LIFE IN A MAORI KAINGA.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XI, Issue 35, 2 September 1893, Page 148

LIFE IN A MAORI KAINGA.

By

FRANK MATHEWS.

(CONTINUED FROM LAST ISSUE).

xx T the time I read this I was in company ■urA with a man who had served at the / W \ siege of Cabul, and had many \ exjieriences of Indian life. He A told Ine ' ie seen the flower tr ick performed more than once. ” n one occasion the fakir, a J/, ra A Lb®®* miserable, poverty - strickenffljL ’’ ) looking old man, came up to a jff ‘Ji l B rou P °f troopers who were off J duty (one of them being himself), vHfc<l .1 Af- J and offered to perform for a Xk”k-"-‘' small sum, which was given him. After some feats of dexterity he placed an inverted basket on the ground, then commenced to beat on his tum-tum, a sort of little drum, and chant, By-and-bye the basket commenced to rise, and being removed a small tree was perceived, which gradually grew to the height of a foot or so. * But was it a natural shrub with roots growing out of the ground ?’ I asked. ‘ Well, it appeared to be so,’he replied. * Did you examine it?’ ‘I never thought of doing so.’ ‘What became of it?’ ‘I don’t know, the fakir went away, and I saw no more of it.’ He said that on one occasion some of the officers told a snake charmer that be was an impostor, that the snakes he caused to come to him were tame snakes with their poison teeth extracted, which he had previously hidden on the premises. The snake charmer, being put on his mettle, offered to go with them to any place in the jungle they might select, and there practise his art. So they went to a place known to be infested with snakes. The snake charmer squatted down, and commenced beating his tum-tum and chanting his incantation. Before long a large cobra, which is a very poisonous snake, came crawling out of some bushes. He crawled up in front of the charmer, and rearing himself on his coils, commenced to rock slowly from side to side, seemingly half asleep. At length the fakir took him by the neck, and placed him in a covered basket. This is what I was told by an eye-witness, and I see no reason for doubting his words. In fact, it was another branch of the same art, only in one case the spectators were hypnotised by the sound of the drum and singing, combined with the magnetic influence of the singer. In the other the snake was hypnotised in the same manner.

The power of curing disease by this agency is now too well known to be disputed. There are some who hold that Jesus of Nazareth was merely a powerful magnetist. He might have been that amongst other things, but no earthly magnetist ever brought back the dead to life. This power no doubt has been used for many evil purposes as well as good, and has been a terrible instrument in the hand of the priesthood, or other initiated individuals of barbaric races. I don’t know if it should be termed supernatural for why should not the human race, who are composite beings—half physical, half spiritual—have spiritual as well as physical powers?—all of which lengthy digression goes to show that perhaps the Eastern magi, Sir Michael Scott, and old Rita were disciples of the same school, though of different degrees.

And now, having run so far off the line, I will say a few words about apparitions, generally termed ghosts, from the Herman ghast, vapour, mist, etc. That such things sometimes occur there is little doubt, for though few admit it,

yet throughout all history and amongst every race there are continual relations of such appearances. That spirits out of the body should sometimes hold communication with those still in human form seems quite feasible, and I believe this is only another branch of the same phenomena. Sceptics will say, how is it that when a spirit appears it seems clothed in the ordinary garments of every day life ? The ghost of a man or woman may be, but how about the ghost of a coat or a gown ? This is because when the spirit

is present and would manifest itself, it acts on the mind by magnetic power. The spectator then is made conscious of the spiritual presence, and a vivid picture is thrown on the mind of the individual as he used to appear in worldly guise. Any peculiarity of dress will be an essential part of that picture. The spectator is, in fact, mesmerised by the spirit. ‘My father, I think I see him now.’ ‘ Where, my lord, where?’ ‘ln my mind’s eye, Horatio.’ We can

imagine to ourselves whatever we have once seen, and that imagination can be strongly influenced by magnetic power. With regard to dreams—in the day time whilst following one’s ordinary occupation a man’s thoughts will wander, vivid pictures of places he has formerly seen or those he has known, will occupy bis mind. In some cases he will even speak aloud, sustaining his share in conversations which he imagines to himself; people who are much by themselves are often addicted to the habit of talking to themselves in this way. When the physical powers repose in slumber at night the mind continues more or less active with most people, though there are some who assert that they never dream. Then the imagination of the mind, being no longer counteracted by thesurroundingsof everydaylifeand untrammelled by physical control,appears to be real, but this is only an action dependent on the state of the system, and influenced by physical circumstances. Indigestion or an un-

