IN WAR

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 15 (Supplement)

IN WAR

" Two things greater than all things are, One is Love and the other War." These lines of Kipling's very aptly epitomise the Hfe of the ancient Maori ; yet inasmuch as it is in peace that the

national life and character are built up, I have devoted a* much space as possible to our cursory glance at the Maori in time of peace, and purposely left but narrow margin for the picture of his tribal vars. What nation is not unlovely in war? Was tli9 Maori, animated by the desire for -vengeance, stung by savage lusts, and with all his primal

instinct^ aflame by the spTendid oratory of chiefs and priests. more crueil or despicable than we, who, with centurips of civilisation behind us, deliberately pay each year national > premiums- —blood mon^y — for the latest discovery in wholesale destructives? I doubt 't. First, as to the causes of war. Wo may put these down

as a trinity composed of land, women, and tapu. The struggle tor the first grew as the Hawaikian immigrants became too numerous to content theiniselvcs with their initial posse-.vions, and powerful enough to seize those lands of the Tangata Whenua, or of earlier Hawaikian arrivals, which seemed to them desirable. The influence of the second announced itself

fiom the very beginning, for weie not the very monotonies of the long ocean voyage froiv Hawaiki turned into perilous strifes by the primitive loves and jealousies which circled about the "eternal feminine"? and were not the very rejoicings of arrival at Aotea-roa clouded by the conduct of a certain chieftaincss who shamed the unwritten laws of her

people by eloping with a slave? Then, too, the tribal intermarriages which took place later on were, as we can well imagine, a fruitful source of tribal irritation. Last of all, the violation — often unintentional — of the law of Tapu by neighbouring tribes, was a constant and fruitful source of intertribal conflict.

The spoils of war were, like iis causes, threefold, and may be defined as land, slaves, and human flesh, with which may be bracketed the terrible trophies of war — preserved heads. White gives the custom of cannabalism as dating far back to the fabulous traditions of the Hawaikian Maoris^ and being connected with the first murder committed on earth. One of the descendants of Tiki — the Maori Adam, — named Rau-riki, beang jealous of the beauty and success of Hotu-a, who was beloved and desired of all women, murdered him. It was in avenging the murder of Hotu-a that the ceremonies and incantations necessary to secure victory originated, and proved so successful that all the following of Rau-riki were slain or taken prisoners. Killing the first prisoner captured, the avengers of Hotu-a presented Ms heart to the chief priest, who cooked and ate it. The lest of the prisoners were then killed and their blood was offered with much ceremony as a sacrifice to To (the God of War). Finally the bodies of the slain were cooked and eaten by the fighting men. This was the origin of cannibalism as set forth by some of the ancient chants and traditions, and from that time forth the custom of presenting to the priest the heart of the first prisoner taken in war has always been observed. From this story of the first murder and the first cannibalism dates also the precedent for the curing of heads, in which the ancient Maori attained such grim proficiency. Rau-riki having escaped the general slaughter of his people, was again pursued and, beingslain, his head was cured. The formula adopted was handed down to successive generations, so that the power and prestige of a people might be seen by the number of heads of distinguished enemies which were set on the posts of the Marae (open space in the centre of a pa or kainga), and visitors or strangers be duly impressed theieby

Time, and the lust of \engeance, had grafted on to the original idea refinements of cruel mcckery, as in the following grim detail. The bands of a distinguished enemy, being subjected to the same drying process as the head, were secured by the wrists to the same pole. Here, with the poor stiffened fingers curved inwards towards the palm, they were found convenient pegs on which to hang baskets of human flesh.

A savage rendering of the familiar lines : " To what base uses may we come ; Imperial Cresar, dead and turned to clay, Might stop a hole to keep

the wind away." Women were not allowed to partake of human flesh, ihough Thompson expresses an opinion that "when a chief had no male issue the fiesh sent from the battle field was eaten by his eldest daughter, or by his nearest relative male or female." For my own part, in all the conversations I have had with Maoris on this subject they have unanimously denied that women ever tasted human flesh, its consumption by them being strictly forbidden. Cannibalism was never resorted to as mere food for daily sustenance. It was prompted by all the worst passions of the savage. Hatred and revenge were glutted, terror was inspired, disgrace and degradation were inflicted all at one fell stroke by this devilish custom. To eat was to taste

with every morsel the flavour of gratified hatred the lust of victory. To be eaten represented the very epitome of degradation. Tv was, as I have said before, the God of War. To him karakias and sacrifices were offered by the priests, m- ' yoking his aid and beseeching his strength and spirit for the warriors of the tribe, his blessing on' the war party, and the power of his Mana in confusing and weakening the enemy. There is reason to believe that pitched battles were not frequent among the Maoris. If any dispute or insult could ' l

