The History and Doings of the Maor's, from the year 1820 to the signing of the treaty of Waitangi in 1840

Introduction

. The Maoris as a nation, although religiously particular in handing down to posterity the genealogy of their ancestors, tracing their descent from the very canoe they arrived in, yet had little or no idea of time, one day being the same as another, — no day of rest, no Sabbath, no recollection of dates, no knowledge of their age. A curious instance of this occurred some years ago. I was in an auction room in Wanganui, where the old and venerable chief Pehi was sitting. He had isolated himself for years, as he could not brook the annoyance he ex perienced at seeing his country peopled by another race. Few had ever seen him, although he was the most powerful chief of Upper Wanganui. What had induced him at last to come out of his shell no one ever knew. But he had come down the river that day perhaps to judge for himself whether there was any probability of his yet being able to drive the pakeha into the sea.

Be it as it may, there he sat, Maori fashion, on his haunches, covered up in his mat and blankets ; and his venerable and commanding appearance so struck me that I asked a Maori who stood near him what age Pehi was. The Maori looked at the old warrior, and suddenly replied, " Two hundred." " What nonsense !" I said. " What age do you take me for?" He glanced at me up and down for a minute, and said, " One hundred." I consequently gathered that Pehi was twice my age. There was a calm nobility about the old chief, seldom seen amongst Maoris, which would have been instantly acknowledged at Home had he gone to England. Pehi's real age must have been nearly ninety. He had lived in the early time3 when the Maori race, prior to the introduction of Christianity into New Zealand, was of so lawless and turbulent a character that no tribe was safe from the depredations of his neighbour, although living on supposed terms of friendship.

For so great was their love of war, their greed of country, and their intense jealousy of each other's Mana (power), that their whole lives were spent in circumventing or destroy ing the tribe who had either accumulated land, or increased in number. The Maori of the period I am now writing of must have existed in constant dread of either losing his life or liberty, or of being despoiled of his territory, his wives, and children ; for, if not killed in battle, he and they probably became slaves, and were used by the conquering party for the most degrading purposes. However careful a tribe may have been not willingly to give offence they were always subject to the lawless acts of any individual member,

INTRODUCTION.

. as his deeds would be visited on the whole, no explanation being either asked or received, as will be seen on perusal of the many instances I relate, where a tribe living in fancied security have suddenly found themselves surrounded by an implacable enemy, and called upon to defend their lives and property, consequent on the act of an individual who, falling out with some of his own people, had in revenge slaughtered a man of a more powerful tribe, for the mere purpose of bringing down vengeance on his own hapu, and who were oftentimes nearly destroyed for an offence they as a body had nothing to do with, and, in some instances, perfectly ignorant of the crime having been committed. There is an old saying among us " That's all fair in love and war." Whether the Maori adopts the former I cannot say, but evidently he does the latter, as the following incident will show : — A merchant in the City of Auckland had employed a Maori as storeman for sometime prior to the war breaking out, and being an active and steady servant, nothing occurred to mar the good feeling existing between master and man.

But Tamati's tribe having joined the malcontents, Tamati himself disappeared one morning without any previous warning, to join in the general melee. After the war was over, the merchant who had taken an active part in putting down the rebellion, chanced to meet his old servant while walking down Queen-street, and the following colloquy took place :—'• Hullo Tomati, where have you been; have you been fighting against us ?" " Yes," he answered, excitingly, while vigorously shaking his master's hand. "I saw you at Rangiriri, and tried all I could to shoot you. I had stolen up behind a flax bush within fifty yards of you, and twice I pulled the trigger, but my gun (no good) would not go off, and you walked away." He evidently had no ill feeling against his master, quite the contrary, but thought it right not to spare even him, in actual warfare, although he had received nothing but the greatest kindness from him.

