THE LAST CANNIBAL MAORI.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XVII, Issue 4093, 16 January 1897, Page 2

THE LAST CANNIBAL MAORI.

The death took place lately at Ngunguru North of an old Maori named Paratene Te Mauu, one of the last of the old ex-cannibal warriors of the Native race, Old Paratene was over ninety years of age at the time of his death, and was a member of the Ngatiwai section of the Ngapuhi, being an uncle of Tenetahi, of Little Barrier Island fame. He used to narrate his exploits in the raids of the Ngapuhi under the famous Hongi Hika, about seventy years ago, and amongst which he was present at the capture of Maninaina, on the Tamaki river, in 1823. He was also in the East Coast and Middle Island campaign of Hongi-Hike in 1824-27, and took part in the cannibal feasts of those days. Subsequently he was bap ised by the late Rev. Mr Williams in 1830, and was one of the party of chiefs who visited England in the sixties with Hori Pomare, Paratene was one of the natives evicted from the Little Barrier Island last; year, and he subsequently resided at Ngunguru. The inevitable tangi followed his decease. He was about the last of the old school of Natives of the cannibal era left J" *.ha sor.th of Auckland.