MAORI FORTIFICATION

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2168, 5 June 1914, Page 8

MAORI FORTIFICATION

. TRACING ITS ORIGIN INTERESTING INQUIRY BECUN. <Sonio interesting investigations concerning the origin of tho Maori raco and more particularly tho origin of some of thoir methods in fortifying their hill strongholds are to bo made shortly by Dr. J. Allan Thomson, director of tho 'Dominion' Museum. For somo time past Mr. Elsdon Be,st,' ethnologist on the Museum staff, lias been making exhaustivo investigations about Maori pas in tho writing.? of early travellers and. explorers, and he has recently visited the chief pas in Taranaki and Auckland. Tho Museum will shortly bring out a bulletin dealing with' the subject, and it is to get more material for this bulletin that Dr. Thomson lias.been granted special leavo from his duties at tho Museum.

"Tho Maoris are of course a Polynesian race, wifh a slight Melanecian strain," said Dr. Thomson yesterday, speaking of his present special task, "but the kindred Polynesian races in tho Pacific had no terraced and stock- • aded fortifications similar to those with which the Maoris used to protect their pas. On the other hand there is occasional mention in the works of some of the earlier travellers .in Fiji and Samoa of terraced fortifications. Now tho Fijians are mainly a Melanesian race, and Mr. Best thinks that it is probable that tho Maoris learned their, method of building pas from the earlier Melanesian inhabitants of New Zealand. For this bulletin on tho Maori pa wo want accurate descriptions of these Fijian fortifications, and I am going to Fiji to study tho matter. While there I- hops to get other things for the Museum. I shall bo away from New Zealand about five week?. '

'1 may mention," continued Dr. Thomson, "that Dr. Newman, who is an authority on Maori history, thinks that tho Maoris got their ideas on pa building from India, tho Polynesians being an Indian race. He cannot, however, explain why tho Maoris should have ■some customs and habits which other Polynesians havo not. This is not tho only Melane-siaii: trait in tho Maoris.. Their methods of carrying loads, and some of their ideas in carving also appear to ho Melanesia)!./ I think that it is probable," said, tho speaker in, co]> elusion, "that, as a result of Mr.. Elsdon Best's visit to tho north, some of tho Maori pas.there will.be-reserved.".