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The Maori Canoe

Ceremonial Matters Pertaining to canoes

page 213

Ceremonial Matters Pertaining to canoes

Mauri

Each vessel that came from Polynesia to these isles seems to have had on board some sort of talisman, a mauri, ara, or mawe, looked upon as a sacred object endowed with protective powers, and which brought good luck to the vessel and its occupants. These items seem to have served a similar purpose after the arrival on these shores, probably for many generations.

In the case of the "Arawa," which came to these isles about five hundred years ago, a tapu stone called ara was brought, and was deposited on Passage Rock, or Takapou, an island south-west of Cape Colville. When Ngatoro, the priestly adept, so deposited it, he addressed it as follows: "Thou art left here O stone! to be embodied in the ritual of the descendants of the people on this vessel, as a mauri for the invocations to ward off evil." An account of this incident may be seen in volume 2 of the Journal of the Polynesian Society, pages 234, 235.

Tarakawa states that the mawe of the "Matatua" vessel that came hither from Polynesia was a similar item to the ara brought by the "Arawa" canoe, and speaks of it as though it represented the course of the vessel hitherward, in which case it is the common word ara— a path or track, or means of conveyance (both vowels short). If it is the Tahitian word ara (the name of a hard black stone), then it is the Maori kara, a black basaltic stone. The natives of Tahiti have dropped the k and ng since the Maori left those parts.

In volume 20 of the Journal of the Polynesian Society, page 188, Tarakawa speaks of some some sacred stones that were brought to New Zealand in the "Arawa" and "Tainui" vessels, but the account is a very unsatisfactory one.

Tamahau, of Wai-rarapa, remarked that the above ara seems to be identical with what his tribe terms a kaha, which was a piece of seaweed-stem which had been carefully dried after preparation in a steam-oven, and over which a priest had recited certain charms. No canoe ever went on a voyage without taking this kaha with it carefully deposited in the bows, and on returning it was carefully replaced on the tuahu, or tapu place, where it was kept. The kaha was very tapu, and no woman was allowed to touch it. Its use was as a talisman to ward off evil.

The following notes on the mauri of a canoe were contributed by Tuta Nihoniho, of Ngati-Porou, an east coast tribe:—

The mauri of a canoe was usually a small stone, over which a qualified tohunga (priest) had recited a charm or invocation in order page 214to endow it with certain powers as a medium between the canoe and the gods, without whose care and assistance no canoe, house, land, forest, or person can prosper. This mauri was also taken out to sea once in the canoe that it represented, where it had another such ceremony performed over it, after which it was returned to the land and carefully concealed by the tohunga caretaker at some secret place where it was judged to be safe from observation, often under Fig. 107 Stone Mauri, or Talismanic Symbols. These serve as abiding-places or shrines for supernatural beings in whose charge lands, forests, houses, canoes, &c., were placed. the roots, or in a crevice at the base, of some tree. This material medium influenced the gods to protect the vessel from the dangers of the ocean (where Tawhiri-matea ever wages war against Tane). It also had an effect in causing fish to be plentiful and easily caught— "Kia ngawari nga ika" as my informant quaintly put it—to render the fish accommodating, complacent.

The more important canoes, such as war-canoes, and deep-sea-fishing canoes, were provided with mauri, but not the smaller craft, such as river-canoes.

If a mauri happened to be found by a person hostile to the owners of the canoe, he would bear it off and perform a ceremony over it in order to nullify its powers and render it worthless. This would spell disaster to the owners of the vessel, even if such enemy did not also perform an act of makutu, or black magic, by means of which to injure them, simply because it left the canoe utterly defenceless against the hostility of Tawhiri-matea (personified form of gales) and either the anger or neglect of the gods, whose medium and shrine, the material mauri, had been contaminated and polluted. For the pollution of tapu must necessarily be followed by either the anger or neglect of the gods.

page 215

It would also appear that should a mauri be found and removed by some person who did not perform any ceremony or repeat any charm to destroy its powers, such act would still nullify or vitiate the powers and properties of the medium; hence the tohunga would discard it and seek another suitable stone to take its place, which stone he would render tapu and endow with necessary powers even as he did the former one. For the canoe, house, forest, subtribe, fish-weir, or whatever a mauri represents must not be left defenceless— that is to say, deprived of the protection and care of the gods.

