A DIP INTO THE PAST

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10473, 31 December 1927, Page 11 (Supplement)

A DIP INTO THE PAST

HOW TOWN GOT ITS FIRST NAME.

A PRETTY LOVE STORY.

SUPERSTITIONS THAT LINGER.

(Specially written for the “Gisborne Times’’ by Joseph E. Dalton, of Tolaga Bay.)

“Turanga nui a Kiwa” —by such was the present town of Gisborne known among the Polynesian Maoris when naming the many places in this newly-found country, Hatvaiki tahutaliu, later called Aotearoa. Tradition tells us that this place was called on account of the old-time chief Kiwa injuring his foot on a stake which was partly hidden in the sand at the mouth of the river which flows tlirough our town. The old man at the time was chasing a certain damsel whom he wished to secure as a wife for his son, a custom which was often resorted to in the days when might was right, hence Turanga-nui-a-Iviwa—the great injury of Kiwa. To the eastward of the mouth of this river is the hill known as Titirangi, which was once a fortified pa, and the home of the famed Tnliitokura. Whilst living there, a visitor arrived conveying the news of the surrounding districts, amongst widen was the description of a certain woman who resided at a pa, Ohape, near Opotiki. So glowing was the

visitor’s account of the exceeding beauty and loveliness of the woman that Tahito-kura decided to secure her as a wife for himself. Enquiring from liis visitor, ho learned that her name was Taoputaputa and that she resided at a settlement on tho beach n. few miles from Opotiki known as Opape. The fame of this woman’s charms was chanted from one end of Te )kn a Mail! to the other, from north to south and from west to cast. Tahitokura became deeply impressed at the many glowing accounts of her beauty that reached him, so that life without her became a burden; he could neither eat nor sleep so great was the desire that constantly was consuming him. Knowing that his people were on had terms with those ot the maiden, he was unable to approach her, much as he longed to feast his eyes on her and satisfy himself as to the truth of the rumors.

"What was to ho done? He couM not approach her, and anxiety was eating liis life away. To whom could lie turn for assistance? To whom but to the toliunga of his tribe? Taking his courage in his hands, he approached tho sacred toliunga nncl solicited liis assistance. After listening patiently to tho love-sick supplicant, the toliunga expressed his# willingness to assist the forlorn lover. and instructed him to proceed to the beach and procure a toitoi shell, and bring the same to him. On Tahito presenting the shell t" him, the toliunga proceeded to ohmic the “Atahu” rite over it, and endow it with the mystic power pertaining to that rite. Tho necessary formula having been recited over tho shell, he commanded Tahito to take the shell to the bench and cast it into the sea. • This lie did, and returned to liis pa to await, with what patience lie possessed, ..the working of the mysterious “Atalm” rite.

The toitoi shall, on being consign- ( ed to the deep, immediately com- | menced its long journey north, trav- , elling over the uneven bed of the , ocean, patiently overcoming difficul- . ties as they came its way, climbing over the Tapuwac rocks, where the imprint of the giant Rongokako’s footstep when making liis giant stride from there to the rocks at the

entrance of the Awatere river at Te Araroa are still pointed out to the credulous traveller; But that is ail-, other yarn. Still pressing northwards, overcoming the turbulent waters and rough sens of Te Wan a a Kura Island, off the Kauhiku and East Cape, the former place where that wellknown ancestor “Paikea” first saw and secured his wife Haino when making her toilet by the bright reflecting waters of the small lake Te Waiwhnknata a Hamo. Her .descendants still occupy that one-time ancient stronghold “Whangara,” but I am wandering from my subject. Onward went our shell to Wliangaparnda, and so it entered the Bay of

Plenty and at last arrived at its destination, Opape. Now it so happened that Taoputaputa, accompanied by other Maori lasses, went to the beach to collect shell fish and, whilst so doing, she picked up our toitoi shell. Knowing it to be useless as food, she flung it from her, and continued to collect the edible specie, but our old friend the toitoi again presented itself to her, and so it went on until Taoputaputa lost all patience and thrust the persistent shell into her basket. Returning shorewards for the purpose of drying and warming herself, she emptied her basket on the ground and amongst her collection she perceived the troublesome toitoi. Taking it in her hand she cast it into tho fire, exclaiming “A ua to kai lie alii” (that is what you are fit for, the fire). The fumes from the burning toitoi so overcame Taoputaputa that she left her companions and strolled away alone. As the spell of the :Atahu’ rite exercised its mystic power, love sprang up in her Heart—a love for some unknown person. Still under its influence, she continued to journey on, from day to day, over mountainous ranges and bush-clad hills, until the mysterious power that possessed her led her to Titirangi, the home of Tahito-kura where she at once recognised the object of her love, and was recognised by him. Like other tales everything turned out right and the descendants of Ta-hito-kura and still to be met with on the East ’Coast at the present time. When writing of those old rites, mv mind is taken back to the many

and peculiar superstitions so rife among the old-time Natives. The Annum Bay Natives, for instance, possessed many of these superstitious beliefs. They were fortunate in having on their beach one of the very few pipi beds in tile East Cape district. They believed that if they turned facing the sea when collecting the pipi the fish would at once disappear and take to the open sea, leaving the collectors lamenting. This belief is still in force, as I myself have watched the Natives when gathering the shellfish being particularly careful not as much as to look towards the sea.

