MAORI EXPLORERS

Otago Witness, Issue 3566, 18 July 1922, Page 25

MAORI EXPLORERS

ROUTES IN WESTERN OTAGO.

DESCRIPTION BY

PROFESSOR PARK.

An interesting address on “Early Maori and European Explorations in North-west Otago,” delivered by Professor James Park, F.G.S., on. the 11th. before the Otago Institute, records that New Zealand was first discovered by South Sea Islanders nearly a thousand years ago. The daring navigator responsible was one Rupe, of Raratea, whose discoveries led to the final settlement in New Zealand of the Morions some 200 years before the advent of the ancestors of the present day Alaoris. To the Alaori undoubtedly belonged the credit of being the first to naturalise exotic plants and animals in New Zealand. A keen geographer, he set about the exploration of this new land with the zeal of an enthusiast To eaoh river and sound, headland and mountain peak, he gave a name Thus the serrated mountains in North-west Otago he aptly called Titiraurangi, which means the land of many peaks piercing the clouds. Fiordland he named Atnwhonua, which, being translated, means shadow land, this doubtless suggested by the deep shadows cast by the titanic walls that hem in the narrow sounds and winding passages. “For all Alaori place names,” says Professor Park, “I have the greatest reverence. Enshrined in many of them we have a story of brave endeavour, of victory in the face of odds, often maybe of ill-luck and tragedy. As with most primitive peoples, the place names are woven into their tradition and folk lore. Without them, their early history would be a closed book. . . . To depose Alaori place names in favour of unmusical AngloSaxon surnames is a sacrilege for which posterity will surely hold us responsible.” Tho. ancient Maori was not only a fearless and enterprising navigator, but an intrepid explorer. Long before the advent of tho oak eh a ho had established lines of communication from coast to coast, which hi- used mainly for purposes of trade. The West Coast Alaori travelled across the divide loaded with kiwi and kakapo feathers and greenstone which he bartered with the East Coast natives for mutton birds, kiwi mats, meres, stone axes, tikis, and fishhooks. The four main passes across the alpine chain in Otago were used by many generations of Alaori. The overland journey to Otago and Southland was carried out in the most leisurely manner. Food had to be collected on the way and delays were caused by floods and stress of weather. After a long sojourn with friendly East Coast hapus the Kotukau, or Auaruan, slowly found liis way home, the going, staying with friends, and returning as a rule taking not less than four months. In this, as in mast journeys of any moment., tho men were accompanied by their wives and a number of men slaves. In his leisurely travels from place to place the Alaori, a born naturalist, missed nothing. Every fish, bird, and creeping thing, every leaf and flower were to him objects of careful study. He recognised that everything lie met filled some high purpose in the plan of Nature. He also discovered that in this purpose there might be some secret ho could perchance turn to account in the grim struggle for existence. In the first day’s journey the Alaoris travelled by canoe the length of Lake AEKerrow. and in the evening camped at tho junction of the Pyke and Hollyford rivers. Here it was their practice to stay a week or more to lay in a stock of eels from Lake Wawaihiuka, now called Lake Alabaster, so named after a Captain P. Alabaster, an olil whaling captain. From the Pyke the natives followed the llollyFord Ahdiey as far as Pass Creek, along which by a srteep ascent the Greenstone Saddle was reached. At this place there was a choice of two routes. If it was desired to reach Lake Te Anau by the shortest track they turned sharply to the south, and ascended through tho forest to the top of the grass-covered end of the Livingstone Range. In clear weather they followed the summit of the ridge for six miles and then dropped into the wide valley of the Eglinton, which was followed diown to Lake Te Anau. In misty weather, the party, instead of following the crest of Livingstone Range, descended at once to the Eglinton, somewhere about Lake Fergus or the upper end of Lake Gunn, if the Natives were making for Lake Wakatipu, they travelled down tho Greenstone Valley to the mouth of tho Passburn. Then, leaving the Greenstone behind them, they asoended the great moraine which here blocks the old outlet of the Greenstone leading into the Von River. They found their way first into the headwaters of the Alararoa, River and there passed into the valley of Von, which eventually led them to Lake Wakatipu. But if journeying to Riverton tho party followed down the Alararoa ltiver, passing Lake Alavora and continuing on till they reached the Alararoa plain lying to the cast of Lake Alanapouri and to the north of the Tahitimu Range. With their heavy packs end feet sandaled only by the pliant takitahi, or the torua, the long journey from Kotuku to the eastern settlements must have sorely tried the endurance of the strongest. But the ancient Alaori was a splendid example of manhood. The unfit were few and far between. Perhaps the hard life and constant exposure killed off the weak ones in their youth and made the strong ones stronger. On the other hand eacih day’s journey was a well marked stage; and at each stopping place there was a friendly rock-shelter or whate with water and firewood in plenty. The care of the fireatick, an office of supreme importance, was entrusted only to a staid and trustworlhy vvahine. Native game and fish abounded everywhere. As a matter of fact the risk of starvation was perhaps less than now. Tt is probable that the Maori travelling from Te Anau to Kotuku when the Lh ingstone Range was under snow, followed the Eglinton to the low saddle at its source, and thence dropped by a short descent along Stony Creek into the Hollyford Valley. At any rate he certainly must have known of the existence of this pass, as it is visible from all parts of the summit of the Livingstone Range. The Eglinton route may have been in common use, but confirmation of this could not be obtained from the Natives at Riverton or Orepuki. The name Lake To Allan, or more correctly Roto To Anau, as the Maori called it, means the lake of the fair-haired people. There is a tradition among I he Alaori of both islands of a fair-haired race that inhabited New Zealand before tho coming of Kupe. Tho turehu were red-haired fairies who inhabited Moeh.au in the Ha.ura.ki Range, the south west sounds, and the re-

mote parts of the Southern Alps. Perhaps they embody the traditional remembrance of some former inhabitants of New Zealand before the migrations of ihe tangatawhenua began.