GOOD FAIRIES AND BAD

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1930, Page 1 (Supplement)

GOOD FAIRIES AND BAD

FOLKLORE OF THE MAORI

(By

C.M.H.)

Like all primitive people, the Maoris of olden times had many superstitions. They were great believers in omens both for good and evil. The old and learned men of each tribe were the soothsayers and their statements were listened to with much seriousness and awe.

But these learned men exercised not only a power for evil but held authority that gave to the government of each settlement much that was in the best interests for the general welfare. For instance the art of weaving textiles for clothing and for sleeping mats is stated in one legend to have been taught by fairies to an old ancestor named Rua. When the matrons assembled for the purpose of weaving this legend would be repeated by a tohunga and the young girls who were to be taught the weaving art would listen while they were receiving instructions. It was a pretty and romantic story, which gave to the young workers an incentive 0 to excel. Naturally young people and even old folk of simple minds love to hear stories of fairies. The Maoris of old peopled the forests, rivers and even the sea with sprites, elves, fairies and such creatures whom members of each community claimed to have seen. These fairies were bright, joyful beings of human form and, like the creatures that white children love to hear stories of, were able to flit about the woods and streams. Mostly they were able to glide through the air and into the tree-tops and had the power to become invisible should, they become startled by seeing a human being wandering. in their domains. Fairy folk 'were supposed to be ever on the watch to see that humans used the right methods in any undertaking. There is the story of Rata, who wished to build a canoe in order to visit the place where his father’s bones had been insulted by interfering enemies. Naturally Rata wished for revenue. He proceeded to the forest and picked a tree which was suitable for making into a canoe, In his haste to have the work completed. Rata neglected to recite the correct incantations to the forest god Tane when he felled the tree. On going to his work next day he was surprised to find his felled tree in its original position, and growing. Every chip' and branch had been gathered and perfectly fitted into, its correct position. This was repeated each time the work was done. Rata set himself ts watch and, as. evening fqll, he was very surprised to see troops: of woodelves appear. Singing charms and flitting busily about, these little .folks gathered up all the chips and again set the tree upright, complete in every particular. Rata rushed forward and captured a number of the fairies and compelled them not only to fell the tree, but to hew, out and complete a craft that afterwards became a famous exploring vessel named Riwaru. These bright, elegant, tiny folk were very like the European fairieS with bright eyes, fair skins and flaxen hair. Some of them, too, were dark skinned and quaintly deformed, like the goblins told of in our fairy stories, but these were merry and, like the fair ones, were ever wishful of doing good to the human race. / The fairy people played musical instruments made from reeds and often their songs could be heard in the evening, floating down from the forest-clad hills. Should a Maori come out of his house at night time and commence singing he would be severely reprimanded by the head priest of the village, as the night hours belonged to the fairies and they would.be angered because they thought they, were being mocked and, insulted by the human voice. Another Maori legend tells that the art and skill required to make fishing ■nets was taught to'the Maori folk by the fairy people. A Maori chief was travelling along the seashore one evening at twilight when he observed on the chore many, footmarks in the sand. So small were the footprints that the chief immediately concluded that fairies were abroad. Hiding himself he observed hundreds, of fairies carrying nets down to their fleet of small canoes. Several hours 'elapsed when he heard over the sea a faint chorus. It was the fairy fleet returning. Beaching the canoes the fairies hauled the nets, laden heavy with fish, on to the shore. Each fairy worked very hard to gather (the fish and hide away the nets but'j so great was the haul that daylight was appearing before the work could bo completed. Now, fairies caught by the daylight knew they-would die, so they .were forced to leave their nets and fish and dash away to their forest hiding places. Tlip chief then came forward and was able not only to secure an abundance of fish but also to take to his home- the nets made by the little mariner fairies. From that time on the Maoris were able to make their own nets and so secure from the sea vast quantities of fish food, which previously had to be secured by hand lines and hooks only. Besides the fairies so often spoken of in Maori legends the land of Aotearoa (New Zealand) was inhabited by a race of creatures that were demonic in character and strove to kill and eat anddo great harm generally to mankind. Strangely enough, many of these creatures were females. They were huge uncouth beings in human form. The. story of what befel a chief named Paowa will serve as an illustration of the characteristics of one of these monsters.

In the course of his adventures, Paowa came upon an old witch-ogress. She gave him and his followers some very "poor food. While she was absent to get her visitors some drinking water, the party burnt the old woman’s stronghold and then set off to sea in their canoe. The witch followed and so wreat were her powers that she soon overtook the canoe. The party turned shorewards and hid themselves in a cave, the entrance of which they blocked up with stones. A fire was lighted inside and appetising food cooked. The witch found them and, to placate her, they fed her -through an opening in the barricade with delicate pieces from the oven. The witch devoured the offerings and smacked her lips for more. The chief told the lady to open her mouth wide, as he had a large helping for her. The witch obeyed and the chief pushed a red hot stone down her throat, from the effect of which she died. Of course the chief became a great hero because he had removed from the district a menace that had been very troublesome to his tribe for generations.