A PAKURC SONG

Otago Witness, Issue 2649, 21 December 1904, Page 19 (Supplement)

A PAKURC SONG

" Listen now my lady loveTo my sweet-sounding pakuru S nding forth its melody, Resounding far 'tween echoing cliffy Breathing forth my love to> you. As soft as dew on leave-. Sounding from hill and dale, Arousing from sweet sleep She who fills my nightly dreams." So much for the graces of Maori legend, song, and story, and I think it will be generally conceded that sufficient proof has been given of the power, suggestion, and grace of | this oral literature — for what else can we call it? Still the roll call of merit is not complete. Some examples of the wit and wisdom which epitomised itself in proverbs — saying* of unknown antiquity — iiubl be given to complete the presentment of the ancient Maori's mental culture.

"The stars are many, but a little black cloud hides them," meaning a small party of determined warriors may conquer a large number.

"He iti tangata c tupu ; he Ai toki, c iti ton.ii iho" — a small human being will grow; a small sione cue 'tlwcuj* remains small." Now a stonei axe was the most valued of the ancient Maori possessions. Cook has recorded hoy he could not get them to part with out, not for anything he had iv his chip So that tlas piovirb win used to signify tho inc^i in.ablo value of a li'an o\rr prop rty oi any kind — even an axe.

"He pat?o na ki runga; he ngutu tangata ki raio" — literal')- this is "« raindrop above, a human l/p below"— but its accepted meaning may be rendered as "water dropping Irom above wrars away a stone, so slander a good nanv

Ono more touching example closs our very cursoiv glance at the provei'bial philosophy of the Maori, and I giv^ it as being unsunoapfted in its fine poet'c imagery : 4t Lot these few days be for nu ; the declining sun, A tree falling through many floods of waters." A pathetic exhortation to "be kind and considerate to the aged."

than truckled to with subordinate barter. But whatever the idea was, we can but guess — there is not even tradition to tell u&. We learn from Tasman's journal that immediately on the return of the single canoe to shore, a large number of canoes embarked, and before the boat sent by Tasman from. the Zeehaan to warn the Heemskirk people to b3 on their guard could traverse the distance between the two ships, it wag rushed by the canoes, and four men w:re killed. The natives now retreating, and Tasman seeing no hope of trading with these unfriendly people, prepared to set sail. Observing this, a still larger fleet of canoos put out with great rapidity, threatening to surround thei vessels. Tluy were greeted, however, with such a broadside that, struck with horror and amazement at this extraordinary development, the cr-tvhile truculent rowers paddled with all hasto back to c hore. Wrathfully did the great Dutch navigator p\it to sea ; wvathfully flung back the name of Massacre Bay as an lii during reproach to the scene of his savage reception '

More than a hundred years daps d before the Maoris again £ aw anything of tho strange white people from over sea. Doubtless the story of Uiat brief episode of the Pak ha :md his ships — tho hugh sea monsters that with white sails bellying had faded over th^ horizon — had been added to the myth of the wh te i ca yodsi the "Pakeluik In.' a.ier whom they had b-Mn named; for no tradition remained of Trsman's vi^it whrn, in 1769, Pnki>l)=\ and Maori m 1 once HOiT. Captain James Cook. i omr>mr ! 'ng tho End avour, a small vessel -of 370 ton-;, audio- ed his ship in the bay at

Tauranga (Poverty Bay) on October 8, 1769. It was a Sunday, and the landing of the first white men on "The Land of the Long White Cloud" was written in scarlet letters before the sun set. A turbulent reception by the natives resulted in one of them being shot. After an unsatisfactory sojourn here and a constant sense of impending treachery, which even the presence of a Tahitian native, who accompanied Cook and acted as interpreter, failed to remove, the Endeavour left Tauranga on October 11. Sailing southwards, and maintaining intercourse with the coastal tribes as he went, with varying success, on November 4 Cook anchored at Whitianga (Bay of Islands), which he christened Mercury Bay, in allusion to the observations he made here on the transit o? Mercury. The fine fortified pa named Maunga-rape, situated on a curious arched rock — pictured in our illustrations — was then fully inhabited, and attracted the admiration of the Endeavour's crew. .Relations with the Maoris at Whitianga were of a more agreeable character, and were only marred by one unfortimate incident. During the daily process of barter Lieutenant Gore lost his temper with a Maori who retained the mat which he had offered in exchange for a piece of calico, making off with both. Gore fired, and killed the man in the very action of his defiant theft. The members of the tribe, however, with quaint and touching sense of justice, calmly waived the incident aside as one in which the offender had merely received the punishment he deserved. The calico was kept as a sort of final solatium, and used as a shroud for the thief who had purchased it at so unexpected a price.

