"THE MARUIWI MYTH"

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 166, 31 July 1937, Page 6

"THE MARUIWI MYTH"

Addrcis by Dr. H. W. Wiiliams At tlic next meeting of the Hastings Historieal Society, to be held in the Methodist Hall (opposite the Municipal Theatre) next Monday night, August at eight, the tmblic will be afforded an opportunity to hear Dr* U. VV. .Wiiliams, Bishop of Waiapu, speak on a very interesting subject, the title of his address being "Ihe Maruiwi Myth." The Maruiwi were a race of people who were supposed to have settled in New Zealand prior to the migration oi the Maoris and who wero still in possession of the country when the Maoris arrived. The Maruiwi are believed to be related to the more recent Morioris of the Chatham lslands in that the Morioris are supposed to have descended from thein. Many divergent opinions have been axpressed as to the possible origin of this rather mysterious race of people, and even to-day nothing very definite has been established. Oue school has expressed the theory that they came from the regions of the western Pacific, and this contention is based chiefly on the fact that, in wood-carv-ing and decorative art generally, the Maori race has incorporated curvilinear designs. Now, the truly Polynesian art was essentially rectilinear, but curvilinear designs are found in the art of such places as New Guinea. it was therefore contended that the Maori must have liorrowed this departure from the art of the people whom they found already inliahiting the\ country — the Maruiwi — and bence it is held in some quarters that the Muruiwi must have coine down through the western Pacific. The whole subject really ovcrllows With interest, and this opportunity of hearing such an authority as Dr Williauis should not be missed. The meeting is open to the general puhlic.