This curious phase of mentality can scarcely be grasped by us, who, as we advance in general culture, most certainly place less and less reliance upon supernatural beings and their powers. But such beliefs are common among more primitive folk, and, of all men, none were more religious than the old-time Maori—or superstitious—call it which you will.

Mouri is sometimes used as a variant form of the word mauri, and the non-material mauri is rendered by some as "spirit, soul": the material mauri of persons is quite a different item, and may be compared to the material mauri of a canoe, forest, &c.

Te Ahi o Hurihanga

Tuta Nihoniho informs me that in former times, when a party was about to start out on a war expedition by canoe, a curious ceremony was performed by tohunga, in which a sacred fire known by the above name was kindled. This rite included the recital of certain charms or invocations, which were supposed to have the effect of causing misfortunes to afflict the enemy, and of bringing good luck to the war-canoes and their occupants.

Canoes Under Tapu

All canoes engaged in war expeditions were under tapu, and no food could be cooked or eaten in them. Tuta remarks on this subject, "No cooking was done on board a tapu canoe, but preserved foods [dried], ready for eating, and water, were often carried thereon. Of course, only some canoes were tapu—not all."

"They must not put cooked food into their war-canoes, eat or spit while afloat, or even have any fire in them, or smoke their pipes, which must certainly be a severe exercise to their faith."—(Life of Henry Williams.)

An old man of Ngapuhi, in describing a southern raid in which he took part, said: "As we travelled along the coast in our canoes, no cooked food was allowed to be carried thereon, nor was fire carried,page 216nor was any man allowed to partake of food on board." Polack writes: "No food may be eaten in a canoe, when paddling in the vicinity of a sacred spot." The Rev. R. Taylor, says, in Te Ika a Maui, "If a corpse was conveyed in a canoe, it was never afterwards used, but painted red and drawn on shore."

In describing native customs the Rev. Mr. Yate remarks: "The person who consults the oracle always carries the sticks with him to the battle: and should the expedition move by water he has a canoe, which is strictly tapu, and into which no food is allowed to be put."

The vessels by which the ancestors of the Maori came to New Zealand were rendered tapu by the ritual that had been performed over them, by the tapu objects brought in them, and by the tapu priestly adepts, conservers of tapu ritual, who came in them. Some brought certain objects representing gods. In the legend of Honoura, preserved at Tahiti, we read that "Oro and other gods of the highest order were never exposed to view: they were kept in numerous wrappings, encased in the bows of their canoes, and their priests represented them among the people."

When a canoe was specially made or used for the purpose of avenging a murder or defeat it was known as a waka mamae or waka takitaki mate. The following extract is from the Life of Henry Williams: "January 18, 1832. The natives very apprehensive that Tareha would return to the Bay of Islands, as he had not yet joined the main body, and was in a large canoe with no other persons, except three of his wives to pull her along. The canoe was tapu, having conveyed the body of Hengi, the principal chief killed at Korora-reka, to his former place, and was now to be taken to the place where his sons were killed, for the purpose of being broken up and burnt, and was consequently termed waka mamae. There are very many things, such as garments, war instruments, paddles, &c., amongst the different tribes now going up, which are on their way for the purpose of being, I think I may say, offered up to the manes of the dead… The canoe was a waka tapu; but its more specific designation, when employed on an errand of revenge, was waka mamae. A canoe so called would sometimes be built to keep in memory a grief and the duty of revenge."

The following passage from the same work illustrates the use of a somewhat similar expression: "Moka fired a number of rounds from his great guns here, termed paura mamae, which he expended because this was the place where he received his wound."

