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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 74

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

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.