A moment's glance at the impression produced on the Maori mind by this first contact with Europeans cannot fail to be interesting, and for this we may turn to the reminiscences of Taniwha Ho-reta — a chief of the Ngati-whanaunga, who was a boy at the time of Cook's visit in 1769 : "When our old men saw the ship they said it was a 'tupua' — an unknown god. When the ship anchored and the boat 3 were pulled to shore, our old men looked at the rowers pulling with their backs to the bows of the boat, and said : 'Yes, it is so, these people are really goblins ; their eyes are at the back of their head; they pull with their backs to the land to which they go.' We, the children, ran away with the women, but, finding the goblins did not harm our warriors, returned . . . and stroked their garments with our hands ; we were pleased with the whiteness of their skins and the blue eyes of some of them. . . . These goblins went into thp forest, and also climbed up the hill to our pa at Whitianga . . . then we went up the Whitianga river with them."

Here is the primitive impression of those guns which the Ngapuhi were afterwards so eager to obtain : "Some of the goblins had walking sticks which they carried about with them, . . . and when we got to where the shags roost and have their nests, the goblins lifted the walking sticks, and pointed them at the birds, . . . thunder was heard to crash, a flash of lightning was seen, a shag fell from the trees. We were terrified, and fled, rushing to the forest, leaving the goblins alone !" . . . Later on the old man, who was close on a hundred when he recalled these memories of his boyhood, gives his impression of Captain Cook in these words : "There was one supreme man in that ship. We knew he was the lord of all by his noble bearing. He seldom spoke. Some of the goblins spoke much, but this man did not utter many words, all ihat he did was to handle our mats and weapons, and touch the hair of our heads. He was a good man, and came to vs — the children, — patted our cheeks, and gently touched our heads. ... A noble man — one of noble birth cannot be lost in a crowd."

Before leaving Mercury Bay Captain Cook — who, we must remember, was accompanied by Mr (afterwards Sir Joseph) Banks, and Dr Solander — carved upon a tree the name of his ship and date of her visit, hoisted the British colours, and formally took possession of the island on behalf of the British Crown. He left on November 15, 1769. While here Cook had come into contact with the Ngapuhi tribe, and was much struck with their fine physical appearance, the carving of their canoes, finish of their mats, and delicacy of their tattooing.

As Cook further explored the coastline, touching at Queen Charlotte's Sound, Hawke'g Bay, and Cape Pallisier,

and discovering the straits which now bear his name, he held considerable intercourse with tho natives. The results of this intercourse were not always nappy, and though the Endeavour left New Zealand without the loss of one of her crew, ten Maoris had been killed and many wounded by the Pakeha. Actuated by the best motives and the desire to carry out his duty in obtaining a knowledge of the country, Cook himself said in regard to the Maoris shot at Tauranga-. "I am conscious that the feeling of every reader of humanity will censure me for having fired upon these unhappy people; and it is impossible that upon a calm review I should approve of it myself." Imagining that the practice of cannibalism was caused by dearth of animal food (a truly awful idea), Cook landed at various points pigs, sheep, and fowls. He also gave seed potatoes to some of the chiefs, and the venerable Taniwha Ho-reta recalled how "Ka-pene Kuku gave two handsful to a relative of mine, who was an old chief at the time. He planted them for three years, and when potatoes became plentiful, then, and then only, were they eaten and distributed to the tribes of Hauraki." An instance of foresight and self restraint which speaks volumes for the strength of the Maori character.

