Fishing Methods and Devices of the Maori

The Toitoi

The Toitoi

The toitoi mentioned above is the "bully" and "bullyhead" of common nomenclature, a very small species, and insignificant from the Maori point of view. It is said to be afflicted by the name of Gobiomorphus gobiodes or Eliotris gbbioides. The Tuhoe folk call it titarakura, while at Waikkto it is termed pakoko, and at Rotorua and elsewhere toitoi. It has several other names. This small fish has Uhia - Te Pairi - Tio-pira - Ngahirata - Hine-te-ariki been tapu to the Tuhoe folk since the days of Uhia, medium of the famed war-god Te Rehu-o-tainui, and hence has not been eaten by them during that time. This fearsome atua was viewed as a "man-assailing demon," and represented the spirit of a still-born child. It was ever considered necessary that such an evil spirit should be laid, rendered harmless, that it might not afflict mankind. Hence such evil powers were usually destroyed by means of the contaminating influence of cooked food. In this case leaves in which had been enveloped some titarakura fish for cooking were so employed. For some reason the destructive powers of the spirit were not destroyed in this case, apparently owing to the efforts of Uhia, who wished to develop that spirit and employ it as a malignant familiar. That atua became a much-dreaded power, and so the titarakura was made tapu by its connection with the spirit god.

This matter of fish becoming tapu, or prohibited, was an occasional occurrence, and might result from any one of several causes. I have also known of several cases in which certain waters became so on account of some person or persons having been drowned in the vicinity.