Sunlight League

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21250, 23 August 1934, Page 6 (Supplement)

Sunlight League

TAI.ES OF MAUI Making a Canoe Soon after the boy had passed his examinations upon the Kete Te Wananga (baskets of knowledge): the old ariki Tamarangi said to Mam "To-day we go into the bush to choose the tree from which you may make a canoe of vour own. \vu must makc u well and trulv- , ■ When It is finished you may set. off in it for your mother's pah and to see the world." Maui was overjoyed at the idea or making a canoe of his own, of seeing his mother and of adventuring forth alone by sea. He pictured »umself when older, setting out to Perform long voyages and great aeeds which the sacred legends Recorded and which the boy could now repeat word for word just as , xamarangi did. Maui's greatest nappmess till that moment had S, ln going on seafishing exh™ L° ns with Tamarangi. The "°7. . Nad worked to prepare him--Ip«T * his future adventures. He Tur„k ° use the stone anchor, the wane, which detected currents—vtt ? vers of the ocean, as the «aorla called them. Tamarangi «aa also taught him how to steer by »to7i t - • to observe which conS">is could be seen each \vv i ' and to notice the winds "™ch prevailed at different sea- ..• wn * £h« boy asked endless

questions, and perhaps Tamarangi. who was growing old, was not altogether sorry that Maui was soon to set i'orlh. Tho tree to which Maui, who was a great climber, led Tamarangi. was pronounced to be excellent for the purpose. Then came karakias and prayers for assistance, before Maui struck the first blow with a greenstone axe. In addition to stone tools, Maui also used fire to hollow out the tree trunk. His canoe was quite small, different from the huge canoes—paki— which carried 60 people and were used by the great sea rovers Kupe and Uterangiora. In bad weather Maui carved the paddles of his canoe with the greatest care and precision making beautiful curved rhythmic designs. The Maoris regarded rhythm and exactness as of much importance, in carving, posture exercises, singing and dancing. • Maui worked very hard, and before long he was able to apply vegetable gum to the canoe and then a coat of ochre mixed with shark's oil. Finally Tamarangi was asked to inspect it. There was no sign of careless or slovenly work, for Maui had taken great pride In it. Tamarangi pronounced the canoe well and truly made; and together he and Maui offered up karakias of thanksgiving. The time had arrived for Maui to ad ventura forth.