihenga was dressed in two dog-skin cloaks, under [pg 57] which were two kahakaha cloaks. As Kahu went up towards the Pa he asked, “Which way did the man come.” The woman replied, “He climbed over your gate.”

By this time Kahu had reached the fence, and caught sight of the young man.

He no sooner saw him than he recognised his likeness to his brother, Tuhoro, and straightway welcomed him—“Oh! It is my nephew. Welcome, my child, welcome.” He then began lamenting, and murmuring words of affection over him; so the tribe knew that it was the young son of Tuhoro.

After the lament, Kahu made inquiry for his brother, and the young man said, “My father is dead. I buried him. I have come to you to perform the ceremonies of the pure and the horohoro, to remove my sacredness.” Immediately Kahu shouted to the tribe, “The marae (courtyard) is tapu,” and led the young man to the sacred house of the priests. He then ordered food to be prepared—a dog of the breed of Irawaru—and while it was being cooked, went with the young man to dip themselves in the river. His companion, a son of his brother, Warenga, remained with the rest of the tribe. When they had dipped in the river, Kahu commenced cutting the young man’s hair, which is a part of the ceremony of Pure. In the evening, the hair being cut, the mauri,[⁴⁰] or sacredness of the hair, was fastened to a stone.

[pg 58]

Then Kahu went with Ihenga to the Koari, where the ueta of the corpse had been left, and there chanted a karakia. They then rested for the night.

The next morning the ceremony of the Pure was finished, and the following karakia was chanted by Kahu:—

Complete the rite of Pure,

By which you will be free from

The evil influence of Po,

The bewitching power of Po.

Free the canoe from sacredness, O Rangi;

The canoe of stumbling unawares, O Rangi;

The canoe of death unawares, O Rangi.

Darkness for the Tipua, darkness.

Darkness for the Antient-one, darkness.

Some light above,

Some light below.

Light for the Tipua, light.

Light for the Antient-one, light.

The uwha[⁴¹] is held aloft.

A squeeze, a squeeze.

Protection from Tu.

After this they went to partake of food; and the oven of the kohukohu[⁴²] was opened. While the oven was being uncovered by Hine-te-kakara (the fragrant damsel), she took care to turn aside her face, lest the savour of the kumara and the steam of the sacred oven should come near her mouth, lest evil should come to her. She did not even swallow her spittle, but constantly kept spitting it forth.

[pg 59] When the food was set before Kahu and Ihenga, Ihenga took up some of the kohukohu in which were wrapt two kumara, and held it in his hand, while Kahu chanted the following karakia:—

Rangi, great Rangi,

Long Rangi, dark Rangi,

Darkling Rangi, white-star Rangi,

Rangi shrouded in night.

Tane the first, Tane the second,

Tane the third, &c.

(Repeated to Tane the tenth).

Tiki, Tiki of the mound of earth,

Tiki gathered in the hands,

To form hands and legs,

And the fashion of a man,

Whence came living men.

Toi,

Rauru,

Whetima,

Whetango,

Te Atua-hae,

Toi-te-huatahi,

Tuamatua,

Houmaitahiti,

Ngatoroirangi,

And your first born male

Now living in the light of day.

While Kahu chanted thus, the kohukohu was held in the hand of Ihenga. Kahu then proceeded with the direct male line—

Tangihia,

Tangimoana,

Tumakoka,

Tukahukura,

Tuhoto,

Tarawhai.

[pg 60] There ended the recitation of Kahu, and he went on to his own proper line—

Houmaitahiti,

Tama,

Tuhoro,

And to your offspring born to life,

And to the light of day.

This is your kohukohu of the horohoronga,

To make light the weight of tapu.

He is free, he is released from tapu.

He goes safely where food is cooked,

To the evil mighty spirits of Night,

To the kind mighty spirits of Night,

To the evil mighty spirits of Light,

To the kind mighty spirits of Light.

Then the kohukohu was offered as food to the stone images, and was divided for Houmaitahiti, for Ngatoroirangi, for Tama-te-kapua, and for Tuhoro, and was pressed into their mouths[⁴³]. This being done Ihenga took up another kohukohu, and held it in his hand raising it aloft, while Kahu chanted the following karakia:—

For Hine-nui-te-po,

For Whati-uri-mata-kaka,

For the evil old women of Night,

For the kind old women of Night,

For the evil old women of Day,

For the kind old women of Day,

For Kearoa,

Whose offspring is born to life,

[pg 61] And to the bright light of day,

This kohukohu is offered for you,

The kohukoku of the Ruahine.

He is free, he is no longer tapu.

The female Atua were then fed with the kohukohu as in the former case. Then part of the kohukohu was offered for the mother, Whaka-oti-rangi.[⁴⁴]

Turn away Night,

Come Day.

This is the kohukohu of freedom,

And deliverance from tapu.

This done, Ihenga took up another kohukohu, and held it aloft in his hand, while Kahu chanted thus:—

Close up Night, close up Day,

Close up Night as the soft south wind.

The tapu of the food

And the mana of the food,

The food with which you are fed,

The food of Kutikuti,

The food of Pekapeka,

The food of Haua-te-rangi.

I eat, Uenuku eats.

I eat, Kahukura eats.

I eat, Rongomai eats.

I eat, Ihungaro eats.

I eat, Itupaoa eats.

I eat, Hangaroa eats.

I eat, Ngatoro-irangi eats.

I eat, Tama eats.

[pg 62]

This ended, Kahu proceeded thus:

If I fall from the precipice,

Let me not be harmed.

If I fall on the taramoa,

Let me not be scratched.

If I eat of the maihi[⁴⁵] of tohunga’s house,

Let me not be harmed.

Be thou undermost,

While I am uppermost.

Give me your mana to strike down.

Close tight your spirit-devouring teeth.

Close tight your man-devouring teeth.

Then Kahu spat on the kohukohu, breathed on it, and offered it to Tama, that is to say, to the image of Tama-te-kapua. Kahu and Ihenga then ate the food cooked for them in the sacred oven. Ihenga ate with a fork, while at the same time he fed Kahu with his left hand.

The same ceremonies were observed at the evening meal.

Eight days after the ceremony of Pure, the heart of Ihenga conceived a desire. He was taken with the fair face of Hinetekakara; so he asked Kahu, “When shall we two be free from tapu?” Kahu replied “We two will not soon be free.” “Oh! be quick,” said Ihenga, “that I may return to my elder brothers, to my mother, and to my sisters.” Kahu said, “You will not be dismissed soon—not until the tapu is completely removed from you.” “How many nights, then, after this?”

[pg 63]

Kahu answered, “Twenty nights.”

“Ho! what a very long time,” said Ihenga, “for our tapu.”

The remonstrance of the young man here ended; but not long afterwards he persisted in the same manner. Thereupon Kahu began to consider—“Ha! what is it my nephew persists about?” So he asked, “Why are you in so great a hurry to be free from tapu?” Then the young man spoke out, “Whose daughter is the maiden who cooks our food?”

“Mine,” replied Kahu.

“My fear,” said Ihenga, “lest some one may have her.”

“I thought there must be something.”

“Do not let some other man have her.”

“Your cousin shall be your wife,” said Kahu, calling the damsel: “Come here, girl, near the door.”

The girl came laughing, for she knew she was to be given to Ihenga.

Then said Kahu: “Your cousin has a longing for you.”

“It is well,” replied the damsel.