MAORI HISTORY

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 118, 14 November 1929, Page 8

MAORI HISTORY

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —In an ' article on Boy Scouts ("Post, 12th November, 1929), under the caption "The Ngapuhi Tribe," there are two statements which are wholly wrong and misleading. Will you please grant me space to correct them? They appealin the words: " . . . as the Arawa Maoris were the first to come to New Zealand. The Ngapuhi tribe was the second to come (to New Zealand), so the second lot of Scouts 'adopted that name.' " Now, the Arawa Maoris were not 'the first to come to New Zealand,' nor was "the Ngapuhi Tribe the second to come."' The Nga-puhi (Nga Pulii) tribe adopted Its name from its eponymous ancestor, 'Puhi-a-Rauru," otherwise, "Puhi-kai-ariki," an ancestor who historically lived here in New Zealand thirty generations ago (from 1865). He was' the grandson of the historically well-known high chief, Toi Te Huatahi. So far as its own traditions go, the Arawa t Tribe—as such— came into existence some twenty generations ago! or, exactly ten generations after that ot Nga Puhi. Finally, there is an abundance of acceptable traditional history showing that Maori ancestry in New Zealand runs along to a. period long prior to that of Toi Te Huatahi; long prior to thirty generations ago; and therefore it antedates both the Aga Puhi and Te Arawa tribes, as such.— I am, etc..

HARE HONGI.