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The Ancient History of the Maori, His Mythology and Traditions: Tai-Nui. [Vol. V]

Song of Hoki: A Reproof of those who Teach False History

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Song of Hoki: A Reproof of those who Teach False History.

The shame I feel and pain it brings
Is like the Power of active tribe,
And doth intensify the dread
Of evil news so loudly spoken from afar.
Oh! why should word be bought with word?
And why not now draw near?
And why—yes, why—oh! why, my heart,
So start and palpitate? For well I know
My home is where the nobly great
Reside, and loudly welcome all the warlike tribes
Of Horo-tiu to come and be our guests,
And deck them in their beauteous mats,
And sit with Tai-ha on his sacred seat,
And tell the haughty and contemptuous Tohe-roa,
That she must shift her seat, and stand aside
From noble seat, to space where evil sits
With witch and wizard brood, and where, my son,
Assembled groups do congregate, to go
On evil expedition full intent. But when the property
Is gathered in the house, such to exchange,
No passing thought recalls the doom of
Wai-ta-oro at entrance of O-koro Stream;
From which no profit came,
As was the case when Maui,
With his jesting act, fished up the land,
And pulled Long Hawa-iki far up on the shore
With Hika-te-pipiro, and led Rua-ea
On to the land, where all mankind should cease to live.
A barracouta was the fish that went
Beneath the keel of Tai-nui; but ‘tis
Not here, nor in this sea, the act took place,
But such was acted far across the sea,
Where Tama-te-kapua uttered his commands,
And ancestors were then like goblin-gods.
Yes, Nga-puhi is like those gods;
And Roto-rua, and Hau-raki,
And Kahu-ngunu, and Wai-kato,
And Tara-naki, all have goblin-gods.
And, O my son! what tribe is not godlike?
Though now ye “Block the cave of Pi-hanga,”
And “Open wide Whauga-nui-a-tara,”
And cease to “Seek the bonds that peace doth make,”
And hold—yes, “Hold secure the little kit of Haere,”
And “Roast the small green parrakeet,”
Or “Eat the small green parrakeet.”
But, O my son! why hidest thou thy god—
The god we call Tu-whakaparu-ate?
Come, hold him forth for eyes of man to see,
That fame of thy now having gods may yet
Be heard, and not in vain, far on the distant horizon.
page break My home shall now be sounded high in fame,
And spoken of as home where warriors live
And where the house of Hine-te-iwaiwa is,
And in the south of this great Papa-tu-a-nuku,
Where Tai-ariki, Ue-koko, and Henga
Are in the abode of Tatau-o-te-po,
Where dwell on that big mountain-ridge
My ancestors, who breathed the dire old wizard-craft
So spoken of by chattering lips of man.
But thou art not of offspring of Koro-kino
Who skims o'er distant earth to overtake old Hori,
Who holds the power of gods, the great canoes
Who evil brought on to this land, when came
A stranger race, with all their garment-property,
So envied by the children of Komako;
And by the black descendants of old Kai-hau,
Were seen displayed in omens from the gods,
And not by human eye oft seen;
Though dared, and felt at Ma-takitaki
And Hau-raki, and, like the battle in the south,
At Pa-hunga-toroa, which nipped the fame of Kuku-tai.
And then the stealing sons of robbers passed
O'er all the land. And Nga-ti-te-ata
Shall dance the song of war at Puke-tutu
And Nga-ti-pukenga; and Paoa too, shall
Listen to the coming troop of war of Nga-puhi;
And Tangi-te-ruru and Rau-roha
Shall meet and welcome him from far O-hi,
The noted Hongi-hika, and test the gods with
Sacred rites, to make them yield their power to man's dictates.