This state of things Christianity not only softened, but soon put a stop to, by teaching them to hold each one answerable for his own actions, a doctrine the Maori readily embraced ; and although they have accused the Anglo-Saxon race of introducing amongst them many things which, when abused, became hurtful to them as individuals, let it also be remembered that they brought with them the blessings of peace and protection to life and property, a blessing which as a nation they had hitherto been perfect strangers to. In corroboration of which the facts narrated in these pages will, I think, bear testimony. January, 1885. T. W. G. CONTENTS PAGE, Introduction.. 5 The Aborigines of New Zealand 9 Migration of the Maori Race 13 Traditions of the Maoris ... ... 16 Maori Superstitions .. 19 Noted Toas, or Great Maori Fighting Men ... 22 Makutu (Witchcraft) 25 Causes of War ... 28 The Tapu, and Warlike Character of the Maoris .. 31 Maori Mode of Warfare 33 Former Inhabitants of the Auckland Peninsula 36 A Fragment of Early Days of New Zealand, in manuscript .. 40 Destruction of Ngatiwhare ... ... ... ... ... ... 48 Raids of Ngapuhi under Hongi ... ... ... 50 Raids of Waikato under Wherowhero 57 Raids of Ngatiawa under Rauparaha ... ... 60 Te Wherowhero's Attack on Pukerangiora . ... ... ... 63 Defence of Te Namo by Taranaki and Wi Kingi .. ... ... 66 Fight at Moturoa 73 Attack of Tangahoe and Ngaruahine by Waharoa 7S The Last of the Old Tribal Fights .. SI The Chief Te Waharoa 84 Maori Customs and Superstitions

Chapter I. The Aborigines Of New Zealand

The Maoris say that a chief named Turi was the first of their race who landed in New Zealand ; that he came from Hawaike, an island in the Pacific, in a canoe named Aotea, and he it was who gave the names to the rivers and mountains in this part of the country ; that he landed in a bay situate between Taranaki and Wanganui, named the . Vitikau ; that soon after another or second canoe, named Tokomaru, arrived from the same island, commanded by a chief named Manaia, who had to fly his country on account of a murder he had committed ; that they found New Zealand inhabited by a very unwarlike race called Morioris, whom they easily subdued, and took possession of the islands. In all the great migrations of races of which history informs us, the advancing race has had to fight its way against those already in possession of the land, whom we in our ignorance call aborigines, but who were probably only invaders of a region inhabited before their arrival.

Of the movements of the first explorers we know literally nothing. As who, for instance, was the great leader who pushed out into what must then have seemed an infinite ocean, and planted the Maori race in New Zealand, and whence did he come . The vast continent of America, with its peculiar types of mankind, how was it reached and settled ? By way of a connection with Asia or by way of the sunken continent of the Atlantic ? The groups of islands in the vast Pacific, scattered widely and loosely over that boundless waste of waters, whence do they derive the human inhabitants whom we found settled there when our seamen made what we call voyages of dis covery . Is it not in reality re-discovery of which history tells B us, as the beginnings are inevitably lost in the deep darkness of the illimitable past .

Be it as it may, it would appear that some four hundred years ago a considerable number of savages or barbarians did find their way from the islands of Polynesia to the shores of New Zealand ; that they arrived in canoes, the occu pants of each canoe forming a numerous family with a common name and ancestry ; that on reaching these shores they took pos session of the soil in the immediate vicinity of their landing, driving the original inhabitants (the Morioris) into the interior of the island. Each tribe or canoe was independent of and often hostile towards each other, consequently the original tenure of land was simply occupation, and could only be maintained by a tribe so long as they were strong enough to prevent another tribe from depriving them of it. Therefore the right of occu pation was always liable to be superseded by force, and acquisi tion of territory by conquest was recognised by all the tribes as right.

Consequently, in speaking of the right of any one individual tribe to land, it simply meant their power of holding possession. Chieftainship is merely a prestige accorded by a tribe to individuals, which gave its possessors an influence or control in proportion to the chicanery, gift of oratory, or respect they could command. There never was a general government or general intertribal polity among the Maori race. They had no common head, no common tribunal, no common interest. Such was the state of affairs in New Zealand when Her Majesty took possession of these islands. The intertribal wars had so decimated their numbers that they were glad to cede the sovereignty to a power which could protect their imme diate rights. Thus Article 1 of the Treaty of Waitangi says, — " That the chiefs of the tribes of New Zealand cede to Her Majesty the Queen of England, absolute and without reservation, all the rights and powers of sovereignty which they possess, or may be supposed to exercise or possess over their respective territories, as the sole sovereign thereof."

