THE MAORI AND THE MOA.

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 8523, 1 November 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE MAORI AND THE MOA.

At the meeting of the Philosophical Society Wednesday night the vexed question whether the Maori had ever actually known the moa or only through tradition was briefly discussed upon a paper by Lieutenant-Colonel McDonnell, read by Mr J. Park. The paper, which was entitled “The Ancient Moa Hunters at Waingongoro,” was ostensibly a reply to Mr Colenso, of Napier (a gentleman who, as is well known, has always held the theory that the moa was extinct when the Maori arrived from Hawaiki), who had stated that there was nothing in the stories or proverbs 6f the Maoris to show that they actually knew the moa. Colonel McDonnell expressed surprise that a statement of that kind should have come from such a Maori scholar as Mr Colenso. As showing that the Maoris had known the moa, and had hunted and eaten it, he related an incident within his own experience which happened on the West Coast of the North Island in 1866. Sir George Grey (then Governor) was visiting the locality, and an old Maori named Kawana Paipai stated that in his youth he had joined his people in hunting the Moa on the Waimate Plains. In answer to questions, he described the mode of hunting, which was that when a party of young men started a moa they pursued it until they were tired, when another party took up the chase and so on until the moa tired, when it was killed with stones and sticks. Doubts were expressed as to the truth of Kawana Paipai’s statements, whereupon he became exceedingly angry, and said that if men were brought with spades he would show them where they could uncover the bones of the moas from the old ovens. This was promptly done, and as Kawana had promised, about three feet down large quantities of moa bones were found among the old ovens. It was explained by Kawana that the moa, when brought to bay, fought fiercely, striking out with its feet. The time when the old man took part in the hunt. Colonel McDonnell reckoned, would be cany in the present century. Mr Maskell said this was a question that had caused a great deal of argument. Sir Julius von Haast, Mr Colenso and others had taken one side (arguing that the moa was extinct before the Maoris came to New Zealand), while Mr Mantell, Sir James Hector and others had taken the other. He expressed surprise that Mr Colenso should found a. theory on the circumstance that there were no traditions or legends to prove otherwise, and questioned whether these traditions were of ■any value at all. Certainly he thought the testimony of a man who had actually seen and eaten the moa was worth ten thousand legends and traditions. Mr. Tregear maintained that the folklore of the Maoris, a people without literature, wifi'' much more valuable and reliable than that of civilised races. Mr Park quoted from a paper by Mr Mantell to prove that the moa had been hunted by the Maoris. In consequence of the lateness of the hour the discussion was stopped shortly after 10 o’clock, the President (Mr Maskell), remarking that it could be resumed at the n(lt meeting.