MAORI MEMORIES

Taranaki Daily News, 27 January 1934, Page 13 (Supplement)

MAORI MEMORIES

PORTENTS OF HEAVENS

(By

.J.H.S.—Copyright.)

The rainbow in its personified form was an important factor in Maori life. If it appeared dimly or of an incomplete arc the omen was evil. Regardless of their inconsistent belief, two opposing armies seeing it would at once retire from a pending flight. Kahu rangi (the mantle of heaven) was its poetic name. Kahu kura (the red raiment), or Aniwaniwa were often applied to it. It gave signs of rain or fine weather according to its position. Rainbow myths are common among. Cultured and barbaric races. Lightning CU-ira) was an elusive mystery to the Maori, who knew its deathdealing character; but as he had no fear of death, excepting as an associate of illness, when it was a disgrace, its silent stroke had no terrors for him. Thunder (whatatiri or whaitire), because of its detonations, .though known to harm no one, caused a panic of painful fear to many a brave warrior. More than a few cunning old tohungas fostered dread superstition by its noisy threats. Clouds (Ao or Kapua) were significant signs to the people who were dependent upon their portents for the food supplies. Aotearoa, the shining long cloud, was the first sight of this promised land for the weary voyagers. It was Hine Kapua, the Maori Cloud Maiden, daughter of Tane the sun, who carried the thoughts of Elsdon Best away back to far off India and her Apa or Cldud Maid. / The Maori was cut off from the world of knowledge, tut still his study of the heavens enabled him to become the foremost navigator of past ages. Mangumangu (Negro). The black African Negro was held in such ufter contempt by the brown Maori that seldom did we ever see a cross between these two races. Almost every European town and village in Maoriland had its voluble black barber, but no Maori ever submitted to be shaven or shorn by him; much less could he be admitted socially. One exception and one only have I ever known. . That was Wi Pata, of Kakariki Pa, near Halcombe, a drunkard, with the saving grace of humour very strongly manifest. He was of mysterious origin but obviously a Negro Maori. .In ’B3 the green lawn in front of the big hotel was crowded with madly drunk Maori men and women. Wi Pata, though just as. full as any, was comparatively sober and beaming with irrepressible fun. The Maoris, having exhausted their Native Land Court rents, were becoming dangerous. He succeeded in pacifying the crowd and in leading them back to the pa to sleep it off. Halcombe was then the railway centre of the district. The trains for Whanganui and Foxton stood backed in at the platform awaiting the guard’s signal to start at one time. Wi Pata quietly linked the two rear vans. When the engines groaned and puffed, struggled and smoked, he rushed up and down waving his arms, shouting in broken English, “I back Whanganui; you bet Foxton!” Otakou’s Rule by Agreement.

In March, 1848, pioneers of the Free Church of Scotland landed at Port Chalmers. With national caution their purchase of 400,000 acres from the N.Z. Company was strictly “conditional.” Most Scots are prone to strike out alone, but the sectarian character of' the migration gave confidence, and the bond of the clans under their tried and trusted pastors and dominies induced whole families to venture, and thus retain a national intimacy, which specially appealed to the peace loving Maoris of Otakou. In a few years the influx of gold diggers, who ignored all respect for the Kirk, sadly upset the good influence of these prudent plodders, whose aim was to keep the whole community “out of debt and out of danger.” They were like hens vainly trying to keep their brood of ducklings dry. The religious care of Pastor Burns and the fatherly jurisdiction of Captain Cargill, without money and without price, were eminently satisfactory, and would still, be so for ten times the number if of the same class, among whom crime was neither known nor feared. Imagine, then, their feelings when Earl Grey forced upon, them ,a. judge ,for whom they were to find £BOO a year! This culminated in disgust to Scots and Maoris alike when the unwelcome judge was actually fined by the one J.P. for common assault! A year later their official hardships were all forgotten under the charming personal influence of their Governor in Chief, Sir George. At the levee he kissed the babies, adored the brave mothers, talked sheep and wool to the farmers, and to their delight discussed brilliantly with the Maoris in their own liquid language the problems of their lands, and placed in their hands an immediate solution, “just like a Rangatira Maori.” >

Wairua Tapu (Sacred Spirit). Perhaps we have already been told of the subtle thought of the Maori Tohunga who insisted that God is' “Spirit” —not “a” spirit. The Wairua leaves the body at death; but also wanders far in dreams, returning to warn the dreamer of approaching evil. The Maori firmly believed in dreams. A woman living in the hilltop .pa near Island Bay, once the main entrance to. Wellington harbour, dreamed she saw raiders advancing, and warned the guard in time to defeat them. • When Elsdon Best was collecting the old songs and chants a reciter would sometimes defer his telling till he refreshed his memory by consulting his spirit in sleep. A Maori never wakened a sleeper suddenly,.’but spoke gently, that his wandering Wairua might return home.

The pepepe (butterfly) is regarded as a Wairua Atua, or Spirit of God, by the Maori, the Malayan, the Burmese and the Irish. The carved greenstone tiki was a temporary resting place for the spirit of the wearer. In rare instances of separating husband and wife their affections were washed away by Waitapu (sacred water), in which their Wairua were cleansed. The head was ever the most sacred home of the spirit. Food or cooking defiled it, so when the hands of Christian converts were sprinkled with water from vessels associated with cooking the baptised one would sometimes actually die of terror.

Despite their acceptance of our beliefs they naturally were still impressed by the gods of their ancestors. Clairvoyance, hypnotism and telepathy were genuinely regarded as sacred gifts, and practiced as such. Having noted the effect of anger, grief or excitement upon his digestion the Maori associated his Aitua (Spirit of evil) with his puku (stomach). .Probably he is right, for science now teaches us that “the emotions control the secretions of the body.” Lacking the horrible doctrine of .eternal fire and having absolute confidence in a future life of happy spirits, the Maori was centuries ahead of us in his spiritual conceptions.