The Geographical Knowledge of the South Island Maori

Tu Tangata, Issue 26, 1 October 1985, Page 35

The Geographical Knowledge of the South Island Maori

by Bill Secker

I I has become a sad record of our history, that so little in the way of | ' recognition has been given to the old time Maori for his detailed and comprehensive knowledge of New Zealand which is a fact that is well borne out when we recall the debt that those hardy and resourceful colonial explorers such as Heaphy, Brunner, Haast, Rochford and Arthur to name a few, owed to their Maori guides and companions in their journeys into the back of beyond of the South Island.

Now if there is one great distinguishing feature between the two main islands of New Zealand which strikes the visitor to these shores as well as the observant citizen, it is the impression created by the differences in terrain. For apart from the striking coastal scenery of the Marlborough Sounds and stretches of North West Nelson which have an aura of tropical Polynesia about them, the rest of the South Island is in marked contrast due to the presence of permanently snow capped ranges on the horizon which are sights that leave no doubt in the mind, that in this southern angle of what has now been universally called the Polynesian triangle, that here we are in deed in a land that possesses a much harsher climate.

Nothing in the state of nature is exactly stable and there is certain scientific evidence to support the hypothesis that 1000 years or more ago New Zealand was experiencing a warmer climate than it is today. But even if the country was experiencing weather conditions which meteorologists term the climate optimum the fact nevertheless remains that to the first generation of Maori coming to grips with a cooler environment, eking out a living would have presented a challenge irrespective of what ever the reason was for the existence of their settlements so far to the south of the tropics.

Although Cook during the course of his three voyages to New Zealand made only limited contact with the southern Maoris namely at Queen Charlotte and Dusky Sounds he nevertheless came to the conclusion that through the absence of agricultural activities the indians as he came to call the populace, lived a wandering life style with the emphasis on fishing, fowling and the seasonal gathering of other forest produce. Fifty years later the French commander D’urville recorded in his journal, that the New Zealanders in Tas-

man Bay (which was the term then used for the Maori race) had not achieved the same standard of social organisation and development as the more populous communities in the north of Te Ika a Maui.

In forming his observations, D’Urville had an advantage over Cook in that through the assistance of Kendall’s Maori dictionary and grammar he was to a limited extent, able to converse in the local language. This enabled him to detect that through time and distance the southern Maori spoke a dialect that though it differed from the speech of the Ngapuhi could nevertheless be readily understood.

To the North Island tribes the large landmass which lay to the south of Te Ika a Maui and which supplied the sources of pounamu greenstone was according to districts given different names.

Although Cook and D'Urville from their enquiries had recorded the name of the South Island as Te Wai Pounamu the greenstone waters this handle was far from being the all embracing title. In the Bay of Plenty for instance the name was Kaikoura, while other northern tribes at one time referred to the South Island as Arapaoa. This name figuratively recalls for all time a land mark which records the thrust of Kupe’s mere which dispatched the Octopus that had hauled him pellmell through Cook Strait. Today Arapaoa is an obsolete place name but it appears in the variant form of Arapawa Island on modern survey maps. Translated Arapawa means the misty path and is a prominent land mark when viewed from the western coast line of the lower North Island.

Finally while on the subject of what’s in a name, to the Maori of the deep south Te Wai Pounamu simply referred to the land north of Lake Wakitipu. From Otago southwards, the populace knew the South Island as Te Waka a

Maui Maui’s canoe. Cowan has recorded that at the turn of the century this ancient name was still in use amongst the older generation of the Ngai Tahu.

Like all unrecorded histories the early settlement period of the South Island has become murky with the passing of time and it is to the archeological record and later traditional accounts that we must turn to, in the unravelling of an interesting chapter of our nation’s story. What comes out of the traditions is a chronicle of the steady movement southwards of North Island tribes, as population pressures at times acted as a catalyst in the redrawing of tribal boundaries. As a consequence the achievements of the conquering invaders gained prominence and the old tribal lore of subjected tribes were more or less sent to limbo.

As a society the South Island Maoris were food gatherers for south of Bank’s Peninsular because of the climate, the growing of kumara was ruled out. North of this line the archeological record reveals gardens in key locations but their produce would have added only a small degree of variety to the diet.

Through being a hunting and food gathering society the South Island tribes wandered far a field in exploiting the natural resources and in so doing, built up a vast and detailed geographical knowledge which one tradition states was the land from which Maui first sighted the North Island. Considerable travelling was by water and it was in no doubt due to the stormier seas encountered around Te Wai Pounamu that double canoes which had become obsolete in the north were still plying southern waters as late as 1840.

It is however the hardiness of the South Island Maori in crossing the mountain divide in order to obtain the prized greenstone that they reveal their true resourcefulness and powers of endurance. Today these journeys through alpine passes for parties equipped with stout boots, warm clothing, high calorific foods, tents, map, compass and means for readily cooking rations still calls for stamina and the right frame of mind. I for one never cease to marvel at the endurance and resourcefulness of the first New Zealanders travelling through necessity in this alien and frequently hostile environment which often resulted in fatalities.

For reasons for which we can only surmise, E.S. Halswell who in 1841 was appointed the New Zealand Company’s commissioner of native reserves and protector of the aborigines for the southern districts, failed to record the name of the Maori who sketched this

comprehensive map of the South Island, Like other maps sketched by Maoris in olden times it needs to be read in its proper perspective in order that we can appreciate the depth of geographical knowledge held by a folk who had recently emerged from the new stone

age. First of all it needs to be appreciated that in olden times the Maori had no appreciation of distance other than an arms length. This resulted in the emphasis being placed on prominent headlands, sheltered bays and harbours, pas as well as localities where bush and bird life existed which was of prime importance for people travelling light. Stretches of country lacking in resources were reduced in scale. The point that did come across to people like Halswell however was the deep love and knowledge of the country which seemingly warranted a name for every feature no matter how minor it may appear to the European enquiries Although his duties never took him to the hinterland Halswell had no hesitation about recording lake Wakatipu on the company’s copy of the map from the information conveyed by his informant. This lake of course was one of the sources of greenstone.

While Edward Shortland was engaged as the interpreter to Colonel Godfrey who wore the title of sub protector of aborigines at the time the first of the land claims in the South Island were being investigated, he performed a great service for prosperity by recording

some of the geographical knowledge held by the Ngai Tahu. In fact in his book, “the southern districts of New Zealand", Shortland has no end of praise for the geographical knowledge that was committed to the memories of Tuawaiki and Te Huruhuru. After checking a few points as to distance, he had no hesitation in superimposing the information on the 1835 admiralty chart.

Against the better judgement of Tuawaiki, Shortland with guides and porters walked the old pathways from Otago Peninsular to Akaroa. Once again in his “southern Districts’’ we are done a favour by his description of what overland travel entailed in this part of old New Zealand. Today the countryside is transformed beyond comprehension but in Shortland's time, progress was held up at swift east coast rivers and by vegetation such as fern, taramea bayonet grass or wild Spaniard and the small tree with the sharp spines, tumatukura. This latter impediment to progress today is called matagouri or wild irishman.

Amongst the information Shortland recorded were the travelling times between certain points. This is still standard practice amongst trampers and climbers today. In yesteryear however times for certain journeys could take longer than today because of the need to make sandals every few days, in order that thorns would be kept out of the soles of the feet. Sandals were also necessary in cold snow fed waterways.