PRIMITIVE MAORIS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 9870, 16 January 1918, Page 5

PRIMITIVE MAORIS

LEAD THE SIMPLE LIFE IN THE HEART OF THE UREWERA. It is not given to all men to appreciate the joy of the wilderness. A holiday fraught with difficulties, the road daily barred by fresh obstacles, away from conventional modes, close up to Nature, that is a vacation which does not appeal to the many. Adventuring through unknown country has a thrill in every menace ahead, and a delight in every turn of the road. There are tew parts of New Zealand into which the track of the pioneering settlor or adventurous traveller has not blazed a trail for future development. But one spot seems to remain inviolate; itua’s former stronghold in the b'rewera Country. Inaccessible, densely bushed, and mountainous, it is seldom a white man sets out on that hazardous path which leads to the interior. Prior to the invasion of the police to effect the arrest of Rua and his confederates, a long period had elapsed since a white man intruded upon the primitive solitude of the Maori settlers. Since tha arrest of Rua, no pakeha lias followed the trail until recently when a party of three men spent a fortnight exploring this region. Tha party consisted of Messrs A. W. Bull and A. IP. Smith, of Auckland, and Air A. Nicholson, of Wellington. “Wo motored from Whakatane fx Waimana —a run of 20 miles,” said Air Bull, in conversation with a 1 ‘Alanawatu Times” representative. “At this point the Maori chief. Tu Raukurakura, supplied us with a horso each, also a guide (his son), and a packhorse. The narrow track was originally made by wild pigs, and it followed the spurs of densely wooded mountains, climbed round precipitous cliffs, and crossed the river approximately fifty times. No axe has marred the beautj of this great and' beautiful forest, and it is a sanctuary where native birds abound. There are no trout, however, in the streams. In relating his narrative, Mr Bull said that the Maoris who inhabit this area are most primitive. Their faces are tattooed, even the young girls have their lips and chins ornamented with ancient designs, and some of the old men are entirely tattooed, face and body. They adhere to all the ancient customs, aud have implicit faith in the hereditary superstitions of their race. Many places were Ta-pu, and _kept sacred, while their belief- in the Taipo, black devil, who comes at night, -is strongly manifested. These Maoris -he- - long to the Tuhoe tribe, and many were followers of Te Kooti. ' The scenery is wonderful in its rugged grandeur, the overlapping ranges of hills making it a senes ox “drop scenes,” the vivid red of the rata blossom making bright splashes among the many greens. “It would be impossible to traverse this country but for the sure-footed Alaori horse, which performs seemingly almost impossible feats with amazing skill—fording rivers, climbing steep banks, and picking, and picking a way through dense undergrowth to test the nerves of the best horseman. ’ . The Maoris were generous and kindly, offering what hospitality their meagre larder afforded. . Wild P'S® and pigeons, kumeras and corn bread were their staple diet. Xn the pigeon season, birds were preserved and kept for special occasions. ■ The cooking was done in the open, on the stones and fern, and they lived the very primitive existence of their ■ ancestors of sixty years ago. , „ They still carvo their canoes out o t logs, the party inspecting one of recent construction. Many oi the cnildren had never seen a white man before, and kept in hiding, and with the exception of one or two of the men, English was unknown, the guide acting as interpreter. Tlie natives have abounding faith in their prophet, Rua;; they firmly believe he can do all, he has' said he would do. When sickness overtook them, - it was Rua’s custom to tell them their ailment was due to some ancient and historic relic or heirloom they possessed, aud until they parted with it they would not get well. In simple faith they offered the offending mere or tiki to Rua, and to this act was always attributed their subsequent recovery. They refused to sell any ancient samples of Maori art, clinging to then - sadly depleted collection with avidity. Air Bull, who has travelled widely, and visited the various countries Ot Europe affording scope for adventures amidst scenic charms, states that tho grandeur of this , untouched country, hidden in deep recesses among wellnigh inaccessible mountain ranges, stands alone in primitive beauty. The Alaori dwellers, too, retain their best attributes of their ancient race, unspoiled by contact with civilisation, from which, with the perversity of human nature, they seem to assimilate the worst traits, the combination making, what we so often find in popular tourist resorts, a- product not typical, nor to be admired. Simple, kindly, and genial, they live their simple life away from the haunts of the pakeha, retaining their simple faith and ancient customs. In these days ot war and stress haw many will envy them their sanctuary in -the heart of the hills!