RELIGIOUS RITES OF THE MAORI.
Tantum Relligio potuit suadere.—_Lucretius_.
You ask me about the customs of _Maori_ men, and their origin, how men
came to learn them. This is the source whence men learnt them. Their
knowledge is not from modern times. Papa, Rangi, Tiki were the first to
give rules to men for work of all kinds, for killing, for man-eating,
for _karakia_. In former days the knowledge of the _Maori_ was great, in
all matters, from this teaching, and so men learnt how to set rules for
this thing and for that thing. Hence came the ceremony of _Pure_ for the
dead, the _karakia_ for the new-born infant, for grown men, for battle,
for storming a _Pa_, for eels, for birds, for _makutu_, and a multitude
of other _karakia_. Tiki was the source from which they came down to the
_tupua_, the _pukenga_, the _wananga_, and the _tauira_. The men of
antient days are a source of invocation for the _tauira_. Hence the
_karakia_ had its power, and came down from one generation to another
ever having power. Formerly their _karakia_ gave men power. From the
time when the _Rongo-pai_ (=Gospel) arrived here, and men were no longer
_tapu_, disease commenced. The man of former days was not afflicted by
disease. He died only when bent by age. He died when he came to the
natural end of life.
My writing to you begins with the _karakia_ for a mother when her
breasts give no milk. After a child is born, if the mother’s breasts
have no milk, her husband goes for the _tohunga_. When the _tohunga_
arrives the mother and child are carried to the water-side, and the
_tohunga_ dipping a handful of weed in the water, sprinkles it on the
mother. The child is taken away from the mother by the _tohunga_, who
then repeats this _karakia_:—
Water-springs from above give me,
To pour on the breast of this woman.
Dew of Heaven give me,
To cause to trickle the breast of this woman;
At the points of the breast of this woman;
Breasts flowing with milk,
Flowing to the points of the breast of this woman,
Milk in plenty yielding.
For now the infant cries and moans,
In the great night, in the long night.
Tu the benefactor,
Tu the giver,
Tu the bountiful,
Come to me, to this _tauira_.
After this the child is dipped in the water, and the mother and child
are kept apart. One whole night they are kept apart, in order that the
_karakia_ may take effect. The mother remains alone in her house, while
the _tohunga_ seated outside it repeats his _karakia_. The _tohunga_
also instructs the woman thus—“If the points of your breasts begin to
itch, lay open your clothes, and lie naked.” Some time after her breasts
begin to itch, and the woman knows that the _karakia_ is taking effect.
Afterwards her breasts become painful, and she calls out to the
_tohunga_ “my breasts itch and are painful, they are full of milk.” Then
the child is brought to the mother. See what power the _karakia_ of the
_Maori_ possessed.
This is a word, a thought of mine. There has not been any remarkable
sign of late years, from the time of the arrival of the Rongo-pai
(=Gospel), like the signs seen in this island when men were _tapu_, when
_karakia_ had power. One sign seen in this island was the Ra-kutia (=the
closed sun). At mid-day there was darkness, and the stars were seen.
After two hours perhaps of darkness, daylight returned. Our fathers saw
this sign: but there are now no signs like those of former days.
CEREMONY OF TUA.
When a male child is born to a Chief, all his tribe rejoice. The mother
is separated from the inhabitants of the settlement, to prevent her
coming in contact with persons engaged in cultivating the _kumara_, lest
anything belonging to the mother should be accidentally touched by them,
lest the _kumara_ should be affected by her state of _tapu_; for the
sacredness of any _rehu-wahine_ is greatly feared.
When the child is about a month old, and strives with its hands to reach
its mother’s breast, the ceremony of _Tūa_ takes place. Two fires are
kindled; one fire for the _Ariki_, one fire for the _Atua_. The food to
be cooked on the fire is fern-root. Then the _tohunga_ takes the child
in his arms, and repeats this _karakia_:—
Breathe quick thy lung,
A healthy lung.
Breathe strong thy lung,
A firm lung,
A brave lung.
Severing²⁸ for your bravery,
* * tilling food,
Severing for wielding the weapon,
* * warding off,
* * seizing the first man,
* * storming the _Pa_.
&c. &c.
&c. &c.
The boy infant is stept²⁹ over,
* * * * climbed²⁹ over,
* * * * lifted in the arms,
The boy infant is free from _tapu_,
He runs freely where food is cooked.
Cause this _karakia_ to flow gently,
To the _Pukenga_,
To the _Wananga_,
To the _Tauira_.
