HUNTING MUTTON BIRDS

Greymouth Evening Star, 30 November 1940, Page 9

HUNTING MUTTON BIRDS

A MAORI HERITAGE. The fact that 4000 mutton-birds were caught this season gives some idea of what this industry means to those enterprising Maoris. who shift camp and Cast off the shackles of civilisation to revel in a carefree existence for a week. The birds are protected till the season opens' and then may be hunted only by Maoris, who transplant whole families to the island, seven rriiJgs from the. mainland, opposite Whakatane. Wonjen accompany the men, cooking and attending to other “chores” about the simple camps, while the men engage in their thrilling sport. . , There is no haphazard method of hunting ..the mutton-bird, for the Maoris have adopted a system and style .all their own. ■ At 7 a.m., the hunters assemble and at a given sig-

nal the parties rush to the various plots. These,, of course, have previously been held in mind, but it is the lucky first arrival who can legally claim the rights to any particular spot. It is a literal application of the adage “first come, first served.” Then begins the business proper. The burrows of the hapless birds are sorted out and sticks of ti-tree are-thrust into the hole and entangled in the fluffy down of the plump and helpless nestling. . The. youngster is drawn up and quickly

dispatched. To many pakehas the sport appears to be cruel, but to the Maori it is an age-old heritage, which in the hard old days realised one of the staple foods for the coastdwelling tribes . of the Bay of Plenty. . / - . The plucking and cleaning ,is done on the spot, and the fat, greasy body is stowed away, for shipping to the mainland when-the launch calls for the catch. This year there were many gaps in the old ranks of the. hunters, for half of the eligible Maoris are in

camp or already overseas, but new enthusiasts made up the desired complement.