Again, under date 4th January, 1836, in The Life of Henry Wil-liams occurs the following: "Ngapuhi announced: they did not hurry, but all came after waiting two hours, and fired off between page 217 Fig. 108 Part of Canoe used as a Cenotaph. (See p. 218.) Now in the Dominion Museum. two and three hundred cartridges (paura mamae) for Kati and Toha. Rewa afterwards burnt a fowling-piece for the same cause. They then assembled round Toha and had a long tangi [wailing]."

Waka takitaki mate.—When Te Umu-ariki, a chief of the Tuhoe Tribe, was slain at Turihaua, on the east coast, his tribesmen assembled at Te Waimana in order to make a war-canoe to convey an avenging party to square the account. The vessel was finished, page 218named the "Totara o Huiarau," and taken to Whakatane, where Paora Kingi, a leading chief of Tuhoe, said, "We have now finished our canoe, and all is ready to set forth on the errand of revenge. We will let it end here. No more blood shall flow, and I will go and make peace with our enemies"—which he did.

Fig. 109 A Form of Coffin fashioned from Portions of a Canoe. (See p. 219.) From Te Ika a Maui, by Rev. R. Taylor. Sketch by Miss E. Richardson

Mr. White, has preserved a tradition, related by an old native of the Ngapuhi Tribe in 1839, that some of the canoes that came hither from Hawaiki were so extremely tapu that they were provided with tenders (waka haumi) to carry the necessary food-supplies.

We have already seen that at the death of a person of rank his canoe might be destroyed and one-half of it set up by sinking the wide end in the earth, as a cenotaph or mortuary memorial. (fig. 108, p. 217.) Such a monument would be adorned with painted or carved designs. Old Wellington settlers will remember such a cenotaph, erected to the memory of the Ngati-Awa chief Te Wharepouri, that formerly stood on the hillside above Wallace's Inn at Nga Uranga, below the fort. This canoe was named "Te Wheke a Muturangi." It had been captured in the fight known as Whaka-pae-tai, that occurred at Waiorua, Kapiti Island, when local tribes attacked the invaders from the north early in the eighteenth century. (See Journal of the Polynesian Society, vol. 10, page 162.)

Coffins for containing bodies of the dead were occasionally made from two pieces of a canoe, and some of the coffins made for containing bones of the dead after exhumation were shaped like a page 219canoe. In Cruise's Ten Months' Residence in New Zealand, pub-lished in 1823, we note the following: "We … entered the burying-ground. In the centre of the enclosure stood a kind of stage, roofed over like a house, and on it were laid several small canoes. In one were the remains of a child, rolled up in a mat, but they were not quite decayed; and in another was a heap of bones, with a skull placed upon the top of it." (See fig. 109, p. 218.)

In describing a wahi tapu, or sacred place, seen by him in the Kawhia district, Angas says: "A little canoe, with sail and paddles, was also placed there to serve as a ferry-boat for the spirit to enter in safety into the eternal abodes." It is very doubtful if such was the object; such was not a Maori custom and illustrated no Maori belief. It was probably a toy belonging to the dead child.

Mr. John White, in describing the contents of a burial-cave examined by him in the north, remarks that in the cave "was built a small house of the swamp-reed, ornamented with flax of variegated colours, in which were the bones of ariki of the tribe. At the doorway of the house, which measured altogether not more than about five feet by three, were the bones of a child, and near them a small canoe, his plaything, had been taken with him to his long rest." Frail toy canoes were also made of bulrush-leaves by, or for, children.

In his remarks on "Ceremonies for the Dead" Shortland states that during such rites "A carved chest, ornamented with feathers, is made, also a carved canoe, a small one resembling a large canoe, which is painted with kokowai [red ochre]. The carved chest is called whare rangi." He explains that the garments in which the corpse was arrayed were placed in the carved chest, which is preserved by the family and descendants as a sacred relic. He omits to state that the so-called carved box was elevated on the top of a high post, and also to say what was done with the little canoe.