²⁸ The severing of umbilical cord is here referred to.
²⁹ The female _Ariki_ at these words steps over the child, and then
takes it in her arms.
When this _karakia_ ends the ceremony of _Poipoi_ (=waving) follows. The
_tohunga_ takes up the fern-root cooked for the _Atua_, and waving it
over the child repeats these words:—“This is for the _Tipua_, for the
_Pukenga_, for the _Wananga_. Eat it. It is the food cooked for you to
eat.” The cooked fern-root is then deposited on the sacred place.
Afterwards the child is taken in the arms of the female _Ariki_, who
waves over it the fern-root cooked on her fire, and touches with it
different parts of the child’s body. The _Ariki_ is said then to eat
this fern-root, but does not do so in fact. She only spits on it, and
throws it on the sacred place.
If there are several female _Ariki_ of the same family of whom one is
absent, a figure is made with weeds to represent her. Then part of the
fern-root is offered to the figure and is stuck in it. All these
ceremonies take place on sacred ground. The part of the ceremony—that of
touching the body of the child with the food to be eat by the _Ariki_—is
named _kai-katoa_. After this the child is free from _tapu_, so that
persons of the family may take it in their arms.
No further ceremony takes place till the child arrives at youth, when
his hair is cut, and the young person is released from _tapu_. The hair
must be cut in the morning in order to insure a strict observance of
_tapu_; for it is not only the _tohunga_ who must be _tapu_ on this
occasion, but also the whole tribe. This _tapu_ commences in the
morning, and no one must eat food while it lasts. Should any one eat
during that time it will be discovered; for if the skin of the child’s
head be cut while cutting the hair, it is known at once that some one
has eat food. This is a sure sign. After the hair is cut the ceremony of
_Poipoi_ is again observed, and the _tohunga_ then raising up his hands
repeats this _karakia_, and the young person is free—
These hands of mine are raised up,
And this sacredness here.
Tu-i-whiwhia, Tu-i-rawea,
Your freedom from _tapu_
Make sure the obtaining.
Make sure the freedom.
Make it sure to Papa.
Give me my _tu_:
Lift up the sacredness:
Lift it up: it prevails.
My hands here are raised³⁰ up,
To Tiki there these hands of mine,
To Hine-nui-te-po these hands of mine,
These now free from _tapu_.
Freedom. They are free.
³⁰ As to the custom of raising aloft the hands while praying to the
Gods, compare Hom: Il. Lib. 3 273, and other numerous examples.
CEREMONIES FOR THE DEAD.
When a man dies his body is placed in a sitting posture, and is bound to
a stake to keep it in a good position. It is seated with its face
towards the sun as it rises from its cave. Then every one comes near to
lament. The women in front, the men behind them. Their clothes are
girded about their loins. In their hands they hold green leaves and
boughs, then the song called _keka_ commences thus:—
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
_Tohunga_ chants It is not a man,
All „ { It is Rangi now consigned to earth,
{ Alas! my friend.
_Tohunga_ „ My evil omen,
All „ { The lightning glancing on the mountain
peak
{ Te Waharoa doomed to death.
──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
After the _keka_, the _uhunga_ or lament commences. The clothes in which
the corpse should be dressed are the _kahuwaero_, the _huru_, the
_topuni_, and the _tatata_. The lament ended, presents are spread to
view, greenstone ornaments, and other offerings for the dead chief. A
carved chest, ornamented with feathers, is also made, and a carved
canoe, a small one resembling a large canoe, which is painted with
_kokowai_ (=red-ochre); also a stick bent at the top is set up by the
way-side, in order that persons passing by may see it, and know that a
chief has died. This is called a _hara_. The carved chest is called a
_whare-rangi_. The corpse only is buried, the clothes are placed in the
carved chest which is preserved by the family and descendants as a
sacred relic.
On the morning following the burial, some men go to kill a small bird of
the swamps called _kokata_, and to pluck up some reeds of _wiwi_. They
return and come near the grave. The _tohunga_ then asks “Whence come
you?” The men reply, “From the seeking, from the searching.” The
_tohunga_ again asks “Ah! what have you got? ah! what have you gained?”
