The Value of a Maori Dog

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, Volume 1, Issue 10, 1 July 1900, Page 61

The Value of a Maori Dog

(.A-s delated. 1037- IKare E3:on.gri)

By H. M. Stowell.

Illustrated by Kenneth Wat kins,

" Kei ki kohe ki te Kuri Maori lie aha ?ko tetahi take tena i ngaro ai te tangata." " Consider not the Maori dog as a thing of little consequence : it was a cause which occassionally contributed to the extermination of man."

J^^l OME generations ago a band of our A^lb Puketarata people (Taranaki East), s^l) which included some" women and most of our young men, well furnished with Maori weapons of greenstone, whalebone, and our trusty ake rant-any i, proceeded on a distant ecling expedition to the wilds of the Ngaere, which lies inland

from the present township of Elthnm. Who could be aware of the fact that a hostilo war party of the Ngatimaru were in the vicinity for the express purpose of attacking us there? They divided their force down stream, and favoured by the moonless night, stole unobserved along each bank, closo behind our fishing party. Upon reaching the best fishing grounds, our part)- laid asido their weapons, and while some prepared temporary habitations of rnupo-reed and bulrush, the majority at once engaged in the business of tho expedition. There was an abundance of eels, which ho delighted our people, that, ever and anon, loud shouts of

satisfaction went forth in celebration of the good fortune in store. In truth the rejoicings speedily partook of the nature of a carnival. That was our foes' opportunity, for, at this supreme moment, their forces were upon us, rending the air with their war cries and overwhelming us with their numbers and ready arms. " Kei aan te mataiha (I have the first fish) !" was simultaneously jjiven out from several different points, our unfortunates could but exclaim—" Ka mate a an, (E-ah me, I die.) !" Taken so completely by surprise, in an instant all was confusion and despair, and the swish and thud of our

Ah me — that dog. Now Moko, the chief of the Araukuuku, had, at the time, a tame dog— Awn whangai, there also existed the huri mohowao — wild dog. This dog, which was in excellent and pampered condition, was called IS onoke So excellent was its condition, that the re - fugees hungered after it — yea, with a great hanger, and what wonder! for a piece of such dog-flesh was a very rare morsel in those days, very rare indeed. Now as time passed on and it "became more and more apparent that Moko did not contemplate adding dog-meat as a relish to the other

enemies weapons — ours, alas, were not at hand — kept time to their exultant shouts — varied in turn by the groans of their hapless victims. Flight was the only resource, and those of us who managed by the most extraordinary means to disentangle themselves from tha.b deadly struggle, fled towards the Pa of our kinsmen of the Araukuuku, near the township of Normanby. As a precaution against being waylaid, a wide detour was made, and these reached the Pa, in safety shortly after dawn. Here it was found that seventy had escaped from perishing, and these were hospitably treated by our Araukuuku kinsmen.

good things with which they were regaled the spectacle of the fat creature roaming leisurely amongst them, or basking lazily and contentedly in the warm sunshine, more and more intensified their hungry longing to transfer it to a more useful and, on their part — desirable sphere. Wherefore a section of the sufferers held secret council at which it was decided to establish a private larder, and also that one of their number should honour its institution by the casual contribution of the coveted dog — dressed. This was the council's finding— truly a, most savoury one. Following upon this a moonless evening materially assisted the execution of

the project, and, that self same night testified to the oily fat of the dog anointing the vocal organs of the conspirators. Curiously enough no arrangement had been made as to a store room, but no hitch occurred on tliat account ; as fortunately, their stomachs proved equal to the emergency. Taau tnahi etc wliakaaro ma or i (Thy action, 0 perverted mortal)." Morning dawned, the familiar form of the dog was missed, and its absence created no little surprise, and a corresponding amount of speculation. Moko orded a thorough and immediate search " Keihea ra te kuri c Hmihia kautia nei? (Whei'ever can the dog be, so vainly searched for)?" While this was being prosecuted Moko consulted his Tohunga, who recommended that the refugees be assembled in the courtyard for the purpose of question and examination. This course was adopted and the sun shone upon the proceedings, casting rays of

warmth and brightness upon innocent and guilty with equal favour. It was at this intei'esting point that ono of our women announced that a small residue of the missing but now defunct animal had been reserved by her husband for future processes of digestion, and, at that particular momont, was carefully secreted beneath his pillow ! This narrative is now concluded, the Araukuuku fell upon them and slew them to a man. Of the seventy, who, for a few brief days, had been classed as survivors from the fated eelmij expedition, and entertained with the most affectionate regard and sumptuous hospitality, not one was now spared. Hence was the Araukuuku Pa called Kaikai — stolen food, and hence a feud exists between those branches of our tribe, to this clay. " Toonn tnonga tena o mnu — he kuri (such was the estimation in which a dog was formerly held.)"