A STRIKING THEORY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 829, 30 May 1910, Page 8

A STRIKING THEORY.

CHRISTIAN STORY KNOWN TO

MAORIS,

FURTHER PARALLELS WITH TAWH.Ua. MIRACLES and sayings. (By Hare Hoxoi.) PART 111. We have shown in Part II of' this series how that many aspects of the story of the life of Christ are found reproduced in the -Manr ; story of Tawhaki, wno, it was previously shown, has apparently been known as a divinity to the Maorian race for a maximum period coinciding with the first century of the Christian era, and for a minimum period of twenty generations—a period much anterior to any missionary influenco of which we have knowledge in Maori history. In our second article parallels were given from the Maori legends of Tawhaki to the virgin birth of phrist, his . "wisdom . and might?' works," the promise to make his disciples "fishers of men," the sheet let down from heaven, walking on the waves, the Gadarcne swine, the miraculous draught of fishes, ana the voice which proclaimed Christ from the cloud. The following aro further parallels between the Christian story and the ancient Maori legends in connection with Tawhaki:—

The Carpenter. 10. The Carpenter. "Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary?" (St. Mark vi, 3.) "Another matter which caused tho females to admire Tawhaki was his extreme cleverness in housc-buildinc." (A.K.M.1., p. 99.) "Tawhaki having changed his form to that of an old. man, sat himself down. 'It now drew near evening, and his brothers-in-law having finished thenwork, called out to him: 'Ho, old fellow there, you just carry these heavy axes home-for us,-will you?' He at once consented to dothis, and they gave him the axes. .The old man(p) then said to them: "You go on in front; do not mind mo; I am old and heavily laden; I cannot travel fast.' So they started off, the old man following slowly behind. When his brothers-in-law arid therr party were all out of sight, he turned back to the canoe, and taking an axe, just adzed the canoe rapidly aTong from tho bow to tho stern, and, 10, ono side of the canoe was finished. Then lie again took the adze and ran' it rapidly along tho other side of the canoe, from the bow to the stern; and, that side also was beautifully finished. . . . When they reached them (i.e., the canoes), and the brothers-in-law saw the canoe which Tawhaki had worked at, they looked at it with astonishment, saying; 'Why tho canoe is not at all as we left it; who can have been working at?"' (P.M., pp. 45-6.) Calming the Waves. 11.—Calming the tempest and the sea. _"And ; when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. Aad, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with tho waves; but he was asleep. And His disciples came to Him and awoke Him. . . . Then he arose, and rebuked tho winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men msrvellod saying: 'What manner of man is this, that even tho winds and the so a obey Him ?'" (St. Matthew viii., 23.)

"And he .(Tawhaki) rose up and went far out on the sea, and he slept there. On his becoming conscious, 10, a great wave appeared at Paia-ki-Tawhiti, a wave intended to destroy him. Then tho ancestor, , Tc, Kaeaea, appearing ,unto him, roused up Tawhaki with its cry: 'Ke, ke; ke.' And Tawhaki, starting up from his sleep, seized his staff, and addressing the great wave, said:— 'Pass away, pass to this side: Pass away, pass to that side: Withdraw, Neither rock contact with me.' And so saying, Tawhaki smote the wave with his staff (so that it passed harmlessly by). • Tawhaki then came ashore to the mainland, and there meeting his uncle, Karihi, they wept together." (A.H.M. 1., p. 98.) "And Whaitiri said unto Tawhaki and Karihi: 'There is one.great danger before you, which is from the tempestuous winds of the Ururangi; those, may overcome you.' . . .. And as they ascended, Karihi was beaten back 1 by the strong gales. And as Tawhaki continued on lie was unable to rescue the falling Karihi. . . . Tawhaki was himself beaten down by tho fierce winds, even to the surface of the ocean. But, reascending, ho overcame them, for, in obedience to him ('he rongo te mahaki'), thoy became suddenly calm." A.H.M. 1., p. 123.)

