The Mauri of a Fort, How and Why Located
Singular Beliefs and Practices of Former Times

We have now to describe what appears to be the most extraordinary and interesting of all practices connected with the pa maori. There may be said to be two kinds of mauri, one material and the other spiritual; the one under discussion is of the former nature. The mauri of a pa was a talismanic object that held the power of preserving the fort and its occupants from harm; it was the very soul, life and heart of the place, and represented its prosperity and well-being. The material object employed was but a stone, but it must not be supposed that the Maori believed that the stone—per se —possessed any supernatural powers or virtues; it was employed to act as a shrine for the protecting gods of the place, and as an emblem of the same. Here follows a translation of data collected on the East Coast:—

The mauri of a pa was a stone that was placed under the bottom of the first post erected, which was always a corner post. But mauri were instituted only for pa whakairo, i.e., for the superior class of such places, and were not employed in connection with the inferior places of defence. A suitable stone of some length was sought to serve as a mauri, or whatu, for the pa; its purpose was to preserve or retain the ora and mana (welfare and prestige, etc.), of the place. It was, of course, necessary that the stone be endowed with such powers by means of certain ritual performances, which ensured the welfare of the place. The following chant was recited by the officiating priest or adept when the mauri was placed at the bottom of the post hole, as mentioned above:—

• "Ko wai taku pa?
• Ko Tauira-ka-rapa taku pa
• Na wai taku pa?
• Na.......taku pa
• He aha taku pa?
• He pekerau taku pa
• Tenei to whatu ko whatu ira
• Ko whatu ka rere, ko whatu i rarapapage 146
• Ko te whatu na tenei tauira
• Tauira ki a wai?
• Tauira ki a.......
• He owhio, he orongo
• Tamaua, tamaua ki te pu, tamaua ki te weu
• Tamaua ki te akaakanui na Tu-matauenga
• Oi whiwhia, oi whiwhia, oi, rawea
• Oi kia mau kita, kita ki tenei tama."

In the blank spaces of the above would be inserted the name of the atua or protecting deity of the pa, possibly Rongomai or Tunui-a-te-ika, who would be viewed as its guardian or protector, and to whom any invocations made concerning the pa or its defence were directed. The mauri was looked upon as a 'settling place,' or resting place, or abode of the god, or gods, of the fort, as a material item representing such gods, something tangible to connect such invisible deities with the pa. The common expression is that the mauri protects the pa, but it is not so, it is really the gods who so protect it, and the mauri is merely a shrine or abiding place of those gods. "Ko te kohatu, ara mauri, o te pa hai taunga mo nga atua. Ma nga atua e tiaki i te pa, e hara i te mea ma te mauri; he taunga atua te mauri."

The following is some attempt at a paraphrase of the above recital:—"What is (the name of) my pa? My pa is Tauira-ka-rapa. Whose is My pa My pa is …. What is my pa My pa is but a poor redoubt. Here is thy whatu, even such as the whatu of old (obtained by Tane), the whatu of this pupil: Pupil of whom? Pupil of… In all seasons let prosperity and safety be with us, even from the beginning. Let this pa possess the strength of the war god Tu-matauenga. So let strength and safety be attained, to be firmly retained by man."

The word whatu means a stone, also the stone of fruit, and hence it sometimes carries a meaning resembling our word kernel. It is in the latter sense that it seems to be used with regard to a pa. Not only is the object a stone but it is also the very kernel or core of the place; safety and prosperity rest upon it. Whatu =the eye and pupil of the eye, seems to be an allied meaning. The whatu obtained by Tane from the heavenly denizens were extremely sacred objects. This ceremonial recital really hinges upon the firm faith in, and great reliance placed upon, the gods by the Maori. Unless protected by the gods man cannot hope to survive long, for he would be open to all the shafts of magic and every evil influence.

page 147

The following notes on the mauri were given by Tuta Nihoniho of the East Coast district:—A superior fort always had its mauri, just as a superior canoe had, and should the mauri of a pa be found and taken away by enemies, they would perform a ceremony over it that would have the effect of causing the place to lose its mana (prestige and luck), also the inmates thereof to lose their nerve, courage, etc., and become, as it were, defenceless. The mauri was located at the ahurewa or elsewhere, often concealed somewhere at the sacred place of the fort, and charms were repeated over it to cause it to be invisible to enemies. Any evilly disposed person, and, naturally, all enemies are evil minded, who happened to find such a mauri, could work much harm to the people. Food supplies would become scarce, for vegetable foods would not mature, and all kinds of misfortunes might afflict the people of a fort the mauri of which had been polluted and its power destroyed. The mauri was usually a stone and it imparted mana to the place and caused it to be dreaded by enemies.

The mauri or mariunga of a pa was a stone, and it was concealed carefully, sometimes at the base of a tree in the adjoining forest. The following charm was repeated over it:—

• "Hopu ringa o aitu
• Hopu ringa o tangata
• Ka hura, ka hura tu moana uha
• Ka hura tu moana kore
• Ko to manawa, ko taku Manawa
• Ko hou tina, ko hou taiki te ripia
• Arei ana whakahotu nuku e ropi, e ropi hau
• Kataina te makariri, te anuanu pua aitu he tangata."

The mauri, says Tuta, was a talismanic object that held the power, originating from the gods, of preserving the pa and its inmates from harm, and upholding their power and prestige. It was the soul and life of the place.

The ahurewa was a place at which religious ceremonies were performed.