comfortable bed gives the mind a suggestion of discomfort, which leads to uneasy, harassing dreams, etc., but are dreams only. Visions are of a different nature, and assignable to the same phenomena that I have already referred to the spiritual presence acting on the mind. Secrets have been disclosed, wainings given in this manner throughout history, and we are told in sacred writ that God speaks to men in dreams—in visions of the night. Demoniacs are people influenced or tormented in this manner by evil spirits. They are now called lunatics or maniacs. Formerly they were said to be possessed by devils, which was correct.

That magnetic influence is spiritual influence seems obvious. (It is the mode of spiritual communication. If it was mere magnetism or galvanism there would be no mental influence on the mind of the patient. Hypnotism, which is a mesmeric sleep produced by mechanical means, as watching the pendulum of a clock, etc., may be nothing in itself, but mere weariness of the mind and eyes conducing sleep ; but I observe that it is always presided over by a magnetiser who directs and influences that sleep. According to Dr. Coates, everyone has magnetic power in more or less degree ; but no doubt there are some who are strongly gifted with it, and may even have been able to exorcise the influence of evil spirits by greater influences of their own. Clairvoyance is uncertain, though sometimes extraordinary revelations have been attained by it. When this phenomena is better understood, it may be possible to turn it to many useful accounts. As for instance, the employment of clairvoyant clerks in business houses, who could mentally visit the establishments of agencies or branches in foreign countries, and inspect books kept for the purpose, so gaining necessary information without the aid of post or telegraph. Mind rules. Metaphysical science is a vast field,

of which the students are only on the coniines, and one containing numerous possibilities, the discovery or revelation of which may eventually revolutionise the whole present system of the world. So now we will return to the kainga. Sometimes we used to go on fishing excursions down the river to the Heads. Two or three canoes full of men and a lot of women went with us to cook, dry fish and give us the benefit of their company. They are a cheerful, kindly, good-hearted lot are the Maori wahine and kotiro. (The world without women from the court to the cottage, or in this case whare, would be like a theatre without lights.) We took no other sea stock than a great many baskets of potatoes, and some salt to cure the fish, on which with potatoes we lived till we returned to the kainga. There were many shelterwooded bays at the Heads, and in one of these temporary wharfs were first constructed, and stages on which to dry the fish. These huts were fashioned by setting two forked poles in the ground at a suitable distance apart. Another pole resting in these forks formed the ridge. Then a row of flexible saplings pointed at the thicker end were set in the ground at even distances apart. These were bent over the ridge, their thin ends brought down to about four feet from the ground in front, and lashed to another pole, which was supported by uprights at either end. This frame work was then thatched with leaves of the nikau palm, forming a round-shaped roof like the tilt of a waggon. The ends were filled in with plaited nikau leaves, the floor strewn with rushes, and then covered with mats. These structures are impervious to the rain, and with a good drift wood fire crackling and sputtering in front are very comfortable of a wet night, or in fact at any time. The women collect heaps of shell fish for food in addition to what is caught. The general method of cooking fish is to peel a lot of potatoes. They do this by scraping them with a shell. These are boiled in a big pot with fish cut up in pieces. When the potatoes are cooked the fish is cooked too. The water is poured off and the potatoes are steamed as usual. This is a quick way of cooking, and the results are kapai (very good). Sometimes they use the umubangi, or kopa Maori, as it is sometimes called (though I think the latter is an Anglicism). This is a circular hole about two or three feet in diameter, and a foot or more in depth. A fire is made in this hole, the wood being piled up nearly a foot above its level, and upon the wood is laid a layer of stones. This is let burn down till the stones sink into the hole and nothing but embers are left. The stones are then removed and the embers cleared out; after which the stones are returned to the oven and are covered with a layer of green leaves. On these the fish and potatoes or anything to be cooked is laid, the leaves having been previously sprinkled with water. It is then covered with green leaves, which are also sprinkled. On them is placed a layer of flax mats. The w hole is then covered with earth which is carefully pressed down to keep in the steam. The food will be cooked in an hour or less. (To be. continued.}