MAORI RESEARCHES

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 832, 2 June 1910, Page 2

MAORI RESEARCHES

DOUBLE CANOES AND ROWING. THE GREENSTONE COUNTRY. In on interesting paper read by Jlr. H. D. Skinner beioro the Philosophical Society last evening, reference was made to the existence of rowing, as distinct from paddling, among the ancient Maoris. The information on which this part of the paper was based Had been gathered from very old Maoris of the Poutini Ngai TaUii tribe, in South Westland. The Natives said that the only voyage of any length ever made by their tribo was that from Bruce,Bay to Milford Sound for tangiwai. They made their canoes in their own district, two canoes of, say, thirty and twenty feet length by four foet beam, often being lnshcd together by cross-pieces. A canoe which one of the informants helped to make near Martins Day was called "KaiWiiiri." Tho .Arnhura Natives had come down forjtangiwai, and the Bruce May Maoris took them and their tangiwai back in this canoe. There were five oars on each side. On being cross-questioned they ■ asserted that they used oars sometimes, and sails of woven flax before tho white man came. If this statement as to rowing is true, tho obieots figured in Hamilton's "Maori Art" and in Hawksworth's illustrations of- Cook's voyage are probably oars. Tho longer single canoo of tho double canoe was described as being seven fathoms long. The shorter one wwtM then measure (ho fathoms. Spars were lashed from end of the longer to the corresponding ends of the shorter canoe. A platform united them about the middle. This was floored, mid a mast was erected on it. The 2\ T atives said that a big canoe from, the North Island was washed up at Hunt's Bay. Though it was much battered, they could see by the braces and lashings that it had formed part of a double canoe. Two double canoes loaded with greenstone once went from Milford to "Waimate. One of them was made on the Makawhio, abovo Ritchie's, by Tuarohi, . "ouv grandfather." Two other canoes were mentioned as having gone to Kaiapohia. In his paper, Mr. Skinner offered., a new explanation of the story of Baureka, tho mad woman, who was said to have shown the East Coast Maoris of tho South Island tho first piece of greenetone they had seen. This story has always been perplexing, as Kaureka's discovery is traced back about the year 1700, and it is certain that greenstone was known to Maoris in all parts of New Zealand long beforo that time. Mr. Skinner suggests that Eaureka did 'not discover the greenstone, but a new and easy road to it. Before her lifetime, doubtless, greenstone ornaments and weapons had been rare. Parties in search of tho stone had been faced cither by a canoe voyage along a stretch of rugged and storm-beaten coast, or by u lons and difficult journey on ■ foot around tho coast from Arapaon to the Araliura. The boldest might well be daunted by, cither cour=c. But now a pass—evidently Browning's Pass—had been discovered across the mountain barrier, and tho way was easy. At once, we are told, a war party gathered, crossed tho pass, fought with NgatiWairangi, and came homo laden with the' stone.