Shortland has another item pertaining to miniature canoes: "Meanwhile Kahu was on the beach … busied about sending off a canoe with food for the atua (gods) at Hawaiki, and for Hou-mai-tahiti, food both cooked and uncooked. This canoe was made of raupo (a species of bulrush). There was no one on the canoe, only stones to represent men."

Archdeacon Walsh gives an account of a curious ceremony formerly performed at Mokoia, the island in Lake Rotorua, the day before the planting of the sweet-potato crop commenced. The priestly adept made a little canoe-shaped vessel of dry bulrush-leaves, put a few of the tubers in it, presented or placed it before the stone image representing the god of the tuber, and then set it adrift page 220on the lake. This was done for the purpose of securing a good crop, as the offering was supposed to find its way to Hawaiki, the far-distant fatherland, and to the gods of that land—the land whereat the kumara originated.

The Awa Moana Rite

The following account of a ceremony performed ere commencing a voyage was collected by Mr. John White:—

When the people had taken their places in the canoe, the man officiating as tohunga, or adept, took off his clothing, and wrapped some seaweed round his body to serve as an apron. He then took a piece of seaweed in each hand, and, facing toward the east, he stood erect and repeated the following:—

Ka hura tangata uta
Te tiaki atu ki tangata tai
Ka hura tangata tai
Te tiaki atu ki tangata uta.
Pera hoki ra te korepe nui, te korepe roa
Te wahi awa, te totoe awa
Whakamoe ko Tu, ko Rongo
Te tama i a ia te awa me ko wai
Kauraka tama e puritia
Tukua atu tama kia puta i waho i te tawhangawhanga
He putanga ariki no Rongo
Ki te ata tauira maiea
Ki taketake nui o Kahukura
He moana i rokia.

He recited this aloud as he stood waving the seaweed before him. He then cast the weed into the sea, saying—

Tena te mau, ko te mau tapu a te aitu
A te tipua tawhito a Tangaroa.

He then pulled the seaweed from his body, and again clothed himself, his garments having been left some distance away from where he performed the ceremony. This ceremonial performance was for the purpose of rendering the ocean calm, but is here abbreviated.

The same authority gave the following: When a canoe is over-taken at sea by a storm, or the sea chances to be rough, the adept of the party recites the following charm:—

Ei, tena te ara, te ara ka iri
Ko te ara o Tane
Tane i te pu, Tane i te tamore
I tupu mai ai to whanau ariki, e Tane!

page 221

Then a hirihiri charm was repeated—

Kotahi ki reira, kotahi ki a (Mea)

naming in this manner the various tohunga (priestly adepts) of standing of the tribe. On reaching land the adept procured two kakaho, or flower-stalks of toetoe (Arundo conspicua), one of which he cast into the sea as a dart is thrown, and the other he chewed or bit the end off. This freed the party from tapu, and the members thereof could partake of food.

There was often a considerable amount of ceremonial observance connected with a new waka taua, especially in the event of such a vessel having been constructed for a special and important occasion, such as an expedition to avenge a slain tribesman.

In the legend of Rata, brought from Polynesia by the ancestors of the Maori, we may note the advice given to Rata by his mother on the completion of his new canoe: "Carry the ahua [semblance, personality] of your canoe to your elder, that he may perform the kawa ritual over it, and name it, also charm the course of your canoe and teach you the charms by means of which you may bring to your assistance the monsters of the deep, who will bear your vessel onward in such manner that no enemy may overtake you; likewise the charms whereby you may call on the offspring of Rongo-huakai."

Herein we note the curious practice of performing ceremonial rites over the ahua or semblance of some object—a common occurrence in former times, and one which the writer has seen practised within the past few years among the Tuhoe Tribe.

The charms recited in order to expedite the passage of a canoe, to remove obstructions and dangers, to calm the waters, are termed awa moana, and their action is expressed by the term hoa. As Rata's adviser put it, "Kia hoaia te ara o to waka" Ara and awa denote the path or course of a vessel across the ocean.