Before the Endeavour was well out of Doubtless Bay in the North Island De Surville, the French navigator — on his way from India in the Jean Batiste, — entered it. Neither ship, however, was sighted by the crew of the other. De

Surville and his men were kindly and hospitably received by the Ngapuhi tribe, who no doubt were eager for further barter with the Pakeha. The incident of a missing boat — really lost in a storm — was, however, misconstrued by the French captain, who concluded that it had been stolen by the natives. Forgetful of the kindness shown by the Ngapuhi to some of his crew who were invalided, De Surville destioyed the village, captured the chief, and, putting him in irons, sailed away, cruelly callous to the iuin he had wrought. On May 11, 1772, Captain Marion dv Fresne, with two French ships, arrived at the Bay of Islands ; and for a month or more the "Wiwis" (as the natives christened Frenchmen from their frequent exclamation of "Oui, Oui") tasted all the delights of lotus-eating in an exquisite climate, and perfect natural surroundings. As the time of departure approached, however, a disdainful arrogance suggested the defying of Maori customs by insulting the chiefs, and breaking the law of Tapu. The ill-fated dv Fresne, with sixteen others, was killed to appease the offended gods, and eaten to solace the insulted warriors. This tragic discharge of a sacred duty in avenging a violation of the law of Tapu closed for the present the intercourse of Pakeha and Maori.

Crozet, the second officer, amply avenged the death of his captain. For several days he and his men poured a murderous fire upon all the Maori villages within reach, and destroyed life and property with reckless but exiuseable vengeance. The account given by Crozet on his return held up the Maoris to public execration as ferocious and disgusting savages. It was not until the year 1851 that Sir George Grey heard through Dr Thompson, of the 58th Regiment, the true story of the ill-fated dv Fresne's death. Curiously enough the information was obtained froiri the circumstance of a French corvette being wrecked in the

vicinity of the tragedy, and Dr Thompson, who had been sent to assist the shipwrecked men, heard the Maoris, who had also assembled to render help, tell the story.

In 1773 Captain Cook paid his second visit to New Zealand in the Resolution, her consort, the Adventure, being commanded by Captain Furneaux. The ships separated, and the cruise of the Adventure was marked by a terrible tragedy. While anchored at Queen Charlotte's Sound one of the crew became involved in a stupid quarrel with a Maori over the barter of a storie axe. Two natives were killed, and in retaliation the whole boat's crew was slaughtered. A party sent on shore next day to ascertain the cause of delay in returning to the ship came back with a tale of horror. Baskets of human flesh had been found, and the hideotis remains of a cannibal feast. Without a doubt the immense body of natives, who slowly retreated before the vengeful fire of the little group of Englishmen, had not only killed, but eaten their victims with remarkable promptitude. Recognising his ignorance of the primary cause of dispute, Furneaux left without attempting any further punishment than was involved in some indiscriminate firing, and the destruction of canoes ; nor did he know the rights of the story until, long afterwards, Captain Cook was enabled to give him the particulars which he had heard from the natives. Both Cook and Furneaux, with commendable thoughtfulness, planted gardens at various spots on shore ; and the former, after cruising among the Pacific Islands, returned again to New Zealand, and distributed among the Maoris more seeds, roots, pigs, and fowls. Cook noticed a great change had taken place in the natives since his first visit, when nothing on board his ship was valuable enough to take in exchange for one of their little stone axes ! Now they were eager to obtain iron in any form, nails being very much prized. Moreover, they displayed a great respect for the "pupuhi" (guns) of the Pakeha, having learnt to their cost the deadly nature of the white man's weapons. On November 23, 1773, Cook once more said good-bye to New Zealand, but for no long period. In 1776, wearying of the inaction of his appointment at Greenwich Hospital, Captain Cook relinquished it for that more congenial sea-roving, setting forth this time with the ships Resolution and Discovery. Practically he had carte blanche to search for islands which the French were said to have discovered in 48 south latitude, and to touch at New Zealand if he deemed, it advisable. The 12th of February, 1777, saw Captain Cook anchored at his old station in Queen Charlotte's Sound, where he experienced great difficulty at first in establishing friendly relations with the Maoris, who were convinced that he had returned to avenge the murdei of Furneaux's men in 1773. A native of the Society Islands, however, who accompanied Cook, proved an excellent interpreter, easily understanding and being understood by the Maoris. Throxigh this man the true story of the wretched end of the Adventure's men was communicated to Captain Cook. The most stringent precautions were used in limiting the intercourse between the sailors and the Maoris, and these were the more easily carried out as r since the revelation of the Adventure incident, the sailors had conceived a perfect horror of these "man-eating savages." On their side also the Maoris had lost the frank fearlessness of earlier intercourse, and kept their weapons piled close at hand in instant readiness