Article 2 says, — THE ABORIGINES OF NEW ZEALAND. 11 " That Her Majesty the Queen of England guarantees to the chiefs and tribes of New Zealand, and the respective families and individuals thereof, the full, exclusive, and undis turbed possession of their lands or properties so long as it is their will or desire to retain the same." Article 3 goes on to say, — " That in consideration thereof, Her Majesty the Queen of England extends to the Natives of New Zealand her Royal protection, and imparts to them all the rights and privileges of British subjects." Now, by the first Article it is certain the chiefs gave up such sovereign right as they did or were supposed to possess, otherwise they ceded nothing. Consequently any Maori here after assuming the title of King is a rebel against his lawful sovereign, as are all those who support him in his presumption.

Article 2 clearly contemplates the possession of lands by chiefs as chiefs, by tribes as tribes, by families as families, and by individuals as individuals, and such possession it guarantees and confirms. Article 3 is an express recognition of what was implied, by the acceptance on the part of the Crown of the ceded sove reignty, the benefits of which were to the Natives, viz. : — First. The general rights of British subjects ; Secondly. An express British title to the possession of the land as long as they chose to hold it. These Articles were accepted in the following words, — " Now, therefore, we, the chiefs of the confederation of the united tribes of New Zealand, being assembled in congress at Victoria, Waitangi, and we, the separate and independent chiefs of New Zealand claiming authority over the tribes and territories which are specified after our respective names, having been made fully to understand the provisions of the foregoing treaty, accept and enter into the same in the full meaning thereof.

In witness whereof we have attached our signatures or marks at the places and dates respectively specified. "Done at Waitangi, 6th February, 1840." The Maoris being a very intelligent race were soon enabled to exercise their rights as British subjects, as also to acquire a knowledge of the value of their waste lands, which they began to dispose of. At first the more regular sales were effected by their chiefs, who claimed a high commission on the proceeds of any given sale. After a time each individual Maori did his own business, the Government giving a Crown grant to the pur chaser after a due and satisfactory examination of the trans action.

Chapter II. Migrations Of The Maori Race

Maori tradition in mentioning Hawaike as the place from which they emigrated, further indicates that many other migra tions took place, from other and further off Hawaikes, and it is very possible that such may have been the case, inasmuch as all the Polynesian Islands, from Easter Island, and Hawaii, in the east, to far Ponape, in the west, name Hawaike as the place from which their remote ancestors sailed ; and thus the name of their much loved ancestral home has teen preserved, in almost all the islands of the Pacific, whether in the form of Hawaii, Savii, Habau or Hapai, according to the dialects spoken. Chapters have been written by able men to prove that the stalwart Polynesian is a descendant of the morose and diminu tive Malay of Sumatra, forgetting that the Polynesian may be found living on a few islands of the Eastern Archipelago with the Malay, but distinctly apart, as a race.

Polynesians also still occupy a large portion of New Guinea and Papua (or the Land of Birds), which is known by tradition to the old Tohu ngas of the South Pacific as one of the islands at which in their migrations they generally sojourned for a time, and from which they again sailed, ever in search of new lands, until, after centuries of sea-roving, they reached the ultima Thule of the Maori race — New Zealand. On the other hand, quite as many writers have proven to their own satisfaction that the Maori is a descendant of the lost Toltic tribe of Central America, a theory depending chiefly on a certain resemblance between the Teocallis of Palenque, Copan, and Uxmal, and those of Polynesia ; and, above all, the fact that on Easter Island, the land nearest America, may be found gigantic stone idols, or memorial statues, some of which are twenty-seven feet high, and which appear to be not altogether unlike the more finished idols of Central America.

