MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 October 1940, Page 2

MAORI MEMORIES

MAORI LEGENDS AND THE BIBLE. (Recorded by J.H.S., of Palmerston North, for the “Times-Age.”) Long before the Maori had any contact with Europeans, there were many parallel legends to the Bible history. The period of darkness conquered by the God of Light was announced by the God of the Morning. Two true prophets came forward to dispel the false doctrine of the creation of man which was being taught. They were received with sarcasm and derision, so with their primitive tools, aided by fire, they bound together huge logs to form a raft upon which stores of food were placed for their families, seven boys of one family, seven girls of the other. Rain was invoked by the miromiro (tomtit), whose voice was heard for seven days. A constant torrent fell for seven days and seven nights (the sacred number whitu), and covered the earth. There was said to be a similar occurrence during the voyage of the fleet. Seven canoes (still the sacred number) left Hawa iki (Little Java), one containing seven women only. A child was born, and the occupants were seen floating through the clouds, and the canoe disappeared, leaving only six others, Arawa, Aotea, Mata Atua, Tainui, Takitumu and Tokomaru. It is interesting to note the logical mind of the ancient Maoris, who said of the great deluge that the sea level (tika tonu) was always the same, because water (wai) and steam (korohu) were both everlasting (ora tonu).