The Brown Sea-Rovers and Their Home. BEING A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MAORI.

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 96 (Supplement)

The Brown Sea-Rovers and Their Home. BEING A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE MAORI.

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)//Mn?iF^ik^ UESTIONEI) of his original home the 3%»f(((\^^^MK^ Maori, that Brown Sea-Rover of iNvH^i?^' ") Jw^jal^ ancient times, has invariably con\\s§£3v^^^(§B^ centrated association and recollection ) Vx^^^^^^^^V^) m on© word, " HAWAIKI." Thence he had been driven by private quarrels or tribal disputes, as in the case of Ngahue: or had departed peacefully with well-ordered precision, and parting benediction, as in the case of what is usually known as "The Pioneer Fleet." But in whatever fashion his successive migrations had been made, Hawaiki was always the scene of departure. Shrined in his heart as the synonym of sunshine, pleasure, and abundance, sacred to him as the birthplace of his godlike ancestors, the scene of man's creation, and of the fascinating exploits* of the demi-gods, faint and far across the leagues of restless ocean traversed by his great canoes,

Part 1.-TKADITIONAL.

Hawaiki was the magic home which embodied the love and loyalty of the Brown Sea Rover. In speaking of the early history of the Maori we are y>rone to anchor our thoughts on the shores of that fair fatherland, whose name has long been familiar to us; fair, abundant, mystical, but no longer fabulous, Hawaiki. Long and loving research, the patient unravelling of many silken threads of entangled tradition by earnest students, shows us many errors in our former conceptions of the Maori Fatherland. We no longer search for one definite locality or place by which to localise the spot. In the name Hawaiki, with all its Polynesian variants, we recognise indeed the birthplace of the Maori race. But we realiae much more. We understand that, inspired with a deep and passionate belief in the? sacredness, beauty, and abundance of that home land, this wandering people gave its name to some specially favoured spot, in each of their many temporary resting places.

"In Maori legends*," says Mr Percy Smith in his recent work on "The Home of the Maori/ "it is clear that this most ancient name of Hawaiki was applied to more than one place or home of the people, and that their first home had several qualifying epithets applied to it, for we have 'Hawaiki-nui' (the great Hawaiki), 'Hawaiki-atea,' (which I apprehend to bo Hawaiki the happy), and 'Hawaiki-roa' (the long Hawaiki)." A well-known Otago chief of the Ngai-tahu, Tare Wetere t@ Kahu, from whom I myself had much information on the place names of Otago, also gave Mr Smith the following description of Hawaiki-nui: "A main land, with vast plains on the side towards the sea, and a high range of snowy mountains on the inland side 5 through this country ran the river Tohinga." Now this river Tohinga is prominent in the Maori legends of the Deluge. In some Maori legends tlie Fatherland of these sea-rovers is not only spoken of as the great extending Hawaiki — clearly pointing to a continent but after naming various mountains there, is thus indicated

as the cradle of the race : "here was the origin of the race, and from here they spread to the islands of the great ocean and dwelt there." "Hawaiki-atua," or Hawaiki of the gods, points to a yet earlier aspect of the fatherland and confines its place in legend-day lore as being the cradle of the gods who sprang from the mystic marriage of Rangi and Papa (Earth and Sky), and hence the actual scene of the Maori Mythology of Creation.

Where, then, was Hawaiki? The question shall be answered by giving the sequence of conclusions arrived at by such eminent students of Polynesian race history as the late Judge Fomander, Judge Wilson, and Mr S. Percy Smith, F.R.G.S., whose recent, work, "Hawaiki. the Original Home of the Maori," has done much to focus in admirable form the best information on the subject. Of the forging link by link, from Polynesian mythology, racial characteristic, folk lore, and lingual coincidences, of the long chain of reasoning there is not here time or space to dilate — conclusions must content us. India, probably the plains and foothills of the Himalayas, reaching to the sea on the Persian Gulf, perhaps even extending to the Bay of Bengal, was probably the Hawaiki-nui of ancient tradition. During the long generations which lived and died here began the maritime knowledge which the subsequent history of the race was to develop, until they became the Brown Sea-Rovers of later generations. Here it was, no doubt, that the Polynesians came into contact with some Semitic race, learning from them words and customs which still survive among them — stimulating and puzzling the student of race history. Probably this Semitic race inhabited Arabia and the shores of the Persian Gulf. When the wave of an Aryan race swept India about 4000 yearsi ago, and forced the Polynesian people to retreat, they moved gradually southwards and seawards, and eventually to Indonesia, Polynesians inhabiting Java, about 65 B.C. Driven out of Java by a Malay invasion, the wanderers migrated eastward, lured by the promise of the tropic islands. Here by the recurrent name of Hawaiki in all its musical variations of Savaii in the Samoan group, Avaiki in the Harvey group, Hawaii of the Sandwich Islands, Hawaiki in the Chatham Islands, and so on, through Polynesian legend, and especially Rarotongan tradition, the migrations of the Maori have been traced through centuries. Always lie commemorated the neverforgotten Fatherland m his nomenclature, only distinguishing it by qualifying adjectives. As Mr Percy Smith observes : "The love of adventure, of moving about from place to place, has always been a feature in their lives. The effect the vast number of islands in Indonesia must have had on the people was to increase their powers of navigation. In passing onward by way of New Guinea, the Solomans, and New Hebrides, to the Fiji group, the idea must have forced itself into their minds that the whole Eastern world was covered with islands, and that they had only to move onward into the unknown to find more lands on which to settle. Actuated by this ruling idea, they undertook long voyages in the assured belief of finding land. Many of their expeditions, no doubt, failed in the end they sought, and disappeared for ever. We don't hear of them ; it is the successful voyages of which a record has been preserved." Thus they became more and more a wandering people, studying the stars in their courses as the mariners unfriilingcompass, mastering with the quick observation of man before civiHsation has divorced him from

