The Commencement of War and Evil Deeds. (Ngati-Awa.)

We will now begin anew anent the traditions of old, the arranging in order of the wars which were waged in the time of the gods—wars begun in the time of Tane, and Tangaroa, and Tu, and Rongo, and which were fought over their estate or cultivation named Pohutukawa, not that it was a culti vation such as we know, it was simply an expression for the world. For they were the first beings of the world and so the world was considered as their estate. Tane is the great ancestor of man. Tu was also an ancestor, and his legacy to the human race are the wars waged on earth. Tangaroa was an ancestor—the fishes of the ocean are from him. Pongo was an ances tor and the parent or guardian of the foods cultivated by man. In the time of those gods war commenced in the world. Tane fought Tangaroa, a net was his weapon, and the multitudes of Tangaroa (fish) which were cast ashore were consumed by the progeny of Tane (birds). And the multitudes of Tane destroyed by Tangaroa were consumed by the murmuring thousands of insects. And Kongo besought that he might obtain the direction of the Great [unclear: B] ginning, but Tu would not [unclear: com] Full long they strove, and this is [unclear: t] saving of Tu:—

'Koia moenga kura, koia moenga [unclear: t] Rongo alone of those beings did no [unclear: s] If Rongo had obtained the ruling [unclear: s] the world, all generations of [unclear: n] would have been peaceful tillers [unclear: s] soil, all nations would have lived [unclear: g] one man and the only labour [unclear: perfor] that of cultivation : War would [unclear: m] have existed in this world. [unclear: F] Rongo comes the peace which [unclear: s] nations possess. From Tane [unclear: e] Tangaroa and Tu come the wars [unclear: a] evils of the world.

After the time of Tane-nui-a-[unclear: ru] and [unclear: Bangaroa,] and Tu and [unclear: Re] and Tawhirimatea, there came wars of their progeny, of [unclear: Tangot] and Tini-whetu (the [unclear: multit] stars) and during those wars [unclear: r] that progeny scattered far and [unclear: w] as also the scales of Takero, [unclear: which] the shooting stars, and the [unclear: clus] myriads seen on Mangaroa (the [unclear: M] Way).

After this came the dissension Maui-[unclear: ukitiki]-o-Taranga and his [unclear: e] brothers—Maui-Mua, Maui-[unclear: t] Maur-pae and Maui-roto. Maui-[unclear: t] tiki-o-Taranga whose other nana [unclear: s] Maui-potiki. sprang from a [unclear: dr] blood (menses) drepped by his [unclear: m] Taranga who wrapped it in her [unclear: b] band and cast it into the waters. [unclear: d] from that small matter grew [unclear: M] potiki, whose father was [unclear: Tanga] te-rupetu. And as Taranga sat [unclear: by] door of her house she [unclear: counted] children—one, two, three, [unclear: four,] "The fifth is not mine," cried [unclear: Tar] but she had forgotten all a! out [unclear: the] ing the whakatake into the [unclear: wa]

This was the first time that [unclear: Mani] menced to deceive and cause [unclear: tr] He it was who deceived [unclear: Pani-t] and Mahuika, and Tuna, but [unclear: where] attempted to deceive Hine-nui-[unclear: te] page 19 then indeed he met his fate. After [unclear: that] time came the wars in which [unclear: Tuiuru] was killed by Makaue. Then the wars of Tinirau, Tutunui, [unclear: Ruatapu,] Uenuku, Hou, and many more. But let us cease these tales [unclear: r] for they are very long.

Wars of Our Ancestors (Ngati-Awa.)

One of the great labors of our ancestors the destruction of taniwha. Tu-te-maunga-roa was a huge dragon [unclear: st] lived on the trail to Taupo and [unclear: ties] of men travelling in that direc-[unclear: n] were destroyed by it. Then Te [unclear: ru]-waewae, an ancestor of mine, [unclear: ter] to that district and slew the [unclear: ter] that had destroyed so many of the descendants of Tuwharetoa, Mawake-hore gave his daughter [unclear: Maunga]-kohu as a wife for Te Uru-[unclear: wae]—and this is my descent from them:—

Te Uru-waewae—Te Maunga[unclear: ru:] Te Pik-tu-o-Rehua, Te Uru-a Patu-pakohu, Kai-[unclear: whakapae.] Pori-o-to rangi. Putu-pakeke, Ta-[unclear: ka] and Tumutara Pio. (Born [unclear: nt]1814).