"See the north wind, the north-north-west wind, The north-west and the west winds; The while I. slept began to whirl. (Tawhaki.) Winds, winds, tempestuous winds, descending winds, Descending from their many points. Dash against, dash against the" mainpillar (corner-stone). Sway me hitherward, thitherward: Chipping their hands towards me. Touch me not with thy hands. Tonga, abate thee; thou gale, disperse." (J.P.S., vii., 77-8.) "These, brothers (Tafaki and Karisi), however, were not to be trifled with. They did things that.made them both renowned and feared. For example, oil one occasion, they 'beat the winds' with a club. For this purpose they climbed a high Niern tree, and lay ill wait for the winds. First came the Suopate, the trade wind, at which they aimed a terrible blow, but missed, Then came Tokelau, the east wind, which they also missed. So with some others. Finally came Mastan, the south-west wind. This was their last chance, and they determined to make the most of it. On came the towering wind in all its pride; down came the club on its forehead with thundering crash; and it foil with a shriek, lifeless and prone." (Efatese.) The True Vine. 12. The True Vine (and the false). "X AM the true vino, and my Father is the husbandman." (St. John, xv, 1.) "Tawhaki once more called up to her, saying; 'At least, then, leave to me some parting gift.' Tangotango then called down, saying: 'Here are my parting instructions, as gift unto thee. Take not hold of the loose vine; bur, take hold of the parent vine."' , (P.M., pp. 41-2.) "There lies the ascent before you. Lay fast hold of, the vine with your hands, and climb on. But when you get midway between heaven and earth, take care not to look down on the lower world again; lest you become giddy and fall down. Take care also that you do not by mistako take hold of a vino which swings loosely. Bather take hold of that which, hanging down from above, has taken firm root in the earth." (P.M., p. 44.)

"Karihi then consented, and he took hold with his hands of the loose vino. . . . And Karihi's hands slipping, he fell down even to the earth. . . Tawhaki then said: 'I will now ascend.' And Tawhaki laid hold of the firm vine, and ascended, reciting the folloiviw prayer." (A.H.M. 1., pp. 87-8.) a "One day they (Tafaki and Karisi) were shooting birds with arrows. An arrow went up to heaven and stuck fast in the roots of a Namanga tree. Another arrow sent, after it stuck iu the cud of its shaft, and so on and so

on, until tlie chain of arrows reached from heaven down to the brothers' foreheads. They took hold of the nearest, and pulled: it was iirni. They climhed up to heaven." (ICi'atese.) "She comforted her two sons and told them not to orv, lint to watch for a long rope that should he let down from heaven till it reached the foot af a banyan tree. They kept 011 watching, till one day the rope appeared as their mother had said. One of them (Tafaki) first climbed up far out of sight, into heaven, and shook the rope as a signal to his brother below of his safe arrival. The other then climbed up also." (Efatese.)

Pluck Out an Eye. 13. Plucking out an eye. "And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out." (St. Mark ix, 47.) "Tawhaki then took an eyeball (which he had plucked from his brother Karilii), and, inserting it as an eye for his blind grandmother, recited this prayer: '.May the heavenly host, Light up thine eye; 0 JKarihi.' And Whaitiri immediately exclaimed: 'Wondrous indeed is thine eye, 0 Tawhaki.' " (A.H.M. 1., p. 79.) Healing the Blind. 14. Restoring the sight. , "And he took the blind man . . . ■ ahd when be had spit 011 his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw aught. And he looked up and said: '1 see men as trees, walking.' After that he had put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up; and he was restored, and sawi every man clearly." (St. Mark, viii, 23.) "And Tawhaki spoke to his blind (matapo) ancestress, and she recognised him by the sound of his voice. Tawhaki then took some clap, and having mixed it with his spittle, and rubbed it upon her eyos, her sight was restored, and she could see plainly. (A.H.M. I, .49.) "The blind old woman then said unto Tawhaki: Pray thee, look to mine eyos. . . . Tawhaki then prayed for the eyesight of Whaitiri; this is the prayer: ' Eyes attend, eyes attend: Eyes flash forth, eyes flash forth: May thine eyes imitate the Sun Which shines yonder.' • And so on. "Alter which Whaitiri joyfully , said: 'Joy, joy; my grandson has restored my sight.' " (A.H.M. I, 90.) "They (Tafaki and Karisi) saw their old blind grandmother, and addressed her as lata. She, on her part, bad been forewarned of their coming, by hor daughter; and being requested to entertain them kindly, gave them sugarcane, flesh, and yams to eat. After eating tlie.v said to her: 'The skin of this, sugar-cane is sharp, for cutting. Wo will open your eyes with it, 'that you may see.' This they did. She said: "Oil, children, you have made me all right: I am well.'" (Efatese.)

