FROM AN OLDER AGE

Taranaki Daily News, 17 January 1931, Page 1 (Supplement)

FROM AN OLDER AGE

THINGS THE MAORI KNEW

(By

J.H.S.

I.—Copyright.)’

The Extinct Whekau.— r

The whekau (entrails) is so named perhaps because his first choice of a. delicacy was the viscera of his victim,’ a native rat, or a small bird. If not wholly extinct, he is now so rare that there are no recent reports of his being seen in favoured haunts among caves and rocky crevices. He was the “laughing owl” to the pioneer, for his cry was ulike anything but hearty laughter in the air, on stormy nights louder than usual. The whekau is brown, mottled with grey on the breast and his keen eyes are set deep in funnels of white feathers, the beak being like a bent stiletto of steeL / In the early days this big fellow wad a favoured pet, and adapted himself quite naturally to the home provided, if there was a dark corner for hia moerangi or day dreams. He was sup-. pos_d to shun the bush, and in the! breeding season or in captivity where! he could not fly, there was never al laugh or a sound from him. The Kuri. — ’ '

The kuri (kuri haunga, evil smelling as a dog) was a common saying among the Maori people of sixty years ago. The dog came in the canoes with the Maoris, who found not a single land animal, nor indeed an enemy, unless in the moa which the dog soon helped to exterminate. Pampered by his master for his companionable habit, and the kahu kuri (dog skin mantle), and having no worthy foe to keep him fit, the kuri soon degenerated. “Hohonu te kaki, papaku te uaua” (a deep swallow and a weak sinew, or greedy and lazy) became his attributes. He grew idle and ugly, and his main value was for his flesh in time of peace.- In war the warrior got his red meat from another - source, so the domestic dog vanished.

Tha kuri was described as low set, with a nose like a fox, pointed ears, and small eyes. It became crossed with imported collies,- and the progeny soon answered “the call of the wild,” attacked sheep, or cleaned up the poultry yard. Maori women' of old, like some modern idlers, pampered their dogs. It was a common thing to see the mother alternate her attention to the family and the kuri with the fine wooden herii (comb). The Sinful Roamer.—

The takahe, was known also as hea or moho. Taka is translated liter-! ally enough by a waggish young Maori as “the sinful roamer.” From the only specimen now in New Zealand, that irf the Otago museum, this hefty bird asl big as a goose looked just like a glori-; fied pukeko. As it has been, extinefj for eighty years, little is known, of its! habits, except that told by the magician! among naturalists, Professor Owen< from fossil remains. Clearly thd takahe could not fly and was clumsy om his feet, but thought to be a fail; swimmer K and a fisherman. The strong beak and sturdy legs were bright red and used to some purpose upon his! enemies or his,. prey. Its capture by Mr. Mantell in .1849 gave , rise .to wild hope that its contemporary the ex-t tinet moa would yet be found. The Hon. ' Robert McNab was! responsible for the retention, of thid single specimen in New Zealand. Afi his request it was bought by the Gov-i ernment for £3OO. The only other thred specimens found are in the British Museum and in Dresden. Thank God, we have men of vision. to preserve these .fast disappearing treasures of nature. The Giant Mosquito.—

The ngaeroa, ■ (of the long swamp)> was the giant’’mosquito, by which generations of Maori blood had' been inoculated until it was practically immune. None but the pioneer can conceive the measure of suffering inflicted upon new comers by this poisonous, humming, night-flying insect. Several families actually packed up and returned to England after a week of sleepless agony. If we had then but known the virtues of kerosene spray, it would have readily realised-a-guinea a pint. Every bush homestead and every township was reeking. within and without of the pungent odours of-pre-ventive incense arising from ~the fire of dried dropping, gathered by the children from the cow yards and fields. Until the mosquito had thoroughly vaccinated them for several summers, men, women, and children fesembled the victims of a smallpox epidemic. A , horse tied to the fence while the owner was at a dance wheYe everyone was veiled in gossamer, was actually stung to death. “Punch” pictured mdsquitos in Manawatu sitting-on the top rail of a field, picking their, teeth with the horns of a mob of bullocks ’ whicj they had eaten during the night! The Red Head. — U

The upoko 'whero (red head) is ' i variety of kakariki, once plentiful in the south, but now almost extinct. Nate ure provides brilliant colouring to attract the mother bird and thus perpetuate the species; defeats- that object 'by killing the ■ bird to decoy his lady love with bright plumes for ornament, which she in turn wears to delude the man. The bright green mala bird is distinguished by a white-edged wing, while both have the crimsor poll, that brilliant colour extending even to the pupil of the eye. Occasionally there came a marked increase in their numbers, as also of the yellow fronted variety; but public sent!? ment and protection came too late. Nesting time is winter, ■ when warmth is secured by a well-lined hole in decayed wood.

than that possessed by any political leader. Responsible people are frankly alarmed at the growth and misuse of this power. There is no gainsaying the fact that the popular Press) is cleverly and capably conducted, and that its pages are attractively ~ritten and got up. They are very enterprising, and always topical. They employ the best writers and reproduce pictures in a way that is surprising to the American publishers. The magazine side is a development of recent years. Each paper has its page for children, cross-word puzzles, competitions of various kinds (the News of the World offers £1750 per week in cash prizes!), sermons, comic strips, serial stories, short stories, social gossip, special articles —there is no end to their features.

English journalism is passing through a curious phase, the outcome of which, must have an important influence cn ths life and mind of the nation.