Ruai-moko-roa was another tani-that was destroyed by the [unclear: sons] Tuwharctoa, and the cave [unclear: where] dread creature was killed may [unclear: will] be seen by man. This great [unclear: feat] accomplished as an act of bravado account of the evil words of [unclear: Rangi] and Tangaroa towards Taupo-nui-[unclear: This]. Their evil act was the cause [unclear: Ioopo] being acquired by Tuwhare [unclear: ple] For Taupo belonged to another [unclear: ple] to Ngati-kurapoto and Ngati-[unclear: tu] a nomadic people they were, [unclear: d] not like the Marangaranga who a [unclear: re] a people long resident in the [unclear: ed] and the chiefs were Te [unclear: Ngarara-] and Te Rakau-pango. [unclear: se] ancient tribes covered the whole [unclear: d].

There was another tribe who were [unclear: ked] by the sons of Tuwharetoa, [unclear: ribe] which came to attack Tu-tewero but was defeated by the son of Maruka and the survivors fled. Then the sons of Tuwharetoa returned covered with glory. And Mawake here and the sons of Tuwharetoa at tacked the Ngati-Tuoi at their place, Te Ana-ruru, and defeated them Then cried the Ngati-Tuoi:—"A-ha-ha! Riri noa, patu noa. Why do these tribes from afar come hare to destroy us? Why do ye slay the Ngai-Tuoi?' And we still remember this saying of the Tuoi: "Riri noa, patu noa." That tribe, or the remnant thereof, became mixed with our ancestors, but their story has been preserved and disclosed in your pakeha Land Courts, as also that of Te Marangaranga. But I do not believe that the Marangaranga were a people given to war and fighting, still I have no great knowledge of the ancient people of the land—e kore au e aro ki tena. If it were a matter of tracing the history of our Hawaikian ancestors, then indeed would it be clear to me. There was no cause (take) For a war between Ngati-Tuoi and Te Marangaranga. If they fought, why do we not know the take of the war? It was not so. The abiding word of Ngati-Tuoi and Te Kawerau and To Rarauhe-maemae—a single expression was theirs—"A ha ha! riri noa, patu noa." There is no take for war in such words.

Friend ! There is one kind of pakeha dog that has the knowledge of sheep, but if a common or evil dog goes among those sheep, they do not resist him—even so was it with the Tuoi and the multitude of ancient people of this land.

Burial.

Karakia were used when carrying the dead to the caves where they were laid. The entrances to these caves were closed with slabs of stone so that no man might find them. It is only the tohunga who recites the incantation as he goes along. This is page 20 the karakia^*:—

"He kimihanga, he rangahautanga
Ka kimi ki hea ? Ka kimi ki uta
Ka kimi ki hea ? Ka kimi ki tai
Ka kimi ki te po
Ka waere ma Kere-ta, ka waere ma kere-ti
Ka kitea mai te hau o te tipua
Te hau o te tawhito mai te rangi tu
Kei te kahui mate i te po
Kei te kahui ora i te ao nei
Tena ka kitea koe ki tua
Ka kitea koe ki te wai ao
Ki te ao niarama."

Death.—The Maori Hades.