This, however, may be a mere coincidence, as the American language is totally unlike that of the Polynesian, and the people still more so. That the Marae of the Pacific should resemble the Teocallis of the Mexican is probably due to a similarity of religion, as a certain vague resemblance does exist at Tongatapu and the other westerly islands, as, for instance, structures almost identical with the Teocallis are to be found at Samoa, while remains of a like nature occur at Opolu, such as Druidical circles, built of black basalt, the stones at least twelve feet high ; and in the Marian Group, in the far west of Polynesia, gigantic remains of hewn stone may be seen. But it is at Ulan that these works of antiquity attain their greatest perfection ; for here we have quadrangular enclosures over one hundred feet square, the walls from twenty to thirty feet high, built of hewn basalt, beautifully finished.

Thus we find that the architectural character of the ancient and cyclopean remains of the South Seas does, in many cases, closely resemble the more perfect and elaborate structures of America, for the Teocalli of Pachacama, in Peru, is a duplicate of that at Mikuhiva, in the Marquesas ; but the overwhelming evidence of language and race prevent our accepting the theory that the two races were identical, or even remotely connected. Equally may we dismiss the idea that the gigantic Polynesian, tallest of all the races of men, could by any possible means have descended from the morose and diminutive Malay. It would seem rather more probable that they were a people peculiar to the Eastern Archipelago, who had at one time occupied Java and Sumatra, and who, driven out by the conquering Malay, emigrated in different directions, the majority sailing eastward and occupying portions of New Guinea, whilst others sailed westward, reaching Madagascar.

If this hypothesis is untenable, then we must accept that of Judge Fernandez, who asserts that the Polynesian is a branch of the great Indo-European family, who, by successive migrations, have found their way from, or even beyond, India, through the Eastern Archipelago, leaving small colonies along their route, by which they may, to a certain MIGRATIONS OF THE MAORI RACE. 15 extent, be traced even at the present day. Many reasons may be found for these continual migrations of the Polynesians, such as over-population, but the chief reason was undoubtedly war. Mr. Gill, in his excellent work on " Savage Life in Polynesia," gives us undoubted proof of this in one of his traditions of Mangaia, in which it is related that some 250 years ago the sacred tribe of Ngariki, having quelled a rebellion of the Tonga tribes, ordered two chiefs named Te Karaka and Tanai, with their adherents, to leave the island ; that two double canoes were made seaworthy and laden with provisions, and the party put to sea in search of new lands.

Nothing definite has ever been heard of them, but they are supposed, not without reason, to have reached New Zealand, for many of the names common in Mangaia are to be found here, such as Mongonui, Waitotara, Waikato. The same writer also mentions that some fifty years after this migration the Tonga tribe again rebelled, and the chiefs Iro and Tuawera of that tribe, together with their followers, were expelled, and succeeded in reaching Rarotonga, where their descendants were found living some 150 years after by members of the same tribe from Mangaia. There is also another way by which the colonisation of these islands may have been aided, viz., by castaways ; and of this we have many instances on record, some of which have occurred in our own days, and others are recorded by tradition. The inhabitants of the Ellice Group have a tradition that they were wanderers from Samoa, 600 miles distant, and Mr. Rankin, in his paper on Mahori migrations, gives many interesting details of this event.

Capt. Beechy found a canoe, containing 26 men, 15 women, and 10 children, who had sailed from Chain Island for Tahiti, and who had been blown 600 miles east of their starting point. Kolzebue found an errant canoe 1,500 miles from the point from which it had started ; and Capt. Cook relates that at Tongatapu he found people who had drifted from Tahiti. Thus it is possible that some of the canoes mentioned in tradition may have reached New Zealand accidentally, after months of wandering. But most of the Maori traditions point specially to war as the cause of leaving Hawaike.

