THE MAORI MERE POUNAMU.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19292, 3 April 1926, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE MAORI MERE POUNAMU.

EVOLVED IN NEW ZEALAND

BY GEORGE GRAHAM

Of the various interesting and very uuique weapons of the Maori, the mere pounamu, or greenstone mere, is perhaps tho most remarkable. There was no possession more treasured by tho Maori tribes and their chieftains than this weapon, which therefore was passed down as a prized heirloom from generation to generation. The mere, which is a hand weapon for use in a close combat, has been described as a club. This, it is not, for a club is a weapon used for striking a downwatd blow, whereas the mere was used for striking an outward and upward thrust, the sharpened end of the weapon being directed for preference at teh temple or other vital part of the head of an enemy. Therefore the mere was similar in use to the Roman short sword, or gladius, and as such might be regarded as the Maori s primitive conception of such a weapon. It is a fact that the mere has not its actual related type of hand weapon elsewhere in the Pacific area, whence the Maori migrated to New Zealand. Nor so far as I know is its counterpart found either in Melanesia, or other parts through which the Maori passed on his migrations hitherward. It might therefore be assumed, until we know more of Maori ethnology, that the. mere was evolved in this country. Certain it is that some of the more primitive forms of the mere can be attributed to the earliest inhabitants of New Zealand—the Mouriuri. The occurrence of tho mere in the Chatham Islands is probably owing to the migrations of that people thither from New Zealand. This problem, however, would justify not merely a short article, but would require a book in itself to discuss. The beautifully finished meres made of wood, bone, basalt or greenstone are undoubtedly forms evolved from tho cruder ancient Mouriuri types of this weapon. Some chiefs of ancient renown gained fame by their skill in the use of the mere, it was a weapon for use at close quarters. It is stated that an expert mere wielder, could keep many well-armed men at bay; for his adroitness in evading the strokes of the quarter-staff or other longhandled weapons of his adversaries gave him a deadly advantage at close quarters. Then again, when an enemy was in precipitate retreat, tho fast-runners armed with their meres, would in pursuit disable many of the refugees, leaving the main body of their followers to despatch them at leisure. Some meres acquired such a deadly reputation as to strike dread into the minds of a people, however numerous and well armed. Such was the mete —"Ruakawa by name—of the Kaipara chief Kawharu. Having occasion to conduct a punitive invasion of this district, all the Waiohua people of Tamaki closed themselves within their forts. The very name of Kawliaru and his mere " Rnukawa" made them panic-stricken and he swept all before him in his invasion of the Tamaki Isthmus. The Mere as a Peace Ottering. To secure peace and cement tribal friendships tho present of a mere pounamu was a sure method. Such a presentation was indeed an equivalent to our international pacts and treaties. Numerous incidents are on record of such peace-mak-ings, and this custom still maintains among tho Maori of to-day on occasion of tribal assemblies.

If a tribe was in certain difficulties, and the result of a battle or siege, for exrmplo, was a foregone conclusion involving their defeat—then a deputation would go forth and solicit peace as the prieo of handing over such a valuable as a greenstone mere. Such an offer was invariably accepted, and a peace so made as surely honoured. An historic occasion of such a peacemaking and the sequel of its treacherous breach is the oft-told story of the seige and capture of the Totara pa. near tho Thames, in the year 1823. After a momentous siege by the Ngapuhi under Hongi Ika, the Totara chiefs offered various greenstone heirlooms as a peace offering, and their offer was accepted by Hongi. On that occasion a famous rrero called " Te Kahotea" was presented. This rnero was reputed to have been formed from a block of greenstone taken to Hawaiki from New Zealand bv Ngahuo, and brought back to New Zealand by the Aatea canoe people. The Ngapuhi people having accepted these peace offerings, then raised the seige, but returned unexpectedly, captured the pa and destroyed its people. The acceptance of the mere " Kahotea" and other heirlooms classed this breach of Maori etiquette as a "kohuru," or murder, and is an incident vividly remembered to this day by the people of Hauraki.

Two Famous Meres

A famous mere of ancient times was "Whaka-rewa," which belonged to the chiefs of Mount Eden hill fortress. This mere was made from a large slab so named, which, being hung from a scaffolding on tho citadel of the pa, gave a deep metallic sound when struck. It was therefore uwed as a signal gong (or palm). About 1640 the Hauraki people invaded tho Taniaki district, and on that occasion attacked and destroyed the Mount Eden pa. The mere " Whaka-rewa" was then taken away and sgcretly hidden in some neighbouring cavern. There it may seme day be unearthed by a pakelia "workman, who will wondei as to its past history. There are still in tho possession of Maori families of rank numbers of these heirlooms, one of which is well worth telling of. I will repeat tho Maori narrative.

" Ilinematioro owned this mere; it was bequeathed from her remote ancestors. Ngapuhi and some tribes of Hauraki invaded that district, which is the East Coast, Tolago Bay. The.pa was Titirangi, and this was the place where Cook visited and met that chieftainess. When liino knew that the pa would be captured she sent her grandson away in care of Kauhi, to whom she also entrusted the mere ' Heketua.' A chief of Hauraki saw, Kauhi escaping carrying a child and know it must be a child of rank. So lie followed and was about to slay the child with an iron tomahawk. The old man Kauhi then presented his captor with the more ponnamu 'Heketua,' saying: ' This is the grandson of Ilinematioro—slay him not with a low-class weapon of iron, but rather this—the mere Heketua. The chief allowed the slave to escape with the child, and retained tho greenstone mere, which still remains in tho hands of his descendants." Much moro ho writ ton of the mere and the importance it had in Maori affairs of peace and war. As an emblem of rank it is nowadays the accepted mark thereof, and treasured by its owner even as our monarchs of old treasured their diadems of gold. Auckland Museum Collection.

There are in tho Auckland Museum several meres of known historic importance to the Maori, and several others whose histories aro uncertain or unknown. The histories of such as aro known would unduly extend this article. For example, there is a mere presented to Sir George Grey by To Rauparaha's tribo: an indication by that people of their peaceful intentions, and of their desire to keep their truculent leader within bounds. Again, there are two valuable meres given by the Ngati-Paoa tribo as tokens of their regrets for tho so-called " invasion of Auckland" by them. Tho war canoe fleet of NgatiPaoa came hither and landed in Mechanics' Bay with the view of demonstrating their desire to bo avenged for tho treatment ono of their chieftains had received at the hands of too zealous Government officials of that day. And so on, each of these weapons has its historical importance, connected not only with Maori tribal history but in some cases with the pioneering history of this country.