the heart of nature, all the mystic uniting of earth and sky, tide-lore of ccean currents, and secrets of trade winds; building" them larger and stronger canoes, until they were in very deed the " Brown Sea-Ro-vers " who, in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, swept far and wide over the Pacific Polynesian tradition concurs with Maori tradition, in recording

the voyages of early Maori navigators who dis • covered New Zealand, notable among them being "Kupe," who, in the canoe Ma-ta-whao-rua, sailed round the North Island. Thu canoes Mamari and Mahuhu, bringing the ancestors of the Northern Nga-puhi, and Ngati - Whatua, probably arrived about the year 1150; while Paoa's canoe, the Horo-uta," did not arrive till about 1200. Ngahue is, however,

the especial chief of these Brown Sea-Rovers, who may be said to have suggested by his glowing travellers' tales, the principal migration to that lovely "Land of the long white cloud." Landing at Tauranga, he first

saw the moa — and slew one (or said he did !), and also discovered some fine specimens of greenstone. Relying on the value and fascination of these discoveries to obviate some little difficulties belween himself and his tribe, and taking with him the "Ponamu," in confirmation of his tale, Ngahue returned to Hawaiki — which in this instance we may regard as Savai'i in the Samoan group or Havai'i Society Islands. He had found, he declared, "A land without human inhabitants, but abounding in the huge moa and the precious ponamu. It is interesting to note that the tradition sets forth the subsequent making of two axes and a "hci tiki" (small image of Tiki, the Maori Adam) from this greenstone, also an ear pendant or "Koropepe." Now this la^t was handed clown throvgh successive generations of his

descendants, until in 1852, it was held by the chiei Te Ilcu-heu or Taupo. Ngahue himself, however, never returned to New Zealand. Doubtless, however, his description of its desirableness, growing with every repetition, influenced the minds of his people towards that greater migration which increasing disputes, quarrels, and unrest, m tims rendered desirable.

Probably to this and earlier periods belong the fabulous myths which relate to the Kahui Tipua, a band of ogres, mho were said to inhabit these islands. They were described as giants who could stride from one mountain range to another, swallow rivers, and transform themselves at will to any form they chose. The large migration to these shores, which is usually known as that of

THE PIONEER FLEET, took place about 1350, and consisted of six or seven large canoes, each capable of containing 140 men — one, Te Arawa, js described as being a double canoe, with deck house ' occupying the platform which joined it. The names of the canoes were :

Tai-nui Toko-maru Te Arawa Taki-tumu Mata-atua Kura-haupo. Exhaustive inquiry and comparison of Maori and Rarotonga legends point to Rarotonga as the last point of departure of the pioneer fleet. Mr Percy Smith, however, considers that the canoes were launched from the west side of Tahiti, and called at Rarotonga on their way. He also con-

siders that the canoe Aotea, usually mentioned as one of the pio-

neer fleet, sailed independently from Ra-iatea (Society group), and instead of touching al Rarotonga put into Sunday Island. Fully equipped and provisioned for a long voyage, each canoe contained its store of Kumara tubers, gourd, taro, Ivaraka berries, etc., and such domestic animals as rats, dogs, and Pukeko — nor was a store of the sacred red paint forgotten ,

nor can we fail to admire the forethought which provid-xl the seed tubers of Kumara, as well as the Kumara in its preserved form of "Kao" for use. All the fleet started together — according to some traditions they were lashed together to insure their not losing sight of one another in the darkness. As they left the shore an old chief, white with the weight of many years, spoke his parting benediction :

"Depart in peace, and when you reach the place to which you go, do not follow after the deeds of Tv, the God of War; depart, and dwell in peace with all men; leave war and strife behind you."