Chapter III. Traditions Of The Maoris

Tradition would lead us to believe that the old Maori Tohungas possessed knowledge which has never been transmitted to their descendants, particularly in the matter of astronomy, and there are some grounds for supposing that the p roper course for the return journey to Hawaike was not unknown or unpractised by them in olden times, for to the north of Auckland, on the East Coast, there is a small bay which is still spoken of as the starting point for Hawaike ; and within the memory of Maoris still living a small hapu did actually sail away for that island, but with what result is not known. Kupe is said to have been the first Maori who sighted New Zealand, having come in search of his wife, Kura Marotini, who had been carried off by his brother Hoturapa, while another tradition asserts that he had killed his brother and carried off his wife, and to escape the inevitable Polynesian vengeance had sailed with his slaves to find a land of refuge.

But Kupe could have done little more than sailed round the coast, as he makes no mention of inhabitants, who were found easily enough by the next visitors, but, returning to Hawaike, reported his discovery to his relations (who were as usual in a chronic state of war), giving them full sailing directions. For shortly after a famous chief named Turi, having had some relatives killed by a very strong tribe with whom he was unable to contend, fitted up his canoe Aotea, and having placed sufficient food on board for his small tribe, first murdered the son of his enemy, Henuka, and set sail for Aotearoa. Tradition further states that en route he touched at two small islands, named respectively Rongorupe and Rangitahuahua. It is also related that when in mid-ocean Turi's god (Rongomai) rose up out of the ocean and seized the TRADITIONS OF THE MAORIS. point of Tutangatakino's paddle, whereupon Turi cast a man named Tapo overboard to appease the spirit ; and as Tapo fell into the water, his god also rose and said, " When the bright star of the morning appears you and I will have reached the land."

This speech so alarmed Turi that he immediately drew Tapo on board again, and installed him in the office of high priest and prophet. At grey dawn, as prophesied, the headlands of Kawhia were plainly visible, showing, beyond all argument, that Tapo's god was a very truthful and strong god. Turi eventually landed in the Bay of Aotea, from whence he travelled down the coast to Patea, which place he selected as his head-quarters, his people remaining there, while Turi himself travelled on as far as the Wairarapa, naming all the rivers and points of interest along the coast, as narrated in a song still sung by his descendants. The site of Turi's first plantation (Heke heke i papa), his house (Matangirei), and of Kupe's sacred post, Rangitawhi, can still be pointed out by the Patea tribe. Even the stump is still green of the karaka tree planted by Turi, the tree itself having been destroyed by General Cameron's force in 1865.

The ancestors of the following tribes came in the canoe Aotea, viz., Taranaki, Ngatiruanui, Ngarauru, Wanganui, and Ngatiapa. This alone leaves little doubt that the Maoris brought with them the warlike character of their ancestors, and finding an aboriginal race in possession of the country, quickly exterminated or enslaved them, for tradition says that Turi and his people, finding the country occupied, slew the people. And again, in the tradition of Manaia, chief of the Tokomaru canoe, and of the ancestors of the present Atiawa tribe, it is stated that at Waitara he found the people of the country living, many of whom he killed, enslaving the remainder. We have also the authority of Mr. John White that many of the Waikato tribes claim to be descended from the ancient inhabitants of New Zealand, whom they call Ngatimokotorea ; and not only the Maoris, but nearly all the Polynesian migrations would appear to have had the same experience, for even the Samoan colonists of Nivi Island assert that their ancestors found a black race in possession, while the Caroline, Marian, and Pellew islanders show the Papuan taint so strongly as to be called Micronesians.

Perhaps the truest description of Maori character ever written was given by Lieutenant Thomson, in his work on New Zealand. He says :— " The New Zealanders have the minds of children and the passions of men. They respect ancient laws and customs, but are ready to embrace new opinions given out by men of authority. So constituted are their minds that it is impossible to decide how certain circumstances will affect them. Futurity is seldom looked into, although like all mankind they long for what is unknown and regret what is lost. Fondness for novelty is a passion, but it is almost impossible to excite their wonder. Vanity, arrogance, and independence are universal, but they are more vain than proud. In all their actions they are alive to their own interest, and in seeking this are not overburdened with conscientiousness.