Healing Diseases. 15. Healing issue of blood. / "And a certain woman which had an issuo of blood twelve years, and. had suffered many things. ... When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment . . . and straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up: . . . And Jesus immediately knowing in himself that ■ virtue had gone out of him. ... And he said unto her; 'Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole.' " (St. Mark, v.. 25.) _ ; "And Whaitiri called saying: • 'Dahold thy cousin-female yonder, who aileth sorcl.v of woman's complaint; canst thou indeed cure her?' And Tawhaki went forward and saw the ailing one, the signs being plainly visible. And ho touched her on the left thigh with his staff, saying: 'Purifier of women, return to your office, by the virtue of Tawhaki.' Tawhaki then touched her with his hand, and all was well with her." (A.H.M. I, 91.) ■ "Tawhaki had disappeared to stay the death-flow of his blood. This is the prayer which he used: — 'Of. whom is the blood? 'Tis the blood of the star. Of whom is the blood? 'Tis the blood of the moon. Of whom is the blood? 'Tis the blood of the Sun. Of whom is the blood? 'Tis the blood of Tawhaki. Of whom is the blood? 'Tis the blood of heaven itself.' That was the prayer of ' Tawhaki to istay tho flow of his blood, and it was stayed, and he became completely restored." (A.H.M. 1., 56-7.) "1 .Am the Door." 16. I am the door. "I am the door; by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out. and Slid pasture." (St. John, s, 9.) "As the brothers- drew nigh, their mother, TJrutonga, heard the .voice of Tawhaki. And she wept in joy before her children, who went forward praying. . . . Then Karihi asked of her: 'What did these evil ones save' you alive for?' And she answered saying: 'They saved me alive as a watcher for the dawn. They compel me to ever sit watching here at the door of the house. Thence hath this people named me Tatau (i.e., Door). And throughout the night they keep on calling to me: 'Ho, Door, is it yet dawn?'" (P.M., 38.) .

Lightning Glory. 17.—Lightning Glory. "For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the lyest; so shall the coming of the Son be." (St. Matthew, xxiv, 27.) "The prayers and rituals being ended, lightnings flashed from the arm-pits of Tawhaki." (P.M., 48.) The Transfiguration. 18. Transfiguration on the Mount. "And'after six days Jesns takes Peter and James and John, and leadcth them up into a high mountain- apart by themselves; and Ho was transfigured before them. And His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them." (St. Mark ix, 2.) i. "Tawhaki at one period lived on earth, and was in appearance like a man. His garments wore like those of a poor man. Ho went up to the top of a high mountain, and sat down. Ho there nut aside his earthly raiment and clothed himself in lightning. Now there was a certain man on that mountain who, when he saw Tawhaki coming, secreted himself. From his hiding place he saw Tawhaki thus transform himself, lie informed the people of the fact, and therefore the people looked on Tawhaki as a god. And all of the tribes chanted prayers and offered up sacrifices unto Tawhaki." (A.H.M. 1., 55.)