; bo overcome by mediation ("talking it over") such a course | was preferable. In the case of petty Avars, where fortified pas and strongholds were assailed, the Kriegspiel or war game I was, in its varying and intervalled succcFs>es, something in the , nature of military tennis, in which "advantage to me" and i "advantage to you" expressed the varying fortunes of either

side. Losses on both sides were small, and the war extended I over years. The fortified pas, which figured in these ancient , wars, exhibited in a marked degree the inventive faculty and resourcefulness of the ancient Maori. The sea coast of Taranaki is rich in remains of these ruined strongholds, over

some of which the luxuriant growth of this garden of New Zealand has flung its covering of dense shrubs and creepers. The illustrations given in our text are of two famous pas in the North Island, and convey an excellent idea of the fortresses built by the Brown Sea-Eovcr when his wanderings were o'er. It wag in stratcgem that the ancient Maori cxi Treachery from within, panic, or starvation were hi- 1; st coadjutors. All students of Maori character, and searchers , among Maori tradition, agree? in crediting the racn with a I strain of chivalrous generosity which, under certain conditions.

manifested itself in almost unexampled fashion. Thus, in the case of some of those desultory Avars before mentioned, instances are recorded in which the enemy has actually supplied the famishing garrison of a besieged pa with food, in order that they might make a good and worthy fight for it.

Clubs, spears, and a kind of wooden battle-axe called a te whatewha, were their principal weapons. The clubs were known as mere, and were variously made of greenstone, wood, or stone; the Avooden spears or iaiaha were graceful weapons, finely ~arved about the tongue-shaped heads, and decorated like the te whate-

wha with bunches of feathers. Of the war janoes mention has already been made, and of the war dance, by the performance of which the war party excited themselves to a species of madness before hurling themselves on the ranks of the enemy, mere words are, in my opinion, absolutely inadequate to convey a full impression. Sufficient to say that in ferocity, hatred, and the expression of every hideous lust it was a pandemonium made manifest.

A morn congenial branch of our subject now claims us in the consideration of Maori literature as expressed in LEGENDS AND POEMS

In selecting some examples of these I have purposely chosen from those least familiar to tlie public. The exploits of Maui, and the poetic legend of Hinemoa, are familiar to most New Zealanders, and yet are perhaps not cither more striking or poetic than many other expressions of Maoti imagination. In the myth of Tawhaki is an example of ancient mythology, pertaining to the period of the demi-gods. The lege-nd of Kunmgatuku, on the ether hand, is a comparatively modern story, as is shown by its connection with the localities given ; it is, in fact, a bit of imaginative folklore. The version I give is the exact translation of the story as it was told me by a woman of rank belonging to Oie Ngati-toa tribe, about thirty years ago. The story of Kahakura and the Fairies I give verbatim from Sir G. Grey's Polynesian Mythology, and have chosen it partly as an example of the lighter play of Maori fancy, partly as referring to the Patupaiarche mentioned as the mythical ancestors of the fair-skinned Uru Kehu of Tuhoo land: — LF.OKXD OF KURUNGATUKU, THE BIRD CHARMER. Nhe was a woman of lonjj ago. Very (all and straight, with long hair that blew out in the wind far behiiH her. Kurungatuku was also a sorceress, knowing all the sacred rites and words, full of strange knowledge — but she lived alone. In a cave in a mountain side lived Kiirmigatuku. With her lived a thousand biids, and many tame lizards, and above all the biids and the lizards, she loved one bird named Kiroriro. No bird spear had Kurungatuku ; she speared birds with her lips on'y, and ate them raw. Every day she hunted birds, for she had wings, and could fly as fast as they — every day she speared them with her lips and took them to her cave ; food, raw food, for herself and Kirrriro, and all the birds. One day as she hunted — what is this? A man, a young man, very fim>, spearing birds with a spear in the trees on the earth, which was hers, hers to wander to and fro as she willed night and day. His struck he-. All

that was inside h?r stirred with anger. Dark, daik grew her hpart. Quickly she chased and caught him ; took him to her dwelling, kept him there. Forgave him. Loved him. At dawn each day Kurun-

