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The Maori: Yesterday and To-day

A Tale of “Matakite.”

A Tale of “Matakite.”

The belief in matakité or the gift of second-sight is universal amongst the Maoris. Those pakehas who have lived much with the natives and understand them do not deride matakité.

The following story illustrates the belief that dreams are often warnings from the spirit-world:—

About two hundred yards out in Rotorua Lake from the headland of Kawaha, there was a carved totara pole, driven into the bed of the lake. To this post, which was known as Te Purewa, the koura (crayfish)-catchers of old used to fasten the lines of their nets. Over a century ago a woman named Tōna, while sleeping in her house at Ohinemutu, had a strange dream in which this pou-totara was concerned. She dreamt that she heard the carved post Te Purewa calling to her and singing a mournful song; and as she listened she caught the words of page 221 the song. These are the words the singing tree uttered:

Kaore te aroha i au
Ki Mokoia ra e,
E tu kau noa ra
Ki Rotorua moana,
E tere noa mai ra.
Ka ngaro te tangata,
Ka memene ki tawhiti,
Ka nui i au te aroha
I—i—i!

(Translation.)
Alas! my grief
For Mokoia's isle,
Standing desolate yonder
In the sea of Rotorua,
Whose waters drift lonely to and fro.
Lost are the people,
Dispersed and driven far away.
Sorrow wells high within my heart,
Alas!

In the morning Tōna told her dream to the assembled people, and repeated the ominous words of the singing totara. This dream was interpreted as a matakité, a prophetic communication from the spirit-world, and a tohu-maté, an omen of disaster and death. The people of Rotorua were indeed at that time near to disaster and death, for Hongi Hika with his musket-armed warriors, was even then preparing to set sail with his canoe-fleet for the Bay of Plenty, on his way to invade Rotorua. The dream was verified, for in three moons from the time Te Purewa's warning voice was heard by Tōna's wairua, the Ngapuhi under Hongi had assaulted and captured Mokoia Island and slaughtered great numbers of the Arawa.