MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Daily Times, 31 October 1934, Page 4

MAORI MEMORIES

(By J.H.S. for “The Daily Times.”) TOHUNGA, A THINKER. If Toliu means “to think,” then the Tohunga is fax - from being merely a sorcerer who depends solely upon his priestly ‘craft for success in prophecy. In considering the apparently miraculous power of divination possessed by the old Tohunga, we ignore his inherited and acquired capacity for meditation and concentrated deduction. Not so his Maori followers, whom we dismiss with the idea of their credulity and superstition. The origin of the name Tohunga may cause us also to think (toliu). This then may help us to look upon these Prophets with something more of respect than we give to witlicraftgand sorcery among our own people. Gravely alarmed by the continuous success of Titokowaru’s raids, the whole countryside cried aloud for his death or capture. Major Kemp's seventy (hokowliitu), the magic number of gallant Maori buslimen, were dying for a fight. Colonel McDonnell, though aware that his newly enrolled Newchums were useless in the bush, yet was determined to attain what the country clamoured fox-, and to do or die in the attack on Ngutu o te Manu, perhaps the most formidable stronghold ever seen in the Maori wars. He was worried over many small failures, the inefficiency of his small force, and the recent desertion of his most useful spy lvatcne to the Hauliaus. . I

All this came under the silent review and careful contemplation of the Kupapa Tohunga, who urged in the orthodox manner of his kind that the time was not ripe, because he had foreseen disaster in the recent seasonal disappearance of Matarilci (the wanderer) from the group J ”''' :,l des. In a flash enthusiasm fled, Te Kepa and his trusty Maori warriors besought McDonnell to postpone the Taua (war party) for twenty-four hours, but in vain.

Things looked black and the Maoris threatened refusal to meet certain death, when a grim old warrior spoke: "We are bound in honour to fight. Our white comrades will be cut to pieces for ignoring tlie warning. Having protested, we will be protected.’ ’ As one man they bounded forth to the coming fight, and fight they did with the utmost gallantry. How strange that more than a third of our men fell dead, or wounded, whilst the Maoris in the thick of it, fighting and rescuing our broken comrades, were unscathed.

Official records confirm it. So when you incline to deride a Maori Tohunga, just think of him as a Thinker.