This relates to death and the final ahode of the spirit of man. The spirit of the dead travels far away to the north until it arrives at the 'Spirit's Leaping Place,' at the summit of the great cliff, and there the spirit halts and laments, wailing for the World of Light left behind and lacerating it self sorely, for on the summit of that dread cliff there lies a heap of mata^† for the use of passing souls. And having bewailed the Joss of this world the spirit descends the cliff by the vine that hangs down from the summit. And then the spirit moves onward and stands upon the rock which stands at the entrance to the Reinga, the Hades of the Maori people. And from the entrance to the lower world there comes a wailing sound. Then the waters are exhaled from below and recede, the great masses of seaweed are swirled aside, and the way is open, and the spirit, passing onwards, stands in the other world. And in that world a great light appears, and there is no darkness, it is even like unto the Ao-Marama.^‡ And the spirit, passing on comes to a certaiu wall and it spirit should pass over the w will return to this world, but s it enter beneath that wall, then [unclear: d] gone from this world fur [unclear: ever.] proceeding onwards, the [unclear: spirit] counters those who have [unclear: gone] him—the ancestors and parents [unclear: of] people of this world. A long [unclear: w] greeting is exchanged, and [unclear: s] food be offered to the newly [unclear: an] spirit and eaten by it, then is it [unclear: l] doomed to remain in the [unclear: Reinga] all time.

There are ten different [unclear: hearm] worlds iu the Reiuga, from the world to the tenth world or [unclear: herd] the final resting place of [unclear: spirits]

The Dead return to Mother [unclear: R]

This is the decree [unclear: referring] highborn descendants of [unclear: Tik] the death of the sons of Rangi heavens) and Papa (the [unclear: earth] said : Let our offspring re-[unclear: en] that is, let them be gods like [unclear: w] preme, having power over [unclear: that] ments But Papa said :No [unclear: the] is past for that; their [unclear: rehellio] us, their parents, has [unclear: alteted] nature; rather leave then [unclear: to] them return within me. As [unclear: I] bring them forth to the light [unclear: u] so shall they return within [unclear: m] there remain. My care shail company of the dead. They [unclear: s] ter my bosom and be as a host [unclear: a] dead in themselves. They are [unclear: a] but they are still my offspring [unclear: f] shall know death—not like [unclear: vo] () Rargi, live for ever.

The Story of Te Kura-I-[unclear: mom] Tama-i-waho.

An Old-time Legend of the [unclear: Al] People. (Ngati-Awa.)

The story of old, of [unclear: ancient] of our ancestors. It is [unclear: this] wife of Toi-he-tua-tabi was [unclear: f] i-monoa and their children [unclear: w] ru, Awa-nui-a-rangi and [unclear: Te] page 21 [unclear: kaata.] The wife of Toi was visited [unclear: an] a who descended from heaven [unclear: hose]name was kama-i-waho, [unclear: some]tribes call him Puhao. The sleeping-place of Toi was [unclear: e] door of the house and was [unclear: a] screen, as was the custom [unclear: iefs,] and his wife's place was [unclear: further] end of the house. In [unclear: lie] of the night Tama-i-waho and Te Kura-i-wnonoa mistook [unclear: r] her husband. This occurred [unclear: times] and one day Te Kura [unclear: Toi:] Is it you who comes into [unclear: ie] at night? And Toi said: I [unclear: t] entered your house. Then [unclear: a] "Kura-i-monoa: I am with [unclear: y]a man who comes in the [unclear: hen] I am overcome with sleep, [unclear: old]! a strange light is cast [unclear: y]bed, and a great fragrance [unclear: ed] from that strange person. [unclear: l] am with child, and I desire [unclear: y]crevice in my house shall [unclear: ully] closed, even the smallest [unclear: So]Toi closed up all the [unclear: ore-]the house of his wife and at [unclear: ht] he entered therein. And he the whole house illuminated [unclear: strange] glow, a singular [unclear: radi-]And he saw Tama-i-[unclear: waho]the house, and TeKtira-i-[unclear: was]startled so much that her [unclear: s] born, the child of Tama-i-[unclear: he]child whom men call Oho-[unclear: i].This child is one of the of the people of this land, [unclear: m] the, Western sca to the the Rising Sun.

The Hue Maori.

The vegetable eaten by the Maori [unclear: elden] days was the hue (gourd), [unclear: hue] was not brought from [unclear: Hawaki] it belonged to this land, to Toi. [unclear: An] obtained it from hie ancestor, [unclear: as] Putehue. When the warmth of [unclear: mer] began to be felt, the labour [unclear: planting] the hue began. It was [unclear: ted] on the fifteenth and sixteenth [unclear: of] the moon (kia Turu, kia Ra-kau-nui). That was the way in which the hue was made to grow in the olden time and here is the karakia:—

Pute-hue, kia tuputupu nui koe
Ka porotaka i nga ringaringa
Karakia kia ahuahu nunui koe.