The monsters of the deep referred to are various species of whales, which are said to have guarded and assisted the vessels of old-time voyagers when called upon by responsible persons. The offspring of Rongo-huakai are four man-eating species of shark (mango), known as au-pounamu, huri taniwha, makomako, and waha-tara.

Further advice given to Rata was: "Let your voyage be commenced in the month Akaaka-nui, when Marewa and Autahi [stars] are hanging above the horizon, that you may experience a long continu-ance of the fair weather of Matariki." (Te paki o Matariki =the fair weather of the Pleiades.)

Prior to the departure of the expedition of eight vessels, the canoe of Rata, the leader, was hauled ashore and up to the turuma (latrine) page 222of the village, where the priestly adept Whakaiho-rangi performed certain ceremonies over it and recited all necessary ritual to ensure the welfare of the vessels and their occupants, the fleet being represented by "Aniuwaru," the outrigger canoe of Rata. The following is one of the ritual chants recited on that occasion:—

Tau ake nei au i taku nei tau
He tau tika, he tau aronui
He tau matua, he tau tipua, he tau arorangi
He tau ka wheau mai nou, e Ruatau! E Aitupawa …e … i!
Tu-matauenga tau tika mai ki tenei uriuri
No Rangi nui tamaku rangi … e … i.
Tenei ka tau, ka tau ki tenei pia
Ki tenei tama na Tane nui a rangi … e … i.
Tau ake nei au i taku nei tau
He tau tika, he tau aronui, he tau tipua
He tau na to aro, e Tu-matauenga … e … i!
Whai ake nei au i taku nei whai
Kia tau mai nga tipua
Kia tau mai nga atua kai tipua,
Kai atua, kai tangata
Ki tenei tama nau, e Tama-kaka! E Tama-torokaha … e … i!
Tenei to ara, he ara tipua, he ara atua
He ara no o uriuri, he ara no to tama
Ko Aniuwaru kia tau tika
Kia tau atu ki tuawhenua ki Pariroa
I te pu o te tonga … e … i.
Tenei ka whakamau atu taku aro ki nga tipua
Ki nga atua kai tipua, kai atua, kai tangata
Kia ihi nuku, kia ihi rangi
Kia ihi to tinana, kia ihi o mata
Kia ihi o taringa, kia ihi o niho kai tupua
Kai atua, kai tangata
Wheau atu ai ki muri o tuaropaki rangi, o tuaropaki nuku
Ngau atu ki Tupari
Ngau atu ki Tuamatua
Ngau atu ki a Hine-one
Ngau atu ki a Hine-kirikiri
Ngau atu ki Maunga-tutumaiao
Ka tatau te po turuturu
Ka tatau atu te po tamaki rangi
Ka tatau te po ka wheau atu
Ki te po tiwha, oti atu … e … i.
page 223 Ko Rata ihi nui, ko Rata ihi roa
Ko Rata ihi tipua, ko Rata ihi atua
Ko Rata ihi tangata ki te Po
Ka wheau atu ki Rarohenga
Ki te Muriwai hou oti atu … e … i.
Hau mai to rongo he rongo tipua
He rongo atua, he rongo tangata
Ka mau te hu wairoa ki nga rangi
Ka mau te hu waiora ki te wa ki tapatu o nga rangi
Ka mau te hu waiora ki te wa ki nga mata kainga
Auroki, aumoe ana mai Matuku-tangotango
Aumoe ana mai Pouhaokai
Aumoe ana mai Hine-komahi e Rata … e … i.

In this ritual chant Tu-matauenga and other gods are called upon to assist Rata in his enterprise, and avenging of his father's death, that his vessel may safely reach the far land where Matuku and Pouhaokai, the slayers of his father, dwell.

In the legend of Kupe we find the following charm recited by him in order to recover his canoe from the depths of the ocean, whither it was being dragged by a huge octopus:—

Heuea ki runga
Heuea ki tuara nui o Hinemoana
Nau, e Kiwa! Ahua ki runga
He ihinga a rangi, he ihinga moana
Tau ake nei au ki runga te iri tu
Te iri awaawa, te iri a tai … e
Ki te kahu tai, ki te kahu wai nau
E Kuru-rangi … e … o.
Oi eke, oi eke, marewa, marewa
He takinga nuku, he takinga rangi
Ki tenei pia, ki tenei aro nou,
E Kiwa … i … oi.

