EARLY DAYS IN THE NORTH

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 14947, 21 March 1912, Page 5

EARLY DAYS IN THE NORTH

THE BAY OF ISLANDS.

SOME MAORI SUPERSTITIONS.

Several circumstances have conspired of lato to direct attention to the Bay of Islands and the extremely interesting historicafl associations connected with its many beauty spots. Bishop Crossley hai' given evidence of his interest in the events of the olden time, and the announcement that the centenary of the preaching of tho first sermon in New Zealand by the Rev. Samuel Marsden on Christmas Day, 1814, is not to be allowed to pass unnoticed should arouse interest. Most countries hold in reverence the names and the record of the doings of their first settlers. Even in New Zealand tho several districts hold the names of their pioneers in high honour, Surely the names of the old missionary settlers of tho Bay of Islands should be treasured, for they, by their coming here, ante-dated the arrival of others by very many years, and they lived their earlier lives at least amid scenes of danger, unknown to those who had the full companionship of peoplo of our own race. A quiet talk a few days ago with one of tho very few now able to give information, drew out the recital of tho following interesting incidents :— Those who know the land close to Pakaraka will remember a small bush, in a line between Ngaheia and the road to Oromahoe. "Very few of the passers-by now know that it is' an old Maori buryingplace. Many years ago a Maori told an incident of the final disposal of tho body of Hone Heko, tho warrior of 1845. The tangi time was over, and tho putting away of the body had been decided on. The Maori referred to, and three others, all of whom were dead when he told tho secret, by some means managed to get hold of tho body, and they spent the night in travelling with it over many miles of country west, and in a circuitous route, finally coming back to a cave in the bush referred to, and putting the body in there, together with the noted stoel helmet presented by the King of England, before the other Maoris were aware.

Another incident is told in connection with the same burying-placc. Very many years' ago one of the younger members of the family at Pakaraka had a wish to learn the exact locality of the cave referred to. Knowing "that a body was about to he put in, he hid himself close by to watch. Unfortunately for him, the Maori scouts sent out to make all things secure found him in his hiding-place. The majority of the Maoris, not being resident in the neighbourhood, were for using tho tomahawk and quietly putting him in tho cave right away. But a Maori living at Oromahoe, who, of course, knew him well, interceded, so he was ordered to appear at Oromahoe the next morning. He duly complied; one of his elder brothers with him. Here he was' solemnly sworn, according to old Maori custom, to keep what he had learned secret. He faithfully kept tho secret as to the locality of the cave, and only told of the incident itself late on in life.

Many cases are given telling of the superstitions of the Maoris having such an influence on them as to sometimes cause death. It is related that a boy, gathering sticks' to make a fire and cook some fish, happened to gather a few of the sticks from tapu ground. His companions on discovering it were horrified, and the lad went home and died at once. A girl, however, who had erred in like manner, determined to fight it out, but she felt constrained to seek the help of the old wise woman of tho tribe. Of course, the old lady did not make light of the trouble, but stated that it was very serious. In this case four evil spirits were in it, and the incantations had 1,0 be commenced forthwith. She represented tho spirits as being manifest in the forms of a crayfish, an eel, a cat, and a dog. Not long after the ceremonies began, she declared that the crayfish had gone out of the whare; soon tho eel wrigcled away; it, took some hours' hard exercise before tho cat was' seen escaping, and it was just dawn, after a, long night's anxious time, when a shout announced the flight of tho kuri. Then all was peaco and satisfaction. The girl went homo contented She is still hale and strong, the mother of a large family, living in the Waitangi Valley, near Waimate North.

But the superstitions wero not all confined to the olden times. The writer knew a Maori well, a lay reader and intelligent beyond the ordinary. One Sunday, in conducting the service, ho turned over the wrong leaf of the Book. This to him had such a serious meaning that he went home, and was dead in a short time.

The many people now resident in New Zealand, who know little and care less about our Maori neighbours, may scout all this as rubbish. Perhaps some of them are scarcely free from superstition themselves.