Maori Legends.

Opunake Times, Volume I, Issue 2, 6 July 1894, Page 4

Maori Legends.

INTRODUCTION. (By Kuku.) Before the arrival of the Europeans in this country the Maoris were a very simple people, and being, without any Literature, like most other ignorant nations, as regards book learning, they had their "story tellers" who were well versed in all the tales handed down verbally from one generation to another. Of an evening when seated round their fires the story teller would be called into requisition and recount tales to those assembled of days gone by. By this means a very extensive* oral literature was amassed, which those who are intimate with the native race regret not being preserved. In all such legendary lore there would naturally be a great deal of the supernatural, as, being ignorant of science, many things which are not noticed by us, owing to scientists having explained their various phenomena, were considered by the ancient Maoris to be the workings of different spirits, called Atuas or Taipos, respectively, in accordance with whether their actions were for good or evil. These spirits were supposed to possess an individuality, and to be cognisant of the doings of human beings. The Maoris consequently came to hold in great awe ifchose master spirits; and Tohungas or priests, who professed to have the confidence of them, were regarded as very great personages amongst the Maoris. In order to retain a hold over the mind in any form of belief Ihere must be established a concrete connection between the natural and supernatural, and from this cause i»,rose the law of Tapu, or making certain things, times, and places holy. In order to establish a tapu first there came the awful example : A Maori met with some unaccountable death, became mad, or disappeared surreptitiously. The Tohunga gave a reason ;for such result, and not being called on to prove it, it had either to be believed in, or a negative proved, which is a very difficult thing to do in more cases than Maori superstitions. His version being accepted it was a certainty that others would avoid doing what was stated to have brought such dire calamity on the departed or demented one. Refraining from certain actions on account of the feav of rejprisal on the part of the spirit who would be offended thereby, iucreased ithe belief in the existence of such a spirit, and the reverence in which it would thereafter be held. There was also the comic side. The Maoris are naturally, very sharpwitted and have a keen sense of the ludicrous. They have their little jokes and witticisms amongst themselves, and in many instances in reparte are quite on a level with the typical Irishman. They have their fairies, whom they call Nga Patupaiarehe, who do nothing but tease people and spend their spare time in fun and frolic. Many curious and quaint actions are attributed to ithese " good people," of which I shall liave more to say on a future occasion. Among the most dreaded of the evil beings is the Taniwha. This beiug iis credited with assuming various shapes. Sometimes it is as half-fish and half-man, and at others as a great serpent, &c, possessing terrible lung power, emitting horrible noises, and possessing a very keen scent for human flesh, to which they are all reputed to be decidedly partial. They iire also credited with possessing most voracious appetites, and any that have been canght, on being examined were found to have such a mixed assortment in their capacious stomachs that the catalogue thereof would put to shame the most authentic sailor's yarn of the opening of a monster deep sea shark. How one of these Taniwhas came into existence will be the theme of my first legend.

Pii, the Wrestler. Many years ago there lived in the Waikato a Maori named Pii. He was a giant in size and strength and was a noted wrestler, being champion 'of all the numerous tribes who inhabited that part of the country. Although possessed of splendid physical development in body and limbs, he had the misfortune to be what the Maoris called a " hapei," which being Anglicised means club-footed, having his toes turned inward, causing him to walk on the sides of his feet. His whole thought was of wrestling, and there being no one in his own country whom he deemed worthy of further testing his prowess he decided on visiting the tribes in other parts of the island. Having heard that there we're some noted wrestlers in the Taranaki district he decided on making his first tour through it. Amongst the rules of Maori etiquette on the part of tribes who became the hosts of any visitors, was one that if a visitor had a predilection for any particular sport or using any weapon, they should produce one of their tribe to combat him if he so desired it. If they could not find one to stand up for the tribe it was lookad upon as a terrible disgrace, and their tribe would ever after be fboked down upon by all other tribes. In this, respect they might be compared to the knights of old who went about declaring that some dulcine with whom they were smitten was the loveliest creature in creation, and a contradiction was sufficient to cause a mortal combat. Pii came through from the Waikato in due course, and at every pah which he visited as far as Opunake he met and defeated all those who were selected to oppose him. When word reached Oeo that the irresistible Pii was approaching great consternation was caused in the Kainga as they had not a man fit to bring forward to oppose him. A meeting was called in the big runanga house at night and the matter discussed. Presently a little dwarf, or ngunu, jumped up and commenced dancing up and down the centre of the runanga

house, gesticulating and slapping his thighs in true Maori fashion, shouting out that he would wrestle Ph. A roar of merriment greeted his declaration, and, in derision, those assembled began taunting the dwarf. He still persisted in his desire to meet the champion Waikato man, and the tribe finally decided to trust their honor to his prowess. On the day appointed byPii's forerunners for the trial, the whole tribe were on the beach awaiting his arrival. „ Presently he was espied in the distance walking along the beach, and as he neared the assembled multitude his immense size inspired them all with a feeling of fear, and of compassion for the dwarf who was to oppose him. Not so the dwarf, who was attired in true Maori fashion, with a mat belt round his waist and a greenstone tomahawk suspended therefrom. When Pii arrived, after the usual greetings had been exchanged, he prepared himself for the combat, and requested his opponent to come forward. The dwarf immediately stepped out on the sand. A perceptible shiver was observed to pass through the giant's frame when he beheld his opponent, and it was evident that fear had taken possession of him. He reasoned that no ordinary human being of the dimensions of the dwarf would undertake to wrestle him, and that therefore this must be a devil, or kiko-kiko. He determined, however, on going on with the contest, and was preparing to take hold when the dwarf stooped down and picked up a handful of sand, ostensibly for the purpose of drying his hands to enable him to take a better hold of his antagonist, but instead he threw the handful of sand right into the eyes of the giant, and in a shorter time than it takes to tell had drawn his tomahawk and buried it in the giant's skull. After this he cut off the giant's head and threw it into the sea. The head floated northwards, calling out as it went, " Pii! Pii! Pii!" until it came to the Waitara River, where it went in with the tide, and has been a Taniwha there ever since—a, scourge to to all the natives who were unfortunate enough to inadvertently cross the river where it had located itself. The natives all along the coast hearing the head call out its name as it went knew that* the champion wrestler had met his fate, and there was great rejoicing over his downfall.