THE PAST AND FUTURE OF THE MAORI.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 8346, 3 December 1892, Page 4

THE PAST AND FUTURE OF THE MAORI.

By Apirana Tubupu Noata. To a proper understanding of the past of the Maori, the historical as well as the mythological past, a wide knowledge of his present condition is necessary. It is necessary to examine into the various Erlnclples and notions upon which tho ibric of Maori social aud moral life ia erected. For the feelings and motives that influence his inner and more private life to-day are the same tbat influenced him ages ago, though tamed and refined by conformity to European customs, by contaofe with European civilisation and by the far-reaching influence of Christianity. Your Maori of to-day is but the savage of yesterday, polished and draped in English finery. Within him there are raging the fierce passions tbat but a while ago" made him revel iv slaughter and cannibalism. His hand* are bound with the manacles of civilisation and humanity, but they are restless to grasp once more the spear, the talaha, and mere. Outwardly he accepts the truth of Christian teaching, and worships thepakeha's god most reverently, but his mind is governed by superstition, hi" <">oret longings and natural tendencies ore to. ards the tohungas, the only visible iv iuup; of his old priestly regime. From the Maori himself we can learn but a little of bis past social and moral life. His legends aud traditions, though abounding in wealth of metaphysic lore, recount merely She deeds of gods and deified heroes, and the adventures of men in the search for religious instruction from the gods above. Iv deed, the history of the Maori, before the discovery of these islands by Abel Tasrnan and Captain Cook, is merely conjectural. The beautiful legends and traditions, songs and incantations leave us in perplexity as tb origin of the race, the period of .the migration and the settlement of the newly discovered country, aud jthe conquest cf the aborigines, if there wtere any. But this obscurity gives greater interest to the study before us. [We feel that we have here a large area for speculation and fruitful pastures for the Imagination. And yet we seerii to be heujmied in by Insurmountable obstacles; we are stranded on a strange shore with the waves of civilization rolling in dill monotony behind us, and the i lowering unscalable precipice of the Maori past locking, us in before and on eith ir aide. A dark cloud rests on the edge of the precipice »boy«, aud ws long for aonie breath of wind to waft It away taat we might catch a glimpse of the confines of that strange land. The origin of the Maori race has given rise to much speculation and research. Several theories have bsen given by scientific men, and by men learned in the mythology of the Polynesians. Some, and amongst them Dr. Thomson, hold that the Maoris, with-. the races kindred to them, are the descendants of the Malays of Sumatra and the Peninsula. The migration eastward along the islands of Melanesia' to Samoa, was a migration of canoes chiefly . caused by the love of adventure and by. a desire, natural to both Malays and Polynesians, the desire of fishing. A burning tropical sua tempered by the spicy breezes of the East Archipelago, the welcoming wave of giant palms in the distance, the shoals' of fish- steering eastwards to waters untroubled, all circumstances favoured the migration till when islands and reefs and groups had been passed, remote Samoa and obscure Hawaiki, the Eden of the Pacific was reached. Against this theory it may be urged that iv the East Archipelago itself the Polynesian is found dwelling with the Malay, but quite distinct from him In race. It would seem, then, that we must consider the Polynesians as a race peculiar to the iSnsfc Archipelago, who were forced to migrate eastwards by the conquering "JVTa.la.'yß The theory that Is most widely held is that of Judge Fernandez that the Polynesian is a branch of the great pcau family of races. Successive migrations went from India through the East Archipelago, leaving small colonies on the route.