gatuku went out hunting. At dawn each day Hatap.itu remained in the cave, and because he could not* eat raw birds like the woman, as sonn as she was gone he cooked food and ate it — ate more and more, being a man greedy of food. When his greedy longing was satisfied he Avent here and there in the cave among the belongings of the sorceress In th? half darkness the birds, knowing a stiM'iger. moved and flutteml here and thee, a thousand wings beating her-, beating there — a thousand ll tfo cries of wonder and fear. Hatapatu ioon found cveiything that the woman had in her caye — the beautiful clo-ik of Kaka feather*, just the small red feathers under the Aving, the niii^t I eautitul do sk of led dug- fur. tlu i finely woven and worked flax '. ai nifiits her two-headed Avooden sAvord ; these Avere all fine things, and his heart longed for them. On a certain day he spoke thus to Kurungatuku: "Cio far this day; go beyond, far beyond all these mountains, and at the thousandth

mountain stop and hunt birds for us two." Far down below the mountain cave was the plain, was the shining lake ; and the white steam arose in little puffs from a, hundred Ngawas and Puias — rose up white, drifted against the blue sky, was dark like a shadow, and was gone ! Away past them all flew Kurungatuku. She, a great sorceress, and knowing the sacred rites, and the wisdom of priestly ancestors, obeying the words of the lover, the man she had taken to her hruse — alas! alas! what foKy.

Away, far away to the thousandth mountain sped Kurungatuku. In the cave remained Hatapatu. busying himself with roasting birds and eating t-hem, and saying to himself, "Hew far has she got now?*' until soon he tried on this, and this, and this of Kurungatuku's beautiful mats, shaking out the fine red feathers and th<= long fur, and thinking how fine he looked. Then a wild hatred seized him, and quickly taking a great half -burnt log from the dying fire, he smote right and left with no sparing. Swifter than the frightened birds could hasten, this way and that the blows fell, and fluttering, wounded, dying, dead, thej' fell about the feet of Hatapatu. Only one escaped, Kiroriro, he alone escaped, flew past the slayer of them all and hastened away. Far and fast flew Kiroriro and as he went he never ceased to cry bitterly, loudly to his mistress, Kurungatuku, "O Kurungatuku, our" dwelling is ruined ! All that belongs to us is destroyed !" The woman heard his voice a long way off, knew the voice of her favourite bird, Kiroriro, aud spoke • "Who has done this thing?" Slid the bird, "Hatapatu." So Kurungatuku hastened, repeating a charm ; she hastened till the wind whistled past her as she hastened. But the cave was empty ; only the dead birds lying there. Then Kiroriro guided her in tLe search for Hatapatu, and she still repeated the words of haste. When the man heard her voice, heard the cries of the little bird, saw Kuiungatuku like a god full of anger and vengeance descending on him. he spoke a charm — strong as death itself — and the rocks among which he hid, obeyed, and closed around him ; so Kurungatuku sought him in vain. Still* the little bird hovered about, and so swiftly had they come that they were now past Rotorua, and the rocks where Hatapatu was hidden were the rocks of the sulphur springs of Te Whaka-rewa-rewa.

But Kurungatuku knew not the habit of these springs, which lay far from the trees and earth of her own dwelling plact, and as she remained near them, searching for the thief who had slaughtered her birds — the lover who had stolen all her treasures— a little puff of deadly smoke rising from Te Whaka-rewa-rewa smote her, curled about her, and her stiength departed, and the hidden hands drew her down — and all was ended. All was ended for Kurungatuku. But Hatapatu came out from the hiding place of a coward, and sought his home on the Island of Mokoia.

TAWHAKI

In the myth of this hero of ancient Maori legends and chants we are reminded that mythology, no less than history, repeats itself. In the love of Tawhaki, the dweller on earth, and Tango-tango, the daughter of celestial regions, lies the parallel to those verses of Genesis which chronicle how "The sons of God saw the 'laughters of men that they were fair, and they took them wives, of all they chose."

It is merely, as becomes Antipodean history, a reversal of "he position. Now, the fame of Tawhaki'b beauty and bravery and powerful

