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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 5, Issue 4 (August 1, 1930)

The Sacred White Bird

The Sacred White Bird.

Occasionally, in past years, bushmen and Maori bird-hunters have seen a white wood pigeon. This native bird we used to shoot, of course, until its decreasing numbers led to its protection by law; who could resist the temptation of potting the fat kukupa that made such a glorious roast or stew? But the rare white pigeon was a true rara avis. It was an albino, a freak, albeit a beautiful one. Little wonder that the Maoris regarded the albino as tapu.

Some of the old Maoris of the Taupo country have told me of the curious beliefs of old concerning such birds, folk-notions of the days when birds of all kinds, especially pigeon, tui and kaka parrot swarmed in all the forests. When
Transporting New Zealand's Produce.A goods train steaming out of Palmerston North Station, North Island.

Transporting New Zealand's Produce.
A goods train steaming out of Palmerston North Station, North Island.

they went out spearing and snaring the birds—the best time was in May and June, when the pretty creatures of the forest were fat from feeding on ripe berries—they were careful not to harm a white-plumaged bird-it was a patupaiarehe, or fairy bird, and must not be touched.

There was a dread spirit of the mountains and the forests in the South Taupo country, and the name of this god of the wilderness was Te Ririo. The white birds were under his special protection. Should you kill one, the vengeance of Te Ririo would descend upon you. The atua would suddenly swoop down on you, stretch forth great hands like claws, and carry you off, if it were night; he would come for you, too, on a lowering cloudy day. It would go hard with you in the dreadful places to which the forest god haled you; if you returned to your friends you would be half-crazed, maybe you would die of fright.

That is if you were a Maori. If you were a pakeha, well, it was just a question whether vou might not be quite immune from the anger of the Maori gods; if you were a Maori, of course, you had to take what was coming to you. Nowadays this magic law of Te Ririo has been improved upon by the pakeha legislature, which has placed a strict tapu on all the birds of the Maori forests.

Understanding is the first great need in all human relations.—Ibsen.