MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 August 1940, Page 9

MAORI MEMORIES

OLDEN DAYS—GOLDEN WAYS. (Recorded by J.H.S., of Palmerston North, for the “Times-Age.”) Every emotion of the old time Maori was expressed in allegory, poetry, song and music. Religious thoughts found utterance only in chanting. Love for the living, sorrow for the dead, defiance for their foes were all expressed in one or other of those forms. To speak of any such sacred things in the ordinary way was desecration. Our word “poetry'’ is difficult to define unless associated with rhyme and rhythm, yet Maori poems had neither. Sentiment, musical sounds, and association with joys or sorrows, affection or defiance- were the ruling factors. In dangers or pleasures, work or rest, the appropriate words and music were used, always in the ancient legendary form with which every one was familiar. With no diversions in the way of reading or writing .the memory of these people was phenomenal. War songs (Waiata taua) inspired every man in the attacking army with confidence and tended to cause fear and weakness in the enemy ranks. Thousands of Whakatauki (proverbs), Waiata Aroha (love songs), Oriori (lullabies for children), and Aue (laments for the dead) were chanted, all from memory. Many of their proverbs were obviously taken from some ancient civilisation with which they had once been in contact.

Seldom indeed did any of their sayings refer to sickness or disease for that was a forbidden subject (tapu). Health was defined in many ways, one of which I venture to translate thus — “moderate, discriminate, masticate, lubricate, activate, eliminate:”