enchantments had been wafted even, to the upper worlds, and reached the ears of a fair young maiden — a celestial maiden of Nahe-rangi, named Tango-tango, or by some tribes Hapai Long she pondered on the stories of this earthly god's courage aud beauty. It was said that his brothers could scarcely win wives, so keenly did all women desire (o attract the lovo of Tawhaki, that they had neither eyes nor ears for the wooing of others. This heard Tango-tango. Also she heard in what manner h9 had avenged the failhless treachery of his brothers-in-law, whose jealousy of his superior gifts ma.de them try to murder him, only the loving care of his wife preserving him. Taking his household and his wariiors with their families with him, Tawhaki removed to some distance from his ltlatives, and choosing a high mountain buii'.t a well-fortified pa, satisfied that he could here protect hiiiuelf and his ptop'.e. Having done ths he called on the elder gods, his ancestors, to assist him in obtaining revenge. In answer to his player the gods opened ihe doors of heaven to such a deluge of rain that the earth wms overwhelmed with a mighty flood, and all that race perished ; and this was : poken of as "the overwhelming of the ZvLataaho." Then Tawhaki ..ailed on his younger brother, Kaiihi, to aid him in avenging the death of their father, who had been spirited avay and slain by the Ponaturi. This strange race dwelt under water, only venturing on dry land to sleep, and regaining the water again before sunrise, as the sun's lays were fatal to them. When Ponaturi had slain Tawhaki's father they had also carried his mother into captivity. When the brothers at last found the large dwelling called "Manawa Tane,'' where the water-people slept each night, they also found their mother keeping watch by the door. Afar off she heard the voices of her sons, especially the voice of Tawhaki, repeating powerful Karakias on their way ; and old Urutongo wept for joy. So powerful were the incantations of Tawhaki that the bones of Hema, his father, were stirred to sympxthy, and slowly moved and rattled against one another loudly, where they hung under the roof of the house. Amid her tears of joy, Urutonga besought her sons to be gone, so fierce and malicious were the Ponaturi that only a dreadful death would await them. Then Kar:hi asked, "Why, then, are you alive?" To which Urutonga replied, "They saved me alive thai; I might watch for the coming of the dawn. Ever do I sit watching at the door of this house bo that my name of other days — the name of Hema's wife, Urutonga — is finished, is forgotten ; this people name me 'Tatau,' the door. Through the night they call to me many times, 'Ho, Tatau, there, is it yet dawn?' And I answer, 'No, No, it is deep night ; it is dark night; it is still night. Rest, continue to sleep, sleep on!'" So a hurried plan was made, and Tawhaki and Karihi climbed the outside of the roof, imd making holes deep down in the reeds of the thatch, concealed themselves, having promised their mothor to come down before dawn and carefully stop every chink and crevice in the building so that no ray of light might shine in. When the last rays of the sun were banished from the highest mountain peaks, and night began to fall, the Ponaturi came nocking up in thousands from the water to

enjoy their night's rest in Manawa Tane. As was their ancient custom, they send betore them one whose duty it was to &cc that no enemy waylaid their path or lurked in their house. And the sccut sniffing here and there thought he perceived the bmell of strangers (i" miniscent of the ogre in Jack and the Beanstalk this), but &o eagerly did the water people crowd in thousands into the wh.ire that the scent of the strangers was lost.

When all was still and the Ponaturi slept, Tawhaki and his brother crept down from their hiding place and found their mother awaiting them outside the door. When Karihi asked her, "Oh, Mother, in what way can we best kill these sleepers?" she answered, ''You hud better let the sun kill them." Then Tatau crept quietly into the house again, and according to custom answered the quebtion of ' Is it dawn yet?" with "No, no, it is night ; it is lasting night ; is it still night ; sleep on ; sleep on."

Busily did they witliout the house stop up each chink and crevice. Brightly the dawn grew in the vjast ; the sun ro&e high in heaven but no gleam of his light penetrated into Manawa Tane, where the thousands of Ponaturi now slept uneasily. Once more the old man culled, "Ho, Tatau, is it not dawn yet?"' And she answered, "Yes" ; and cried to the watchers without to puil out the stopping and throw open the door and window. This they did, and the sun streaming Into the house the whole of the Ponaturi were slain by his rays ; unharmed by the hand of man they withered before the light of the sun. Then the brothers removed with reverence the bones of their father Hema, and destroying by fire all traces of the water-people, the Pcnaturi, returned to their own country cairying the bones of Hema, and carefully protecting old Urutonga.

Now, this is the deed whose fame had reached the ears of Tangotango .if she dwelt in the skies — this, and also the report of Tawhaki's exceeding beauty. At last she determined to descend and see for herself what was the truth. Finding him asleep in his houoe, she gazed long at him, and found all that was said was true indeed ; so she crept softly to his side and laid herself down there. Tawhaki in the darkness merely thought it some woman of his own race, especially when he awoke at early morning and searching for his companion found .she's had gone. From that night the young maiden of the heavenJy race returned each night to the side of Tawhaki, vanishing before the morning light. But presently, as she was to become a mother, her love for Tawhaki triumphed over pride and the glory of her j.oble birth, and Tango-tango "fully revealed the mystery of her comings andi rgoipgs, and .abode with Tawhaki. When the child was born, however, some hasjty words, of Tawhaki's so hurt and offended the young mother that, taking her little daughter in her arms, Ixi6k flight upwards. In vain TaVhaki implored her to remain, crying, "Oh, mother of my child, -return once to me ; return i" Sadly, but inflexibly^ Tangoi-tango jceplied, '\No ; ■ neyer again shaiL I return, to you." As she -ascended "from his sight orice.more Tawhaki called' to her, ''Leave me, then,^ ax Teasfc^ 'some- -token- of lememlSrance. " To which the 1 ' enigmatic

