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Ena, or, The Ancient Maori
New Books
New Books
"I. L. News". 20.6.1874
The Maori race of New Zealand, after giving much trouble to the Pakeha or European colonists, now become the subject of poetical and romantic literary fictions, like the Red Indians of North America in the novels of Fenimore Cooper, or the Scottish Highlanders of a past age, transfigured by the genius of Sir Walter Scott. Mr. Alfred Domett's narrative poem, Ranolf and Amohia, which was approved by critics as a graceful and original composition, has been succeeded by two elegantly written prose tales, illustrative of the character, the manners, and custom of that energetic and intelligent Australasian people. Ena; or, the Ancient Maori (Smith, Elder, and Co.) is by Mr. George Wilson, who has long resided, we presume as official superintendent, at the native reserve of Te Aro, near Wellington. He is evidently well acquainted with the local scenery, and seems to have carefully studied the traditions and pre-colonial history of the tribes inhabiting that part of the north island, along the shore of Cook's Strait, from Port Nicholson to Wanganui. The picturesque features of this coast, as well as those of the interior, around the volcanic region of Mounts Tongariro and Ruapehu and the shores of Lake Taupo, are very well described. Ena is a Maori Princess, the brave and beautiful daughter of Te Rangitukaroa, chieftain of the Mauopoko tribe, who have been driven from their old inland habitation to dwell at Wairauki, a fortified, village or pah on the cliffs of the sea-shore. Her brother, the heroic young chief Raukawa, becomes the champion and leader of his people in their last desperate struggle for existence against a combined invasion of their relentless foes, the Ngatiraukawa and the Waikato tribes. The besieged tenants of Wairauki are helped by their neighbours of the Kapiti isle, whose chief, named Te Koturu, is the affianced lover of Ena. They are guided and inspired to the actions of patriotic warfare by a tohunga, or priest and soothsayer, called Hahaki, who is also cunning in policy and in strategy, and one of the toughest old fighters in Maoria. The incidents of this siege, in our opinion, are quite as interesting, though perhaps not so well told, as those of the siege of Troy by the Greeks under King Agamemnon; but that is a matter of taste. The fighting is all done with spears and clubs, or with that peculiar weapon, the mere or greenstone mallet. There are no muskets, the time being previous to English colonial settlements or commercial dealings in New Zealand. One English or American girl, Mary Morven, who has bean rescued from shipwreck on that shore, lives with Ena and shares the cruel trials which the Maori heroine must endure. Upon the whole, we find "Ena" a very good story, clearly and vigorously set before us, with perfect consistency of plan, and in a tone of animated sympathy. The only fault that can offend the reader is the uniform smoothness and polished propriety of the style, which might be suitable for a tale of conventional society, but seems ill adapted to the present subject. The same criticism, indeed, would be equally applicable to other works of this class, which have been greatly admired.
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