The name of this hue was Putehue, and of this kind was the oko of Toi-tehua-tahi into which the kao of Hoaki and Taukata was put, the name of which oko was Tirana. This hue was not from Hawaiki.

The whakatauki of Putehue is:-Kongakakano o rotoia au hei utu waimoakumokopuna. Kotetehi o ngakakano he tane, tena e koreiawhaiuri. (The seeds within me shall become vessels to contain water for my descendants. One of those seeds is a male, but that shall not bear fruit).

How Oil and Ochre were obtained.

This is how we obtained oil for foasts and the kokowaiwherowhero in former times.

We obtained our fish oil in this manner-wo hung a puku-mango up to a tree for a long time until the liver within it became decomposed. The puku was tied with flax in such a manner as allowed the oil to run into a calabash placed beneath it.

Another oil was obtained from the titoki berries and yet another from the kohia (a climbing plant). The titoki berries were bruised and placed in a wooden vessel carefully made and called a kopa whaka whiri titoki. They were then boiled by means of hot stones being placed in the water. The whole was then stirred and the oil allowed to run out of one end of the kopa. Some sweet-scented piri-piri or raukawa was then obtained and used to make the oil fragrant. If leaves of the heketara and kopuru and certain herbs were used for this purpose, they were bruised and their odour was then quite powerful and could be detected afar off.

Kokowai.—This was collected in certain streams and made into cakes or balls which were placed on a large fire and baked. Those that became well baked were termed whatu-maoa and those that did not turn out well were called tukurua. The poipoi kokowai were then collected in fine baskets and considered a great treasure by the Maori. Should a man desire a kete horu (basket of ochre) he would give a tiki pounamu (greenstone neck ornamont) or a whakakai pounamu piko, or a paepaeroa, or a kahu waero for it—such were the possessions of chiefs in the days of old. At feasts and great meetings a little of the ochre would be taken in the hand and mixed with oil and then smeared on the body until no spot was left untouched. It was like unto the red paint of the white man. A basket of horu was indeed a treasure to the Maori of Aotearoa. But such things are no longer seen, for the old customs are forsaken for the new ones, the old traditions and history are cast aside, and I alone am left to speak of them.

Te Iho o Kataka.

A Relic of the Phallic Cult among the Urewera Tribe. (From Tuhoe.)

Ira-kewa came from afar, from Hawaiki, before the arrival of Mataatua. He crossed the Great Ocean of Kiwa on the back of a water demon and landed in Aotearoa. When Kataka the daughter of Tane-atua, was born. Ira-kewa took the 'iho' (umbilical cord) of the child when it was severed and hung it on a hinau tree which stood at Te Koturu, at Ruatahuna. Ira-kewa was an atua (god—deified ancestor) and held strange powers.

Tane-atua came from Hawaiki in the Mataatua and landed at Whakatane. He took Hine-ahu-one of Te Tini-o Toi, and had Kataka and Paewhiti and Kanihi and Ohora. He fravelled up the Whakatane river and left his dog at TePurenga. [unclear: Th] remains there as a tupua ([unclear: demos] lives in a lake at that place. [unclear: An] dog-demon howls at night, [unclear: every] of the year, but should anyone [unclear: se] the demon hides itself in [unclear: the] Friend! Do not let us talk of things, lest evil befall as.

