THE SNAKE
IN MAORI MYTHOLOGY “Interested’ wrote to tlio Auckland Hvr-ald: (1) Is it a fa ct that there are no s na,kes in New Zealand t (55) If (1) is a fact-, is it. a. fact Fiat the snake is goofed to or is. -a sacred emblem of tpio Maori? (3) If the reply fo .(3) is ir. the affi.rmativ'e. how it- the apparent nuoiinalv explained ? I have been unable to obtain facts of 2 and 3, and would be obliged if you or any of your (readers could furnHh me with t-lio facts °r relevant information, I,'icreon. THE REPLY The Herald replied: TliWe Me no snakes pit New Zealand and they hav« never been known here. Mr George Graham, a well-known authority (jn t)-ie Maori, stateg that while suakoi wore unknown in New Zealand, they had a definite, place in Maori mythology and were J'oprexunted in many anciert Maori carvings. The suggested anomaly could be explained by the iaot tout tile mythology of The Maori did net originate in this country, but in the earlier home of the race, where snakes were probably brown. Jt wap suggested by Air Graham that “Interested” should refer to Ebdon Beet’s work, “The Alytlwlogy of the Maori.
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Feilding Star, Volume 9, Issue 3847, 1 October 1932, Page 7
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205THE SNAKE Feilding Star, Volume 9, Issue 3847, 1 October 1932, Page 7
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