NGUNGURU FISHING TAPU ENDS DEC. 18

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1948, Page 4

NGUNGURU FISHING TAPU ENDS DEC. 18

THE tapu placed on the fishing grounds between 1 utukaka and Taiharuru is to be lifted on December 18. This decision was made at a special meeting of the Whangarei tribal executive at the Maori hostel at Porowini Avenue, Whangarei, yesterday.

In attendance was the controller of the welfare division of the Department of Maori Affairs (Mr Rang) Royal), the chairman of the Whangarei executive (Mr W. Kake) a number of elders and a representative of pakehas from the district affected by the tapu. After brief discussion the meeting decided to lift the tapu on December 18, taking into full account the inconvenience which might be caused to local people and holidaymakers if the period of the tapu was extended ’ for three months or more.

To the Maoris the fishing grounds will have been closed for one month, as it was on November 18 that Mr Edward Mahanga set out in a dinghy at Ngunguru on a trip from which he did not return. Nine miles of coastline were affected by the tapu, the imposition of which was announced a week ago. Speakers at yesterday’s meeting expressed their appreciation of the fact that pakehas had observed and respected the tapu. WOULD BE POLLUTED Approached by an Advocate reporter, Mr W. M. Fraser, a recognised authority on Maori lore, said this morning that the Maori attitude towards such tapu was that any fish taken from the area involved could not be eaten. They would be taken from polluted water. Naturally, pakehas who lived in close proximity with Maoris respected .their feelings and observed their tapu, although they were under no obligation to do so. Tapu affected only Maoris who believed in the law of tapu. On the question of the makutu, which might be put on a Maori who broke the tapu, Mr Fraser said the power of makutu, held by tohungas and learned Maori leaders, was only used when a Maori deliberately disobeyed the laws of tapu. He understood that it was only used' sparingly and it was questionable whether it was being used at all today. The makutu meant death for the offender, with no chance of escape. Further inquiries made regarding the makutu revealed that the power was scarcely ever used. Where tapu laws were accidentally or innocently transgressed, the mental reaction of the culprit was usually very severe. FISHERMEN’S VIEWS While commercial fishermen operating from Whangarei have not been affected by the Ngunguru tapu, local fishermen between Tutukaka and Taiharuru have.been inconvenienced to a degree. They were represented at yesterday’s meeting. Their attitude was that they had no desire to disregard the Maori’s ancient custom, but they were disconcei’ted lest their means of earnging a livelihood be seriously jeopardised by a prolonged closure. The news that the tapu will be lifted on December 18 has therefore been welcomed by them. Legally pakehas are not compelled to observe tapus. The Maori view is that if pakehas eat fish taken from polluted waters, it is no concern of the Maori. The period of tapu was not decided ! when the tapu was imposed. | Both police and Maoris in the disI trict have conducted widespread search for the body of Mr Mahanga. The dinghy which he used was recovered upturned on the beach three days after he was reported missing.