So they fared forth, not, you will observe, as mere explorers or adventurers seeking new lands in which to plant their colonies, but with due care and px-ovision, doubtless availing themselves of the maritime knowledge gained from former navigators of their course, and having as their objective a land whose name of Aotea-roa was already familiar to them. [Note a: "The only two places where the native name of New Zealand is known, so far as I can learn, are Tahiti, where it is mentioned in an old chant, and at Raro-tonga." — Smith's "Hawaiki." Norn, b Regarding the origin of the name "Aotea-roa" Judge Wilson makes an interesting suggestion. The earlier immigrants, about 1290, "Having sailed along the strange shore, for hundreds of miles were impressed with its extent and white appearance. From the eastern precipices of the Great Barrier and Mercury Islands to the beaches and headlands of the Bay of Plenty; and from Te Mahia to past the East Cape, all the coastline was 1 more or less white in colour as the eastern sun shone upon it.'' In other words, it lay "A long white cloud" between blue o' the sea, and blue o' the sky.] Traditional accounts of the voyage, though mingled with much that is purely mythical, are probable and consistent enough in their relation of storms, threatened starvation, disputes as to the exact course to be steered, and quarrels bred of jealousy and rivalry centreing round " the eternal feminine "

In due course the fleet sighted their promised land, all making their landfall in the vicinity of the East Cape, and from there coasted along to the places selected for final settlement. Thus Mata-atua was beached at Whakatane, and Te Arawa at Maketu in the Bay of Plenty; Toko-maru went round the North Cape, landing her crew north of Taranaki ; Tai-nui was hauled across the isthmus at Otahuhu, near Auckland ; Taki-tumu went on to the South Island, and was finally wrecked off Moeraki, in Otago ; while Kura-haupo, after her partial disablement at Rangitahua (Sunday Island), landed some of her crew at the North Cape, others in Cook Strait, near Manawatu. The Aotea apparently fell in with the ill-fated Kura-haupo at Sunday Island, and sighting land on the east coast, rounded Cape Falliser, touched at various points along Cook Strait, coasted along the west coast, and was beached at Aotea, whence the crew marched along the seashore to Wanganui. Turi, an illustrious chief of Raro"tongan legends, who captained the .Aotea, subsequently made an excursion to Wairarapa, naming all the country he travelled through.

Tradition tells us that it was in summer that the Brown SeaRovers reached their Ultima Thule, the Aotea-roa which was to close their centuries of wandering, for it is recorded that the Pohutu-kawa trees were glowing with their crimson flowers. We may well imagine how the unspoken welcome of the woods, brilliant with their sacred colour, cheered the superstitious emigrants, and at once promised a fair omen for their new home. Full of joy at the successful termination of their voyage the Maoris commemorated their arrival on these shores by building altars (tuahu), as in the case of the Tainui, whose altar may still be discovered in the limestone rocks at Kawhia; and by the solemn presentment of propitiatory offerings to the gods, and of supplications to the Spirit of the New Country, intended to disarm wrath at their intrusion. One of these prayers, uttered by a great chief on behalf of his people, runs thus :

"I arrive where an unknown earth is under my feet, I arrive where a new sky is above me ; I arrive at this land; A resting place for me. O Spirit of the Earth ! The stranger humbly offers His heart as food for thee !"

Between the years 1350 and 1904 lies the gulf of many centuries, yet until quite decently the fresh greenery of a cluster of shrubs in Kawhia Harbour bridged that gulf and formed a link between the arrival of the Brown Sea-Rovers of 1350 and their descendants of to-day. In this wise The canoe Tai-nui, having been dragged by her crew across the portage at Otahuhu, continued her voyage along the west coast, the priest in the bow naming the prominent features of the coast as they passed, ending with "Kawhia,"

which he so named from th? abundance of fish in the

waters. Here as we have seen, the people landed, and building their altar, made their thank-offerings. "And they dragged Tai-nui on shore, and the skids on which they dragged her grew, and to this day they are still growing there." With these word 9 ends the Xga-ti-Mahutu tradition

Sir James Hector, visiting the spot &ome' years ago, speak? of having previously noticed the little clump of trees, while totally ignorant of their legendary interest "The peculiar habit of the tree attracted my attention, having c. resemblance to a clump of apple trees, so that at the first glance I took it to be an old orchard." Hearing from the natives the story of the trees having sprung f'om the rollers or skids, and the green boughs that served as flooring to the sri-eat canoe, Sir James again visited, and closely exam'n:d the little group of shrubs, finding th:m "certainly

quite distinct from any plant hitherto described in New Zealand, and I need hardly point out that, if the legend were true, and we could hereafter determine the original habitat of this tree, it might give us a clue to the whereabouts of the mythical Hawaiki." The truth of this is so apparent that one keenly regrets the total destruction of so interesting a relic.

For it is in reference to these shrubs a recent writer on the modern little township of Kawhia remarks : "Several magnificent Pohatakawa trees growing at the water's edge, tradition says, were planted by tha original Maoris to commemorate their landing. Settlers of the early days tell how there weire growing beneath these trees small yellow-leaved plants, strange to New Zealand flora, said by the Maoris to have sprung from the skids of the Tai-nui canoe Stock imported by the Europeans found these plants so agreeable that not a trace of them now remains."