TE WHAREKURA

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 9 (Supplement)

TE WHAREKURA

stood facing the east, and all about its precincts was sacred — austerely "tapu." The material for building it was collected by the people, but tlie aettial work of building was dont, by the priests, who, while thus employed, fasted through the day. Each stage of the work was consecrated by prayers and incantations, and on its completion the whole work was linked in one sacred bond of unity by the blood-stained offering of a living sacrifice witnessed by all the people. A human being or a dog having been chosen and led to the front of the Whare-kura, was there slain, the blood being the propitiatory offering to Mua (sacred locality), personified by a small wooden image of Kaha-kura, before which all offerings and sacrifices were made. On tho first night of the session the priests chose twenty or thirty youths of highest rank, and, taking them to the neighbouring stream, performed a kind of baptismal rite, at the close of which the "tapu" (sacred inviolability) of all things animate and inanimate connected with the proceedings, was supreme, and the punishment of any infringement of the "tapu" was left in the hands of gods. The sessions of the Whare-kura were opened by the priests in the autumn, and instruction was given from sunset to midnight continuously for four or five months. During this time the pupils of the Whare-kura were not allowed to share the daily toils of the community, especially were they prohibited from approaching food or cooking places. Their own food was cooked by females at a place set apart, and deposited for them at some littlo distance from the school. The course of instruction was academical in its rigid undcviatiiig lines. It began with the teaching of the sacred mythology — in itself no mean task, as we shall presently see — and after winding through the intricate mazes of mythological tradition and actual history, concluded with the weird incantations and ceremonies of witchcraft. These were extremely numerous, and included

strange spells to intensify courage and vigour in war : to paralyse and confound their enemies ; to endue the common food of daily life with horrible and fatal pi-oper-ties, and to cure the sick and wounded — truly a comprehensive catalogue !

At the conclusion of the session elaborate ceremonies were gone through by priests and pupils to remove the atmosphere of sacred isolation, and render them free to engage once more in the common round of life, its pleasures and avocations. While the breaking-up rites were proceeding the remainder of the tribe or tribes, stationed at some little distance, took a "minor part in the -ceremony by repeating an incantation for themselves. At the conclusion of the priestly rites they returned to the pa, singing, dancing, and rejoicing. And, it must be understood, pupils were required to attend the sessions of Wharekura three, four, or even five years before they could become priests, doctors, or even teachers. In

THE SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURE

both sexes, and all classes of the people, met and consulted with the priests in regard to their daily occupations. It was a large building lighted by fires made in a row of pits up the centre of the floor. The classes were always held at night, but not on successive nights, as in Te Wharekura. Intricate ceremonies also marked the opening of this school, but not being sacred like the

School of Mythology and History, the building answered many other purposes than those of education. The period of instruction was naturally in winter. The occupations in which teaching was given — namely, seasons and methods of cultivating the kumara, taro, and hue; snaring and spearing birds; fishing and its attendant fish-curing; digging the fern and convolvulus roots, — were then in abeyance, and no more favourable opportunity could have been found for acquiring knowledge against the forthcoming spring and summer. The planting and cultivation of the kumara was especially a matter of careful and detailed instruction, and this for many excellent reasons. It was the article of food most highly prized by the Maoris. An amusing proof of this is found in the eagerness with which the descendants of each set. of pioneer emigrants claim for the canoe of their ancestors the honour of bringing the kumara to "The Land of the Long White Cloud." Then we may fairly Assume that the colder, dam-

per climate of these islands considerably increased the difficulty of growing the tubers successfully, and so added to the f-laborate ritual to be observed. T^ach seed tuber was selected with the greatest care, the priests choosing the spot for the kumara plantations and making each seed tuber the subject of a special incantation. At certain stages of its growth the priests performed ceremonies and chanted incantations over the crop to insure its success and abundance.

When, after constant., care and even watching by selected members of the tribe, the tubers were ready for digging the

first fruits of the harvest were presented to the gods with sacred ceremonies and powerful Karakia, in which the priests alone took part. Major Ropata Waha-Waha, a celebrated modern chief of the Nga-ti-poroa tribe gave to Mr "White a circumstantial tradition of the sailing in ancient times of the canoe Horo-uta with a crew of 140 men to Hawaiki expressly to bring back kumara tubers for seed — an image of the placet-god Kaha-Kura being taken with them to insure good fortune. Returning to the work and methods of the School of Agriculture, it may be noted that during the winter months the building was largely used as a kind of boardinghouse (Whare-puni), many of the people sleeping there instead of returning to their whares when the evening class was oveir At other times the place fulfilled various purposes. Visitors to the pa were received and entertained within its vi alls ; the community met there for games and recitations; it was also the home of the aged of both sexes who wished to avail themselves of its sheltering warmth.

heavenly bodies leaint from tradition and experience. In a system of education entirely oral it will readily be understood that in order to preserve intact every item of traditional knowledge and actual experience the system of careful oral repetition and comparison could never be relaxed. Thus instruction in the influence of the moon, and the various conjunctions of the sitars and planets, together with the omens to be deduced from them, and their tremendous significance in the undertakings of the tribe — especially in war- — formed an important feature in the course of Maori education. The Astronomical

classes were conducted on very much the same lines as those of and partook somethe Whare-kura, what of their sacred and exclusive character. Attended only by priests and chiefs of high rank, they were quite inaccessible to the general community. The building was erected outside the pa, the classes for instruction and deliberation met at

mid-winter, the exact date being determined by the rising of the star Puaka (Rigel), one of the constellation of Orion. One or two women of rank took part in the ritesi and deliberations. From dusk till dawn the little assemblage of wise and noble personages discussed such matters vital to the well being of the people, as were influenced by the position and conjunction of the heavenly bodies, for in. the position, of the stars and planets these ancient astronomers read the omens of the year. Observations then were