LECTURES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9083, 18 June 1888, Page 10

LECTURES.

MAORI LEGENDS AND POETRY. Ox the 28fch May Major Wilson delivered a lecture on " Maori Legends and Poetry" in the social hall of the Young Men's Christian Association Building. The chair was occupied by Mr. Thomas Buddie. Owing to the treacherous and inclement state of the weather the audience was not at all as large as was desired. This is the more to be regretted, because the object of the lecture was for the very laudable purpose of adding to the funds of the institution.

Major Wilson said he could not hope to do the subject of Maori legends justice in the short hour allowed him. Maori legends were of more importance than Maori poetry, as the original history of the Maori is related in the former. Like the Greeks and Romans, much of the legendary lore is fabulous, and in many instances absurd. Bacon had said of the legends of old, " The mythology of the Greeks, which their oldest writers do not pretend to have invented, was no more than a light air which had passed from a more ancient people into the flutes of the Greeks, which they modulated to such descents as best suited their fancies." This idea might well be applied to Maori legends. There was a curious and striking likeness in the Maori myths to those of other races. The legend of Tawhaki, and the heavenly damsel Tangohango, who fell in love with each other was much like the Bible relation of the children of heaven and the daughters of earth, and as they of the lost Atlantis, the descendants of the god Poseidon, so the offspring of the Maori man and the heavenly woman became exceedingly wicked. It was, however, curious to note how in the Maori legends the sexes were reversed, as in the story of Hinemoa and Tuhanekai. It was the maid Hinemoa who swam to her lovei, who played on the enchanted lute, while it was the male Greek Leander who swam the Hellespont. Again the Fountain of All was adored under the title of 10-a----rangi, 10-a-whemea, and 10-a-ahua, that is of the heaven, earth, and likeness, or a Trinity in unity. And what did the Maoris mean when they spoke of a mysterious child born on earth and taken up to heaven to be baptised? Nor could we account for the Maori belief in the death of Tawhaki, his resurrection and ascension to heaven on the thread of a spider's web, known by the Maoris generally as Te ara pipiki a Tawhaki, i.e., the ascending way of Tawhaki. Then thero was again the oftrepeated assertion that certain Maoris are of heavenly descent, while others acknowledge themselves to be of the " hapu oneone—the earth tribe. Were the Maoris of heavenly descent kinsmen of Tawhaki, whose lightning-like body had to be veiled with the bark of trees so that man might bo able to look upon him ? Ancient Maori history was to a great extent indebted to Sir Geo. Grey for rescuing it from oblivion, and in giving it to the world in such a faithful and elegant translation (as in his "Polynesian Mythology and Maori Legends"). Major Wilson then proceeded to give, amongst other matters, accounts of the legends, recounting the separation of heaven and earth, the formation o mankind, the deluge, the escapades o

Mam, why death remains in thfi world, and the story 0 Hinemo» 1 beautiful maid of Rotorua. In C a^ h .° "Golden Legend," to be seen in %£*£ Free Library as quoted by Sir Ge<s Grey, an Irishman stole a sheep and as i? could not be anywhere found recoup,' had to St. Patrick who by vir tue oVS saintly power caused the sheep to bWt in side the man who eat it, and thus was th thief discovered. This story is analog to that of the dog which was stolen fro Whakatauria, the Maori St. Patrick Tl renowned priest Tama-te-Kapua caused th' 9 dog to howl in the stomach of the thief Toi Turning to the subject of Maori poetrv' Major Wilson said it was a mistake to think, as some did, that there was no poetic spirit in the Maori, as evidence thn following from Domett:— ° Say, ye wise, and worthy of all praise Who toil with tokens from forgotten ilavs The veil from that grand mystery to raise'The origin of man and all his ways ■ bay—through What inborn need ' What in<,n„,i. strong, "»unct These savage races are the slaves of song •>

Again, joyous creatures, be they man n * bird, show their gladness by breaks ; n / song:— ° ' w

Behold the merry minstrels of the morn, The swarming songsters of the careless ctotp • Ten thousand throats that from the flowing tho Hymn their good God, and carol sweet of love

The New Zealander was nothing behind our own barbarous- forefathers in regard to their love of song and poetical legend? Soma of their pieces could most favourably compare with those of the sages of old" The repeating and chanting of Polynesian" legendary lore give 3 the modern Maori as much pleasure as it did that of the old Northern barbarian. Sir George Grey early in the history of the colony' collected and published in the Maori language a very large number of the best native poems, and the avidity with which the native will pore over the volume, often sitting up the whole night reading and singing them aloud, showed how much they were appreciated and treasured by these sons and daughters of nature. To translate Maori poems literally would give the figures of speech and exhibit the modes of thought, but would afford a poor conception, or none at all, to our minds of the beauty of the composition. In the original it is so terse that to be pleasing we had to give it in paraphrase embodying all the thoughts and figures. The Maori poetry was peculiar in construetion, the language and character of the native mind rendering it necessarily so. Poetry in verse would be to a native inipid, and would convey to his mind little of whatever beauty it possessed. Many of the Island songs were rendered in metre, but their vigour, so essential to a Maori poem, has evaporated in the endeavour to polish. Major Wilson then completed his lecture by giving selections and extracts from Maori poems, reading them in the original and in translation. The lecture was listened to with deep attention throughout, and at its close a vote of thanks was unanimously tendered the lecturer, which vote Major Wilson having acknowledged, the audience separated.

On Friday evening, May 25, the Rev. E. Best, Wesleyan minister, delivered a very interesting and instructive lecture on " Entomology," before the Mount Albert Mutuallmprovement Society. Musical selections were rendered at intervals during the evening by members of the class, and at the close a very hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the lecturer.

A lecture on the subject " The Songs of Scotland" was delivered in St. James's Hall on the sth of June, by Mr. W. G. Ferguson, of the Canterbury Caledonian Society. There was a moderate attendance.

A very interesting lecture by Professor Brown, on the subject of " Colours," was delivered on the 6th of June at the Napierstreet Schoolroom, in connection with the evening technical classes established in connection with the school. Mr. J. H. Upton presided, and there was a large audience, including many ladies.