I A bolder writer, perhaps an American, imagines that the Polynesians aro the descendants of the lost Toltlc tribes of Central America.. Indeed the resemblance between the Mexican, natives and the Polynesians is not slight; their carving aud architecture belong to a common type. But the fact that the languages of tho two races are entirely different, that the line of migration is rather towards t be east than the west entirely confutes s_cha theory. But the " whence of the Maori " still remains a debatable question amongst scientific men, especially philologists. A wider knowledge is yet needed of the languages the customs and habits of the many races that people the shores of the .Pacific. It Is to Hawaiki that wo turn for the last resting place of the Polynesian before he arrives in New Zealand as the Maori. Many migrations had gone.from Hawaiki.to other groups, the best known he lug that to the Rarotouga Islands. Legends preserved amongst some of the native tribes speak of earlier migrations to Aotearoa, but setting these aside as merely attempts on the part of those tribes to gain precedence, we view the seven great canoes of the last tuigralion 8S they are being hollowed otic shaped and prepared for launching. Ngahue, driven from his native island by ah enemy, had returned with a glowing tale of the wonderland he had discovered in the South Seas, of its vast forests, its smoking mountains, and lakes, its gigantic birds, the tnoaa that he had hunted. All preparations are made for & long sea voyage, the forests have been ransacked to find the great rataa, rimus. and totaraa for the great canoes, Matatua, Tainui, Te Arawa, Horoufca, Aotea, Tokomaru and Kuruaupo. Provisions, consisting of Icumaras, taros, dogs, and rats are laid iv, and the adventurers launch forth on the of the Pacific, while a chief with sorrowful countenance bids farewell from the shore; "Depart in peace, leave war and knife behind you." Whether New Zealand was inhabited on the arrival of the heroes of the great canoes ia another question that leaves t)om for speculation. If there had been such aborigines, were they of Polynesian or of Papuan stock? It seems not improbable that the famous Urewera tribe is a remnant of the Urlo-toi, by which uame the supposed aborigines are known amongst the Gisborne and Opotlki natives. The Intercour*? of centuries, war, captivity and intermarriage, bad by the time of European settlement almost effaced traces of older inhabitants than the Maoris. otill there are traces, if not of aborigines, at least of a race who lived here before the Maoris came. The Urewera tribe and the tribes of Taupo and the Lake District are distinguished from the rest by their features, which approach more nearly the negro type, and by a slight difference in dialect. Moreover, they worship a deity called the Pou-a-Tuatioi, peculiar to themselves. Evidently there had been earlier migrations from groups neighbouring obscure Hawaiki: in all probability they were from groups betvreen Tapua and Samoa, for as we proceed from west to east the islands are peopled by tribes of more refined and regular features, and of greater Intellectual powers. The Ureweras are far less refined and less intelligent than their neighbours, the descendants of those who paddled Matatua and Takitinui. They show greater reluctance, i to conform to European habits, and to admit the principles of Christianity. The Maoris brought with them the legends common amongst the Polynesians, the pecoHar theory of the creation of things, the process of evolution from po and nothingness to light, the legend of the separation of Rangi and Xapa-tu-anuku by Tane. one of their offspring. The last legend is one of the few on which ail tohungas and learned agree. Though much distorted, it remains in body the same, by means of which tho Hawaians strove to account for the Immeasurable distance between heaven and earth, for the cloak of green forests that cover e&rth, ;and for the presence of the stars ia the firmament. Tane, the daring strong-willed son of R&ngi and Papa, cruelly tore the husband from the embrace of bis loving wife, planted mountains whence be could the more easily lever his father, and succeeded though much to the grief of his brothers and sister®, ia measuring space between the unfortunate pair. Then behold Rangi lay bare and Papa blushed with shamo. The stars were brought to twinkle in the : heavens to adorn Rangi and the forests and pastures to cloak Papa. Rangl ever beams ; down love and consolation through his i 9tarry ©yes. Papa sighs as ahe gaises up I and realises the immense space that divides her from her beloved, aud as she silently weeps the dew f&lis and the mists sbrouft the mountains. But ever and avon true messengers, the clouds, scud along op __P afe _^ B6l y downwards with swoet words cf love, and as the bereaved husband weeps, the rain drops fall to gladden the beaefc of his bride. Of sutih a cbaraoter were most of the beautiful old, legends and traditions. They were fictions by which the imaginative natives accounted for the wonders of nature. Some of them were crude and

' ■ mt almost childish, bat moat revealed characteristic traits of the race that gate them birfca and fostered them. There was more in them than the mere curiosity of the aavjtge, than the mere love (or story and tradition; there was observation, ia* telligonco, reason and thought. The Seguiid of Pane and the cr*»«ition of woman is characteristic of the Maori. There is a biblical atmosphere surrounding It, and indeed, on a first; view it seems hat a fabrication of post-chrlgtian tinier. But on closer examination tliere cau be no mistaking the savage hue and immoral colouring that so plainly picture the Maori as lie was before European set fo.it on liis land. Again, as lie gazes up at the sky, the Maori wonders whether there Iβ anything beyond that atretca of blue above him. In his mind he recounts! the legend that makes Tawl>aki, ouce aa inhabitant of this earth, scale the heavena with his ladder of splder-weba till tho fourteenth heaven is reached. The object* of Tawliakl'a visit and famous aaceut to heaven w&s to learn from the gods the charms and iucautations that none but the priests were privileged to know. Tawhaki returned to recount his adventures and to describe the races inhabiting the heavens. But thin legend is merely the dream of an imaginative priest: It was merely an cxpsditjoa of the Tohunga into a land beyond Tβ Reinga where his troubled raiud might meet phantoms from the graves of hie ancestors.