was, "These, then, are my parting words : Take fast hold of the creeper which, hanging from on high, has struck its roots into the earth; touch not the loose root which sways to and' fro in the wind."

Slowly passed the days, slowly passed the nights for Tawhaki, bereft of his heavenly wifu and their little tabe. In Tango-tango s last wards he saw a clue to their re-union, and calling on his brother Karihi once more for companionship, they two, accompanied by two slaves, set forth. Finding a.t lat>t the place where the tendrils of the great creeper hung down from heaven, they discovered it to be guarded by an old woman, quits blind, called Matakerepo, who was an ancestress of Tawhaki's. After rhe interview with the blind goddess had proceeded for a while Tawhaki, touching her sightless eyes and. uttering a powerful Kcirakia or charm, restored her sight, so that she recognised her young relatives.

On being told the object of their journey she gladly advised their course of action. Karihi was the first to attempt the perilous ascent, nearly losing his life thereoy. Hastily springing at the tendrils Karihi clutched in error a loose one, and swung far off to the very verge of the horizon, where a strong blast of wind fortunately drove him back to the other side of the horizon; and first a land wind, and then a current of air sweeping down from above, made him their sport; until once more swinging down near the earth, Tuwhaki shouted to him to loose his hold, and he fell safely.

After some time spent in weeping and rejoicing over Karihi's escape Tawhaki, commanding him to remain on caith and devote himself to the care of their 1. milies and dependants, prepared to make the ascent to heaven himself. Only the frequent words of help called after him by Mraakerepo, and the use of a powerful incantation repeated strenuously as he made that long and tenible ascent, enabled Tawhaki at length to pull himself into the heavens. The reoital of his adventures in the upper world would occupy too much space (the legend is told with all detail in Sir George Grey's '"Polynesian Mythology"), the finale may be simply stated. With the cunning which distinguished him, Tawhaki made use of a charm to change his appearance to that of a poor and ugly old man, under which guise he was allowed to join a party of people whom he met, and who, supposing him to be a slave or of mean origin, directed him to cany their tools and firewood. Reaching their village Tawhaki at cr.ee made his way to where the chieftainess of the people sat surrounded by her women. To the horror and consternation of the beholders he sat down beside the great, lady, who was none other than his celestial young wife, Ihe beautiful Tango-tango. For two days he continued to mystify and excite the curiosity of the people ; then retiring to the forest that he might in solitude perform the necessary incantations, Tawhaki resumed his own appearance, full of nobility and beauty, and returned to the village. Those who saw him now exclaimed, "This must be a demigod," and withdrew with becoming respect as Tawhaki walked up to where his wife

and little daughter were seated ; and catching the little one in his arms lie held her to his breast, caressing her, and then turned to hi? wife. Touched by the repentant love whoh bad made him re member the clue she had given in parting, and caused him to advuture th.it terrible ascent for her hake. Tango-tango welcomed her lu^b-ind, wh<. never more returned to earth, but remained in the heav us, whence men ate reminded of his presence 'by the thunder and lightning which at times reach their ears and inform them of the movements of the mighty Tawhaki. As an instance of how intimately Maori tradition was interwoven •with Maori life and thought, the following extract of a widow's lament for her husband, in which she recalls the avenging by Tavrhaki of nis father (Hema's) death, may be given : — Go, oh loved one! ne'er by mo Shalt all thy fame and noble deeds Amidst the crowd be lost. Yes, c'en in war, and all that men call great in sport or love, I'll hold thee forth to public view. E'en as the beauteous piow of war canoe Attracts the gaze and shouts of Western tribes applause. 11l hold thee forth as beam of Sacred house all carved around with "moko" lines Of thine own anci.nt tribe and seeis Oh, yes! I know 'tw.is s^tid of old The house where Tatau was, And where the Mae-faho in crowds AH met their doom and slept in death ; Wh- i r9 all the Ponaturi's voice was hushed to speak no mor?. So I for thee will joy That full revengi, was sought and found. As that for Hema's d^ath so amply gained.