PALEOLITHIC MAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 151, 27 June 1936, Page 13

PALEOLITHIC MAN.

BELIEFS OF MAORI RACE. MR. G. R. BROOKS' LECTURE. In dealing with beliefs handed down from Paleolithic times -in a lecture on "The Evolution of Spirit Concepts Culminating in the Cult of Io," delivered to the anthropology and Maori race section of the Auckland Institute, Mr. G. R. Brooks said that the growth of the priest clan was explained from the period when man, being his own priest, later lost all personal knowledge of witchcraft, being entirely dependent on the witch doctors. The Maori's beliefs in dreams were examined, together with his methods of healing and his belief in the potency of the trance. These all were Paleolithic features which were especially interesting because appearing jn a Neolithic people .they showed how such ideas remained unchanged over a period of time when a community had outlived a low degree of culture, as was evidenced by the nineteenth century belief in warlocks by the people of the Highlands of Scotland.

The various phases of creation were dealt with, described as the ten ages of Po, these being the nebulous ideas of the material beginning of the universe, and finally the cult of Io was described. This cult, which was reserved for the sons of chiefs and priests, was extremely selective and the great majority of the Maori race lived and died entirely unaware of its teaching.

. European recorders for the space of over 90 years after the discovery of New Zealand knew nothing about it until C. 0. Davis, whose house was situated where the Star Hotel now stands, a Government interpreter, heard the name mentioned by Patuon in the sixties

While the lower schools taught many of the myths and beliefs all based on tlw fear of spirits, the cult of Io believed in a God ''who was never feared," described as Io of the Hidden Face, who was seen only in a flash of light, the Immutable, the God of one command, who spoke and brought into being the universe. Hence he was described as the God. of all Creation, enduring and everlasting, original and eternal.