A somewhat similar belief still exists in connection with the small island at the south turn of the bay— Motuoroi. This island is a noted koura (crayfish) ground. The general belief is that, if anyone when diving for koura speak above a whisper, the guardian taniwha whose home is beneath the island will at once cause a heavy tide to arise and submerge tbe lower parts of -the island. On one occasion I witnessed a party ol young rollicking Natives who left the mainland for tbe island bent on procuring a supply of these fish. Whilst pulling over to the island they were laughing and playing jokes off on each other and getting at the top of their voices whilst enjoying themselves. But, as soon as they landed on the island, not a word was spoken or a voice heard. I awaited their return to tho mainland and. after examining" their catch, I asked them why they were so quiet, so directly opposite to their general bearing. They looked at me smiling and said “You know the old belief. “WATCH YOUR STEP.”

There may be truth in it. Kouoi ko nioliio. Who knows?” This was among the present-day youth. So the old superstitions have not entirely become a thing of the past, although last disappearing. Let ns take that old-time belief ia the “Mawe.” This was supposed to be a means of inflicting dire calamity. or even death, on any person who was unfortunate enough to allow his enemy to procure earth from the place where his feet liad trodden. Tho process was to watch the person whom it was desired to inflict injury

on, and to collect earth irom the nupression made by his out when walk- j ing. This was taken by an expert to | the tualiu (sacred place) and used as | an ohonga (medicine) over which cqr- J tain ritual would be recited, which I would at once, have the desired ef- j feet and cause death or severe illness to the owner of the footprint from which the earth had heen ob- ; tained. „ | These beliefs were still in vogue (if they are not even now) a verv few years ago, as T was .-informed only the other day by a middle-aged, woman that she, when young, was always' compelled by her elders when on a journey to walk as. much as possible in the sea or running water in caso any evilly-disposed person

might obtain some of the soil which had been pressed by her feet when walking and use it as a mawe and so inflict injury on her. But why should we smile and ridicule our neighbors’ beliefs as we do? Are we not even now in isolated villages and parts of England equally as, if not more, superstitious than our Native friencKi? MAORI REGIME PASSING AWAY The foregoing are only a few of the very_ remarkable superstitious beliefs that have come under my personal observation. To enumerate the different omens and weird beliefs which I constantly met with among my Native friends in the early days would of themselves be a stupendous undertaking even if one confined themselves to these alone without trespassing on those pertaining to the mysterious and dread tapu. The remembrance of these things c-ame to my mind when travelling down the Coast the other day. Allowing my eyes to wander from side to side, I recognised places which had been pointed out to me as the scenes of tribal and inter-tribal conflicts. Such is Waipiro, where the slaughter was so great that the beach for miles (so my informant assured me) was strewn with the brains of the slain. This battle was called Rorchukatai, from the fact that tho brains of the fallen strewed the beach like the froth of the sea after a storm. Then, later, again the pa at Mawliai. I could fancy seeing the brave women successfully defending their pa under the leadership of Mere Grilii Houkamau. Verily, things have changed since I first, visited the Coast between 40 and 60 years ago. The bush with which the country was clad has disappeared. Townships have sprung up. Telegraphs and telephones link what, we looked upon in those days as a Never Never Land, but are now populated. The one-time many bushclad mountain ranges have become divested of their verdant clothingRye and cocksfoot grasses have taken possession and sheep and cattle occupy the country which was at one time the feeding ground of the here- ( ru. the kaka and tui. . j No more is to he seen the Maori whare and the Whare Runangn or j carved meeting house has almost dis- ] appeared, their places be in" taken j by picture halls or stores. Milk iac- ; torios arc dotted over tho places j where once the children of the son j feared to tread, lest the dread tapu j might be infringed—and, instead ot j the deep boom of tbe mataku (bit- j tern) is heard the discordant honk of I the distance-eating motor car. And time rolls on and evolution takes place. I A VAST ACHIEVEMENT.

To me who knew the district in its early days the achievements that lmve been attained.are simply, a matter of amazement. IV bore the old girth-deep muddy tracks led we used laboriously endeavour to wend our way, fortunate if we reached the first stage of nur journey wet, tired and weary, both ourselves aiul our horse, with a repetition of a similar, if not worse, trip to he tackled on the morrow. We find now roads that will compare favorably with those in any other part of the Dominion. Now one can lie Pack and watch the miles roll by and tell to a few minutes when one will reach liis destination, knowing that one can now do the 'journey from our capital to Wainpu and hack between sunrise and sunset, whereas, in the olden times, it would take six days to accomplish the journey. Surely our Coast nncl our capital can congratulate itself—the Coast on its roads and bridges, and Gisborne, me old-time one-street village, bridgciess and dependent on a coastal service. on its grand wide stiecis, splendid bridges and public and private buildings—the fruits of pluck and determination on the part of painstaking determined men who have brought the old place formerly known as “Turanga Nui a Kiwa” on to an equal footing with other cities in God’s own country. One feels proud, especiallv at this the t’me of its festivities, to he able count oneself among the residents of this district, ._‘.‘Kia ora a ki hi pa no.”