Thereon the men throw on the ground the _kotata_ and the _wiwi_. Then
the _tohunga_ selects a stalk of _toetoe_ or _rarauhe_, and places it
near the grave in a direction pointing towards Hawaiki to be a pathway
for the spirit, that it may go in the straight path to those who died
before him. This is named a _Tiri_, and is also placed near where he
died, in order that his spirit may return as an _Atua_ for his living
relations. The person to whom this _Atua_ appears is called the
_kaupapa_ or _waka-atua_. Whenever the spirit appears to the _kaupapa_
the men of the family assemble to hear its words. Hear the _karakia_ of
the _kaupapa_ to prevail on the spirit to climb the path of the _Tiri_.
This is your path, the path of Tawaki;
By it he climbed up to Rangi,
By it he mounted to your many,
To your Thousands;
By it you approached,
By it you clung,
By it your spirit arrived safely
To your ancestors.
I now am here sighing,
Lamenting for your departed spirit.
Come, come to me in form of a moth,
Come to me your _kaupapa_,
Whom you loved,
For whom you lamented.
Here is the _Tiri_ for you,
The _Tiri_ of your ancestors,
The _Tiri_ of your _Pukenga_,
Of your _Wananga_,
Of me this _Tauira_.
THE REINGA OR HADES.
When the spirit leaves the body it goes on its way northward, till it
arrives at two hills. The first of these hills is a place on which to
lament with wailings and cuttings. There also the spirit strips off its
clothes.³¹ The name of this hill is Wai-hokimai. The name of the other
hill is Wai-otioti: there the spirit turns its back on the land of life,
and goes on to the Rerenga-wairua (Spirit’s-leap). There are two long
straight roots, the lower extremities of which are concealed in the sea,
while the upper ends cling to a _pohutukawa_ tree. The spirit stands by
the upper end of these roots, awaiting an opening in the sea weed
floating on the water. The moment an opening is seen, it flies down to
the Reinga. Reaching the Reinga, there is a river and a sandy beach. The
spirit crosses the river. The name of the new comer is shouted out. He
is welcomed, and food is set before him. If he eats the food he can
never return to life.³²
³¹ Spirits on their way to the N. Cape are said to be clothed in the
leaves of the _wharangi_, _makuku_, and _oropito_.
³² Vid. similar account. “Traditions and Superstitions of the New
Zealanders,” p. 150, et seq.
TALE OF TE ATARAHI.
There was a man named Te Atarahi, who remained five nights and five days
in the Reinga, and then returned to life. On the fifth day after this
man died, two women went out to cut flax leaves. While so employed they
observed the flower stalks of the flax springing up every now and then,
at a little distance from them. Then one of the women remarked to her
companion—“There is some one sucking the juice of the _korari_ flowers.”
By degrees this person came nearer, and was seen by the woman, who said
“the man is like Te Atarahi, why, it surely is Te Atarahi.” Her
companion replied—“It cannot be Te Atarahi, he is dead.” Then they both
looked carefully, and saw that the skin of the man was wrinkled and
hanging loose about his back and shoulders, and that the hair of his
head was all gone.
So the women returned to the _Pa_, and told how they had seen Te
Atarahi. “Are you quite sure it was Te Atarahi?” said the men of the
_Pa_. And the women answered, “His appearance was like Te Atarahi, but
the hair of his head was all gone, and his skin hung loose in folds
about his back.” Then one was sent to look at the grave where Te Atarahi
had been buried. He found the grave undisturbed, so he returned and said
“Sirs, the body is well buried, it has not been disturbed.” Then the men
went, and examined the place carefully on every side, and found an
opening on one side, a little way off. Then they went to the place where
Te Atarahi had been seen by the women, and there found the man seated on
a _ti_ tree. They at once knew him to be Te Atarahi; so they sent for
the _tohunga_. The _tohunga_, came and repeated a _karakia_, after
which, the man was removed to the sacred place, and the _tohunga_
remained with him constantly repeating _karakia_, while the people of
the _Pa_ stood without looking on. There the man remained many days,
food being brought for him. Time passed, and he began to have again the
appearance of a _Maori_ man. At length he recovered and got quite well.
Then he told how he had been in the Reigna, how his relations came about
him, and bid him not to touch the food, and sent him back to the land of
Light. He spoke also of the excellence of the state in which the people
of the Reigna dwelt, of their food, of their choice delicacy the
_ngaro_, of the numbers of their _Pa_, and the multitude of the dwellers
there, all which agreed with what the _Atua_ have said, when they visit
men on earth.
NGA PATUPAIAREHE OR FAIRIES.