for an emergency. Bidding his last farewell to New Zealand m all friendliness the great navigator departed, satisfied with the knowledge that he had added to the food resources of the natives, but grieved at the evidence of their contant tribal wars, which continually confronted him. His companion on this voyage, Dr Foster, estimated the entire population at 100,000, distributed with marked inequality in the North Island, while the South Island was assumed to ba almost uninhabited.

In the light of those exhaustive inquiries pursued by various students of Maori history in the South Island, preeminent among them being the Rev. Mr Stack, we know that this was the period of the Ngaitahu occupation of the South Island, and was marked by constant and bloody conflicts. Wave after wave of brown men had possessed the land. Rapuwai and Waitaha had been conquered and absorbed by Ngatimamoe ; and they, in their turn, had fallen before the fiercer and more warlike Ngaitahu. Battle after battle had been fought between the tribes until, in 1737, the great battle of Teihoka, fought on the five rivers plains, Southland, sealed the fate of Ngatimamoe. The cause of all this bloodshed was, curiously enough, a mere sentiment. Pretexts were made by the score : land, women, violation of tapu, all served their turn as excuses — behind all was tho covetous desire to possess the land of ''Wai Ponamu," the valuable greenstone. Out of the flotsam and jetsom of information concerning New Zealand and her natives which the reports of Cook and his fellow navigators gave to the world men chose according to their taste. The general impression, however, was one of horror and repulsion towards a race of fei^ocious cannibals, and the average law-abiding Englishman turned with dismay from the contemplation of such a field for colonisation. This feeling was strongly demonstrated when a proposal made in the House of Commons to convert New Zealand into a> convict settlement was promptly quashed by the popular horror of her cannibal inhabitants. Plenty of bold and lawless spirits, however, began to drift to the new land, and presently became strong enough, as we shall see, to form the next process in the evolution of Maori civilisation. Commercial inquiries for the strange flax plant, whose silky fibre had become known through the finely-dressed mats displayed by Cook, became ever keener. The founding of a little colony at Norfolk Island by Governor Phillips (N.S.W.) in 1789 revealed the fact that the same flax (phormium tenax) grew there in abundance. But how to dress it? In 1793 a vessel sent over for the purpose of securing Maoris to give instruction in the process of cleaning and pressing flax succeeded in kidnapping two Maoris from the Bay of Islands and carrying them to Norfolk Island. The captives, however, proved to be respectively a priest and a chief, who disdainfully disclaimed any knowledge of how to dress flax, denominating it as "women's work." These men were detained for six months at Norfolk Island, where Captain King treated them with kindness and tactful consideration. On their return to New Zealand King, as some compensation for their abduction, loaded them with gifts of s J ock, tubers, and seeds, notably that of the Indian maize. One of the two natives, in striking proof of his love for and gratitude to King, took the name of "Kauana Kingi," a musical rendering of the governor's name by which he was thereafter known. Years afterwards, at the request of the

governor's widow, this native was sought out by the Rev. Samuel Marsden, and by him converted to Christianity We can easily understand that the reports of the Pakeha which the returned chiefs spread among their countrymen were as favourable as they were wonderful. Nor were these reports without their value in contrasting the influence of that loose standard of life and morals observed by the everr-increasing number of roving adventurers who were now attracted to shores which in those day amply realised Kipling's lines : " Where there aint no ten commandments, And a man can raise a thirst"

In 1806 King, who was now Governor of New South Wales, realising the immense importance to mariners of securing the friendliness of the Maoris, sent presents of live stock to Te Pehi, a chief residing in the Bay of Islands, and presently received a visit from the chief and his four sons, who were conveyed to Sydney in H.M.S. Buffalo. Prom this visit great and far-reaching results were to follow.