MAORIS OF SOUTH ISLAND

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21513, 1 July 1935, Page 12

MAORIS OF SOUTH ISLAND

HUMAN HABITATION 1000 YEARS AGO FIERCE TRIBAL BATTLES RECALLED The Maoris of the South Island formed the subject of an address given under the auspices of the Workers' Educational Association by Mr W. A. Taylor at the association's rooms in the Trades Hall on Saturday evening. The vice-president, Mr S. Schofield, was in the chair.

"Excavations at Shag Point have proved the presence of human beings in the South Island at least 1000 years ago," said Mr Taylor. "It is possible that these are the remains of a preMaori race. The chief of the first legendary tribe, of which we have any knowledge, was reputed to have a pack of two-headed dogs. Then came the Rapuwai, in whose time the moa is said to have been exterminated."

Then followed at intervals three migrations from the North Island. The first tribe, the Waitawa, was led by Kupe 11, who visited Queen Char-| lotte Sound. Next came the Ngati Mamoe in the Tokomaru canoe, under the leadership of Manaia. The third and most important migration was that of the Ngatahu, who made their headquarters at Takahanga. near Kaikoura, and also settled near Waipapa. The tribes moved down the island, keeping in the main to the coast, and established themselves strongly on Banks Peninsula and the Otago Peninsula. Their movements were largely governed by the food supply available, and the conditions of war that obtained. Coastal settlements were favoured owing to the Maoris' fondness for fish and shellfish. This, together with kumara and birds' eggs, constituted their main diet. . Inter Tribal Fighting "Evidence of Maori settlements are be found all down the East Coast from Kaikoura," said Mr Taylor. "Oaro. Goose Bay, and the Conway were the scenes of fierce inter-tribal fighting. At Reilly's Island a 'naval' battle was fought betv/een the Omihi and Kaikoura tribes. The Kaiapol Maoris suffered a severe defeat at the Conway." Moeraki. 20 miles south of Oamaru, was an early whaling station and is' still a Maori settlement. A legend is attached to the celebrated boulders at Moeraki These huge stones, spherical in shape, are reputed by the Maoris to be the kurnaras and calabashes washed ashore from the wreck of the Arai te Uru canoe."

The speaker referred to the legends invented by the Maoris to explain natural phenomena, and mentionea the great importance the old Maoris attached to accuracy when these legends were handed down by word or mouth. Farther south, Murdering Beach was the scene of a massacre in 1819 of a boat's crew from the Tasmanian brig Sophia, under Captain Kelly. Sandymount, Weycliffe Bay, and Porlobello on the Otago Peninsula are all rich in Maori history and curios. Mataketake Point, or Cape Saunders as it is now called, means "the watch place," for here a look-out was kept for the canoes of marauding tribes.

"Since the arrival of the white man we have authentic tales connected with some of the great chiefs," said MiTaylor. "The name of Te Rauparaha is associated with both the Omihi and Kaiapoi pas. The latter he captured in 1831, defeating the elder brother of Moki, the veteran lighter of Banks Peninsula. A long-standing feud between Kapiti and Te Mai Haranui resulted in the latter being overcome by treachery. A degenerate Scot named Stewart of the brig Elizabeth enticed Te Mai Haranui on board at Akaroa and delivered him up to his enemy. Stewart was later thrown overboard when rounding the Horn.

Early Land Deals

Mr Taylor considered that the eavly land deals were responsible for inuch of the later friction between Maori and pakeha. "In one case a block of 20,000,000 acres was bought for £2000," he said. "Later a reserve of 2000 acres was returned to the sellers. In 1852 the land from Waipara to the Conway was held by six persons only. We cannot be proud of our first dealings in land with the rightful owners. The early governors did all they could to protect the Maoris rights, especially Sir Donald McLean, who combined strict honesty with fairness' and justice."

Mr Taylor referred to the system of water burial by which means the coastal Maoris disposed of their dead chiefs. The body was lashed to a manuka raft, and placed in a cave at low tide, to be carriea out to sea on the ebt>. He mentioned instances of the Maoris crossing the Alps in search of greenstone, which was found at Arahura, and described the primitive snowshoes used in the mountains. The speaker answered questions at the end of his address, which was illustrated by lantern slides, and a hearty vote of thanks was carried by acclamation.