So Tane-atua arrived [unclear: at] where he left Pahou another [unclear: of]dogs. Then Tane turned to the [unclear: m] and reached Ohau-terangi[unclear: whe] remained. He ascended to Te[unclear: Ke] and saw there a fine binau[unclear: tree]ing weary he sat him down [unclear: b] the tree, and stretched forth [unclear: hi] to pluck the fruit thereof, for [unclear: b] hungered. The strange [unclear: thing] happened in those ancient [unclear: timed] the fruit he was about to [unclear: ph] gently-"Kauaahau e [unclear: kaing]mea koteihoahau o [unclear: Kataks] not eat me, for I am the iho taka.) SoTane-atua did [unclear: not] the fruit of that tree for it [unclear: was] 'iho' of his daughter [unclear: Katake] sacred. But he thrust the [unclear: ik] his other child into the base[unclear: of]hinau and uttered this [unclear: incau]

Ka whakairibia ahau
Ka whakato tamariki ahau.

That was how the sacred [unclear: his]Ruatahuna became [unclear: possesed] strange power of causing [unclear: cn]bo born into the world. And [unclear: h] ever been known to us and [unclear: on] fathers as To Iho-o-Kataka.

And from that time forth [unclear: these] of ail our children has been [unclear: ca]wrapped in raukawa or autepended on le lho-o-Kata customstill continues.

And the that-tane (male si that hinau is that which [unclear: f]rising sun. And the [unclear: tahs] (female side) is that towards [unclear: t] ting sun.

And when a woman of[unclear: our] knows that she is a pukupa[unclear: (b] she goes to the Ibo-o-[unclear: kataks] embracing the hinau she may [unclear: have] page 23 with child, and that child may be of [unclear: eiber]sex, according to whether she [unclear: f] braces the taha-tane or taha-wahine.

Te Hunahuna-a-Po.

Another Remnant of Phallic Worship.(From Ngati-Manawa.)

The Hunahuna-a-Po is a hinau tree [unclear: which] at the Horomanga creek, [unclear: ad] one side of that tree is green and [unclear: said] is dry. And if a barren [unclear: wo] should visit that tree in order [unclear: at] she may bear a child, she closes [unclear: er]while yet afar off, and is very [unclear: beautiful how] she approaches the sacred [unclear: a] (kiakaua e haeremaorinoaiho) [unclear: s] myinformant puts it. So the wo-[unclear: an]gnesto embrace the tree. For a [unclear: g] time she clasps the trunk of the [unclear: e] and then turns from it with her [unclear: s] still closed and goes away, sothat [unclear: e] may not see which side of the tree [unclear: s] has embraced. It is another per-[unclear: n] who notes the arrival of the wo-[unclear: an] at the tree It is not unknown [unclear: the] the tohunga as to which side of the [unclear: is]embraced by the woman [unclear: Should] woman e.n brace theliving [unclear: s] of the tree she will bear a child, but [unclear: he] clasps the dead side then no [unclear: d] come to gladden her. At [unclear: tea]there is a man named Te[unclear: Ai]te-hinau who was born through [unclear: influence]ence of that hinau. Te [unclear: Hun?]-[unclear: a]-a-Po And children and grand [unclear: child] have been born to him.

Te Hunahuna-a-Po

(Ngati-Apa version.)

The hinau is divided at some dis-[unclear: ce]the ground and the branch [unclear: ards] the rising sun is the peka[unclear: ae] (male branch) and that to the [unclear: ing] sun is ihepeka-wahine, (fe-[unclear: ale] (finch). The husband goes [unclear: th] his wife to the tree and breaks [unclear: ing] or [unclear: piece] of bark from the peka[unclear: e] or peka-wahine, according to [unclear: hether]a son or daughter is desired. [unclear: u] result of this, so says the Ngati-Apa, is always satisfactory.

The cult of the Phallic symbol has never, I think, been traced to New Zealand, but the foregoing items will serve to prove that most ancient form of worship to have been introduced here at some remote period, either by the ancestors of the present race of natives some twenty generations ago, or by their predecessors in the days of Tiwakawaka or Maki, or Toi. There is no doubt that phallic worship was one of the earliest forms of religion practised by primitive man and even now it retains a strong hold among more than one cultured nation of the East. The traces of it are even yet noted in Western Europe, and it has probably been carried from the Asiatic fatherland by the ancestors of the Maori, far and wide over the great ocean during many centuries of wandering, and finally expires a To Iho o Kataka of the Urewera and Te Hunr huna-a-Po of the descendants of Apa of old.