One day while Ruarangi was absent from his house a Patupaiarehe or Fairy
came to it, and finding only the wife of Ruarangi within, carried her
off to the hills. When the husband returned home his wife could not be
found. He, however, traced footsteps to the hills where the Fairies
dwelt, but saw nothing of his wife. Then he felt sure she had been
carried off by the Fairies, and returned sorrowing and thinking of some
plan to recover her. At length, having thought of a plan, he summoned
the _tohunga_ of the tribe—those skilled in bringing back love—those
skilled in _makutu_—in short all the _tohunga_. When these all assembled
before him, he said to them “The cause of my calling you is this. My
wife has disappeared.” The _tohunga_ replied “When it is night, all of
you leave your houses.” So when night came every one came forth from his
house as the _tohunga_ had ordered. Then the _tohunga_ skilled in
restoring love stood up, and after some while discovered that the lost
woman was with the Fairies. So he commenced a _karakia_ to make her love
for her _Maori_ husband return.
What wind is this blowing softly to your skin:
Will you not incline towards your companion,
To whom you clung when sleeping together,
Whom you clasped in your arms,
Who shared your griefs.
When the wind bears to you this my love,
Incline hither thy love,
Sighing for the couch where both slept.
Let your love burst forth,
As the water-spring from its source.
When the _tohunga_ had ended this _karakia_ he said to the husband “Go,
fetch your wife. When she meets you, be quick to rub her all over with
_kokowai_ (red-ochre).” So the man went, and when night came he lay down
to sleep by the way side. While he slept he saw his wife coming to meet
him. With this he awoke knowing well that the _tohunga_ had spoken
truly. At day-light he went on his way, and after some time came in
sight of the _Pa_ of the Fairies. No one was within the _Pa_. All had
gone forth to look at the _Maori_ woman. Now a great desire towards her
_Maori_ husband had come to the woman borne to her by the _karakia_ of
the _tohunga_, so the woman said to her Fairy husband “Let me go and
visit my new brothers-in-law.” This she said deceitfully; for when her
Fairy husband consented, she went straight away to meet her _Maori_
husband, who, as soon as she came near, rubbed her all over with
_kokowai_, and hastened home with her.
Meanwhile the Fairy husband awaited her return. He waited a long while,
and at last went to look for her: at length he discovered footsteps of a
man and woman, then he knew she had gone off with her husband. So the
war-party of the Fairies assembled, and went to attack the _Maori Pa_.
But they found the posts of the _Pa_ daubed over with _kokowai_, and the
leaves used in the ovens for cooking, thrown on the roofs of the houses:
the _Pa_ too was full of the steam of cooked food. As for the woman, she
was placed for concealment in an oven. So the Fairies feared to come
near; for how could they enter the _Pa_ in their dread of the _kokowai_,
and the steam of the ovens which filled the court-yard. So great is
their dread of cooked food.
Then the _tohunga Maori_ all standing up sung a _karakia_ to put to
sleep the Fairies.
Thrust aside, thrust afar,
Thrust aside your sacredness,
Thrust aside your _tohunga_:
Let me, let me mark³³ you,
Let me mark your brow,
Give me thereupon your sacredness,
You _mana_, your _tohunga_,
Your _karakia_ give me,
To place beside the oven-stones,
To place beside the cinders,
To place beside the _kokowai_.
Now these rest on your head,
On your sacred places,
On your female _Ariki_.
Your sacredness is undone.
³³ With _kokowai_, or red-ochre.
By the time this _karakia_ came to an end, all the Fairies were seated
on the ground. Their chief then stood up, and sung thus:—
Alas! for this day
Which now oppresses me.
I stretched out my hand
To the mate of Tirini.
Followed were my footsteps,
And charmed was returning love,
At Pirongia there.
This the dreaded tribe is undone,
Tiki³⁴ and Nukupouri³⁴
And Whanawhana³⁴
And I Rangi-pouri:³⁴
I carried off the woman,
I the first aggressor:
I went to enter the house of Ruarangi,
To stretch out my hand,
To touch the _Maori_ skin.
The boundary is oven-marked,
To prevent its being moved aside,
To guard the wife in safety.
³⁴ Names of the Fairy chiefs.
He thought the power of his _karakia_ would appear; but it could not
conquer the devices of the _Maori tohunga_; for how could it prevail
against the cooked food, and the oven-stoves, and the _kokowai_, and the
many other devices of the _tohunga_. Hence it was seen that the power of
_karakia_ was not possessed by the Fairies. The only power given to them
was to smother men.