Original Tale.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1781, 21 October 1862, Page 3

Original Tale.

MAHOS LEAVES, Being a selection of Sketches of New Zealand and its Inhabitants, and other matters concerning them. By Thomas Moser, Esq. SPECIMEN OF ABORIGINAL POETRY. Precedent undoubtedly proves that a language without a literature, will die out of itself. This is to be regretted so far as the New Zealand language is concerned, as it is far from being the poor languagfi that is generally imagined. Generally speaking, however, there are very few who have troubled themselves about making themselves thoroughly masters of it, and the originality of the language !is fast falling into decay. The greater number of the present generation of natives are but little acquainted with the language of the old people. So many European words have been introduced, and their ideas so altered by association, that " pure Maori " is almost obsolete. Sir George Grey made an attempt some years ago to collect a number of tbeir songs, and published them as specimens of the poetical powers of the Maories ; but in general they are so garnished with metaphor, that translation ) is not easy in the first instance, and when accomplished, not very easy to understand. Their poetry seems to be chiefly of. the McPherson School, with little rule as to number, and none to rhyme. They are chaunted more than sung, to tunes that may be said to be a lively variation on three votes in the minor key, discordant to the ear, and jarring to tbe feelings. So far, however, as regards the "tenov" of the expressions conveyed in the performance, they are not to be confounded perhaps with tbe " base"-ness of the music. A Maori musically speaking has no ear at all ; but he, per haps, has as fine a notion of time as possible. When singing in chorus, or dancing — if I can term such a strange proceeding so — voice, hand, and foot, fall in perfect unison. And in their canoe songs, as the leader stands in the nose of the canoe singing and gesticulating, the voices of the crew, aud the strokes of the paddles, keep perfectly together. But to return to the poetry, I have here selected one of very recent production as an example, not because perhaps it is one of the best in point of composition, but as being the production of Te Raupavahu, a chief of Otaki, who visited England a few years ago, aud who received there a good deal of attention. His father was one of the great fighting chiefs that took up arms against the Europeans in the first New Zealaud war. He was taken prisoner by the crew of H.M.S. Calliope, and died broken hearted a year or two afterwards. His son, the author of this poem, is much respected by the Europeans, and is perhaps the most anglicised Maori I ever met. This is the original .- — He Waita na te Rauparaha : he tangi mo toua kainga, mo Kawhia i mahuetia. Tera ia te tai o Honipaka ! Ka wehe koe i au c, He whakamaunga atu naku Te ao ka rere mai ; Ra runga mai o te motn c tv Noa raai ra koe ki au c. Kia, milii mamao au ki te Iwi ra i a E paria c te tai ; Piki tv, piki rere, Piki I akina mai Te kawai muri whenua Te kawai tutere. Tena taku manu He manu ka onga noa, Huna ki te whare Te hau o Matarikl, lna to Whareporutu, Ina te rahi. Atiawa E kau tare mai ra Ka urupa taku aroha na i. Note. The terms Honipaka, To Whareporutu, and Atiawa, are names connected with the tribe,—' Atiawa or Ngatiawa to which the author belongs. TBANSLATION. Song made by Te Rauparaha : a lament for his native place Kawhia abandoned by him. There, far away, ia the tide of Honipaka ! Alaa ! Thou (Honipaka) art divided from me ! The only tie which connects us, Is the fleecy cloud drifting hither, Over the summit of the Island, W hich stands clearly in eight . Let me send a sigh afar to the tribe Where the tide is now flowing. - The leaping, racing, skipping tide Oh ! for the breeze, the land breeze, The stiff breeze, That is my bird, A bird that hearkens to the call, Though concealed in a cage Oh for the wind of Matariki, Then Whareporutu, And the great Atiawa Will sail swiftly hither. So ends my song of love ! ! In a publication called the " Tuarang Miiori," a species of magazine for. the benefit of the Maories, conducted by some of tbe best linguists of the day, the foregoing appeared; but that some of the songs are utterly untranslatable into comprehensible English, -the following I extract as an example. It is headed a Puwha or Canoe Song, and runs thus. — Toia " Taiuui," te " Arawa," Kia tapotu -ki te moana Koia i hira hira te mata Whati-tiri takataka tumai I taku rangi tapu The translation is given as follows : Pull " Tainui," pull tho " Arawa," To launch them on the ocean, Surely glanced the. bolt of thunder Falling hitherward , . On my sacred day.

To make the matter still more intelligibl to the uninitiated, I may mention that "Tainui" and " Arawa," . according to native -legends, were the names of the two canoes that . first landed on these shores, aud from the crews of which the present race of Maories has sprung. Not, however, to trouble the reader with more examples, I may mentioa that the majority of these poetical productions abound so greatly with metaphor, that translation appears to be out of the question. Sir George Grey's collection has never met with any great circulation, I apprehend chiefly on account of the little study given by the majority to the language. To pick up sufficient to keep up an ordinary intercourse with the natives is not a lmttcr of any great difficulty, aud beyond that, except as a matter of curiosity, it is scarcely , worth while to go. Tor even those who have given to the public the result of their researches in connection with the history or legends of the • New Zealanders have utterly failed to produce a wots worth twice perusal, and of very little use for reference. Mr. Tayloi's work, "Te Ika a maui," is well enough so far as reference ' to the geological, zoological, and botanical productions of these islands is concerned, on - which points be has long been considered a standard authority. But a number of pages devoted to conjectures on the possibility of these Maories being remnants of the lost tribes . of Israel, speculations on the possibility of their being connected with the Romans, because he finds the word "haere" pronounced " hsere/,' which signifies "to go," identical with " ire,' the infinitive of "co " of the Latins, and other melancholy matter, renders perusal rather a matter of pain than otherwise. Aboriginal poetry, however, is a difficult matter to handle anyway. From the number of effusions that are contributed to the Native Journals it would seem that the Spirit of Poesy is alive, but howfar the flowery translations of the European editor may compare with the originals, is a matter that none but a thorough Maori scholar could decide. And considering that in the generality for one pretty idea or neat metaphor, o we are treated to a treble quantity of what sounds very like jargon, I leave the subject with the example I have furnished, reiterating the opinion that it is as favorable a one as I have met with, during the perusal of some scores.