The influence of an earlier Tohunga system is most apparent iv these and such like traditions. The prevailing tone is that of superstitious awe, of an expression of the desire to invoke the aid of the gods or to propitiata them. They are to use, but echoes of their ancient iucancations,, that resounded through their Kumara fields aud made the groat meeting houses, ring again. On yonder laud-locked har<! hour we hear once more the chants of the, crew setting out on a fishing expedition) led by the chief or priest, t.!_e solemn in* cantations to the gods of fish aud sea and weather; across the lagoon the farewell of wives and the shouts of children are born© on the still morning air. And now the* year has sped and winter is here to find the pahs and kaingas almost deserted, for it is the bird season, when the pigeon may be snared and the expert may decoy the tui and kaka with his false notes. Now the adventurers are returned laden with the booty, and the lengthy procoss of preserving begins. Tho tohunga, who has from the first directed the movements of all, now finds his influence twofold greater, for incantations must be sung, less ill-fortune befall the tribe. The rigour of the rites and the sanctity of the ceremony is at its highest when the tribe is on its way to present the preserved birds to Home distant and powerful chief.

Ths fame of the Wharekuras, but no reliable information as to their true character has come down to us with the traditions of the Maoris. It appears it was from these houses or collegia that the incantations emanated, here were educated the multitudes oi tohungas, so learned in the genealogies of gods and men, so versed in all the karakias, so acquainted with the seasons and rotation of the Kumara and taro crops, In these assemblies the chiefs recounted the deeds of their ancestors, and caught their children the mysteries of the heavens, the stars and the seasons.

With the known progenitors of the Maori race, we pass from Hawaiki to New Zealand. It is held that this migration took place about two and a half centuries before Tasman's visit. But this statement has been refuted in an able article by Mr Colonso. Between the arrival of the groat canoes and Tasman's exploit at Massacre Bay many centuries must have Intervened, during which the population had rapidly increased, and had become settled, ana the institutions, whether prieatiy or patri? archal, had been placed on firm ana permanent bases. Inter-tribal tfeuds and wara constituted the active life of this long; period. The enterprising and adventurous warriors of the north pushed south and returned with the tales of many a victory and many, a cannibal revel. The more daring Ngatlawa paddled even as far as the Gnathams, and shamefully treated the inoffensive Maiorloris.

But no great changes had occurred in the positions of the various tribes throughout the North Island; each tribe continued to possess and inhabit the lands it had claimed and held immediately after the great'migration. I Of the social development of the raw .during this obscure period we kuow little* The study is interesting, but since inelaborate and scientific research is needed, it is beyond the limits of a brief and super-, flotal essay. We must take but a passing; glance at the arrivals of the nrsS European* in these islands. The curious and warlike natives that welcomed Tasman and hovered round his vessel, had undergone little change by the tlm® of Captain Cook's first visit. They were inclined to be friendly on both occasions, though on the former, disaster befell soma of Tasman's men. Indeed, evidence from early New Zealand history shows un fchafe thoiie savages acted in every way better than the early pakehas; that th«sy wer® most friendly and kind Until the civilised whalers and foreigners taught them 60 b@ otherwise. It was riot every pafceha tts&ft had Captain Cook's knack of treating with tho natives. Had a few more Captain Cooks undertaken the work of settlement and opened up intercourse with the natives and brought them Into communl* cation with the outer world, the troubles and conflicts that make up t-lm mm of early New Zealand history mijfeht hstVQ been avoided. But unhappily for Maori land there .were, more of the Dv Preurie*. the D'Urvllle's and Crozefcs, ever incliised to caatigat c the ignorant offenders, were those amongst the emly whalers who were only too ready to check and divert the current of civilisation into evll» corrupt and immoral channels. Whence* but as aconaequence of this early conteflfei did the Maori derive the rampant evil thai is hurrying him and his to extinction mvl oblivion ? By whom, but by those enemies to true civilization, were the minds of the early chiefs formed and influenced, ect that in the latter half of this conturj 1 their descendants should bewail thi necessity that drove them to th® forest and pah, in order, forsooth, that they might satisfy tho demands of mistakes zeal, mistaken ambition, and perverted, judgment! What greater enemy thas this baneful Influence had good Marsden, Hall, aad King, the early missionaries, to combat and overcome ? It was the per- 1 nicious influence of tho example of fchosa early traders, of their conduct in trade, of their mode of living, and of their immorality ; it was the misleading that these heralds of enlightenment la* stilled and wittingly too, Into tho minds of their innocent victims that made rum, beer, and tobacco, and sexual immorality the curse of the Maori race, th© obstacle tot philanthropic legislation, and to all schemes of reform, the barrier tbat hemiS in and confines thelabour* of misaloseflif and of benevolent Christians. (To be continued). . .