Herein Kiwa, the Guardian of the Ocean, is appealed to for assistance.

Ko te karakia tenei o Takitumu, i tere mai ai i te moana (The ritual chanted over "Takitumu," by means of which she was enabled to cross the ocean):—

Ko wai taku waka?
Ko Te Puwhenua pea taku waka.
Ko wai taku waka?
Ko te ara moana taku waka
page 224 Ko wai taku waka?
Ko Uruhau taku waka
Ko wai taku waka?
Ko te take o te rangi taku waka
Ko wai taku waka?
Ko te timu o te rangi taku waka
He waka kautere nui, he waka kautere rangi
He waka atua no nga rangi taku waka
He waka tapu taku waka no nga apa rangi
No nga poutiriao taku waka
He waka tapu taku waka
No nga tawhito taku waka
He waka tapu taku waka
No Kahukura taku waka
Ko wai taku waka?
Ko Takitumu taku waka
He waka no Hine-korako taku waka
No wai taku waka?
No Tama-i-waho taku waka
No wai taku waka?
No Maru taku waka
No wai taku waka?
No Tunui-o-te-ika taku waka
He waka atua taku waka
No te ihonga nuku, no te ihonga rangi
No takere nuku, no takere haea te piere nui
Haea te piere moana, haea taku ara
Ko te ara o wai?
Ko te ara o nga apa a rangi
Haea taku ara, ko te ara o nga tawhito
Haea taku ara, ko te ara o nga wehenga kauki
Whakahoru noa ra i te moana waipu
Haea taku ara, ko te ara o Tutara kauika
Taku ara ko te ara o Ruamano taku ara
No wai taku ara?
No Arai-te-uru taku ara
Waerea, waerea taku ara
He ara moana taku ara
Takoto, takoto te ihu o taku waka nei
Ki roto i te awa moana o takere nui, o takere roa
Ka takoto te ihu o taku waka
I roto i te awa tai heke
Heke te tai nui, heke te tai roa
page 225 Heke te au kume, heke te au rona
Heke te au taiparipari ki whea
Pari ki tawhiti ki tiritiri o te moana tuauriuri…e …i.
Ka ea, ka ea taku waka i te ihi moana
Ka ea, ka ea taku waka i te tai nui, i te tai roa
Ka ea, ka ea taku waka i te ngaru tu, i te ngaru wharewhare
Ka ea, ka ea taku waka i te tai wharewhare i te tai maranga
Ka ea ki te ihu whenua, ki te tai uru, ki te tai marangai… e… i.
Ka whakaea, ka whakaea taku waka.
Tenei to tapuwae ko te manu ka roha, ko te manu ka tiu
Ko te manu ka whakaangi ki te ihu whenua
Ka tau taku waka, ka tau ki take whenua … e … i.
Ka tere, ka tere tenei waka, he waka no nga pia
He waka no nga taura, he waka no nga tauira
He waka no nga ariki, he waka no nga tamaroa
Ka takoto i runga i te au kume, i te au rona
I te au whakaea ki tawhiti.
Ki tiritiri o te moana ki te ihu whenua
Amohia, amohia taku waka e nga kauika o Hinemoana
Awhitia, awhitia mai nga papa o taku waka e Tutara kauika
Awhitia mai nga papa o taku waka e te wehenga kauki … e
Takoto, takoto taku ika taki ko Ruamano i taku waka
Takoto, takoto, e taku ika
Waerea, waerea te ara moana o taku waka
Ko koe, e Arai-te-uru, ki roto ki te awa o taku waka o Awarua
Tahia te au moana, tahia te kare moana
Tahia te huka moana ki tawhiti muri
Ki tawhiti whakaaweawe ki te hiku o taku waka.