A New Zealander could not brook in word or deed an insult when witnessed by others. Wounded vanity caused much strife and cruelty, and cannibal ism were occasionally produced by a love of notoriety. They value life, but die with indifference when death is inevitable. They have little benevolence towards others, long-absent friends are greeted with a profusion of tears, but as with children this grief is destitute of impression. Gratitude is unknown, and no word expressive of that feeling is found in their language. Theft is rare amongst them. Revenge is their strongest passion, and this feeling is kept alive for generations."

Chapter IV. Maori Superstitions

If Maori traditions may be relied on, the people of old New Zealand had many serious dangers and difficulties to contend against in the shape of supernatural monsters called Taniwhas, which civilisation appears to have nearly driven from the colony, for except in a few instances, and those in very out-of-the-way places, they have seemingly ceased to exist. No longer as of old do taniwhas of the Hotupuku and Pekehana type decimate whole districts, although among the ' wonders of Taupo, dark tales are still told of the ferocity of the reptile taniwha, Horo matangi,and the cunning of his attendant spirit, the man taniwha, Atiamuri. These two water demons confine their operations still to Lake Taupo, the house of Horomatangi being described as near to the centre of the lake,notfar from the small island of Motutaiko.

Rarely, even at the present day, will a canoe cross the lake in a direct line from Tapuaeharuru to Tokaanu, and wisely so, if the testimony of men still living can be believed, who, taking advantage of the presence in their canoe of a great tohunga, did actually make the attempt, but who received a lesson for their temerity the tribe of Tuwharetoa will never again forget. The account, as received from one of the adventurous band, shall be given as narrated by him : — " When we started the water was smooth and there was no wind, and we pulled swiftly towards Tokaanu ; but our hearts were troubled, and as we neared the place where the taniwha lived we quickened our pace, and looked neither to the right or left, nor did any man speak a word. Suddenly the canoe stopped, and then began to whirl round and round, and a large rock appeared above the water.

This we knew was Horomatangi, for taniwhas can take any shape they like. In another moment we should have been lost but for our tohunga, who, taking a hair from his head, and making a brief incantation over it, dropped it into the water. In a moment the rock disappeared and the water became quiet, which showed that our tohunga was stronger than the taniwha. But even then we went on our way in fear and trembling until we got into shallow water, when we again felt safe." Of late years, since the pakeha has taken to cross the lake at all hours and in all directions, the Maori also has crossed occasionally in a straight line from point to point, but never without a pakeha in the boat, for it has become a matter of creed amongst the Maoris that taniwhas have no control over the white man, and therefore Maoris in their company may take liberties they dare not when alone.

Atiamuri does not appear to be personally dangerous to the human race, his business being rather to decoy the unsuspecting traveller within the clutches of Horomatangi ; consequently he is especially to be feared in the dusk of the evening, when it is his habit to paddle about in a canoe and visit the different kaingas on the margin of the lake, approaching only sufficiently near for the outline of his canoe to be seen, and so deceive the people of the village, who, hearing the measured stroke of a paddle, would turn out to welcome their supposed visitors with loud "haere mais," while the ghostly vision, disappearing in the darkness, the astonished Maoris would hear nothing but the stroke of his paddle dying away in the distance. Then it is that the people of the village know that Atiamuri has been trying to decoy strangers to certain death.

Connected with these two taniwhas, in some mysterious manner, are the two stone dogs who live on the Karangahape Cliffs, 500 feet above Lake Taupo. These dogs are never seen at the present day, but may be heard barking on thick misty mornings, and if a man sufficiently daring could be found to go in search of them, he would probably only see two large stones deeply imbedded in the earth, which the uninitiated would look upon as other stones, but which the Maori learned in legendary lore would know at once to be either taniwhas or tipuas, and as firmly believes that any insult offered to these dogs would be MAORI SUPERSTITIONS. 21 quickly revenged by Horomatangi ; as, for instance, to point one's paddle at the cliff would be a dangerous insult, but to call the dogs by name, thus, " Moi, Moi," would be simply the act of a madman, unless the culprit took care never to trust himself on the lake.