Maori Customs

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 192, 31 August 1937, Page 2

Maori Customs

TE AUTE'S ORIGIN Address To Historical Society GREAT DEAL TO LEARN Reference to Te Aute and the origin of its name was made in the course of an address on Maori customs giyen by Mr V. E. Fisher, ethnologist at the Auckland Museum, to the Hastings Historical Society last night. The early Maoris, said Mr Fisher, brought with them to New Zealand from the Pacific islands a tree known as the te aute, which had provided them with paper mulberry for tne/ mamufacture of clothing. He believed that the Te Aute district in Hawke !s Bay had onee been the ecene of a plantatlon of these trees ancl hael been named on this aceount. It was soon fouild, however, that these treee would not grow in the colder climate of New Zealand, so a substitute had to be found. Native flax being suitable they made use o'f thig, dressing the leaves "with sharp mussel-' shell until only the fibre was left. They made their garments from this, sewing them with bone needles. The Methodist Hall was filled for the lecture, which was illustrated with lanteru slides and was presi.ded over by the president of the Hastings Historical Society, the Et. Rev. F. A. Bennett, Bishop of Aotearoa. The meeting was attended by visitors from Canterbury, Wellington and Southland. The subject being a broad one, Mr Fisher explained, he di.d not intend giving a detailod lecture, but proferred to browse,, round the subject, touching on pointe of fairly genei'al interest. The ancient Maoris were experts with Ihe canoe, said Mr Fisher. The totara, Avhi.ch was the tree most highly prized i'or . eanoo building, was felled with stone adzes and . lire and was later hollowod out by the sarne means, a work requiring skill . and patience. Soiuetimes a sail was used, and the Maoris had beautifully-carved bailers and paddles. There was a Maori saying, ''Without paddles and without bails/' whichT was used to denote a hopeless situation — an apt proverb typical of the aptness with which the Maori could sum up a situation, Bird-Snaring and Fishing. The carved bow-piece of a canoe was always the best piece of carving the Maori did, while the stern-piece was another fine example of Maori qrt. This piece was made to be iseen from a distance, and for this reason,. it was perforated eo that with the light shining through it it would look like delicate lace. The down from the Taupo was used to caulk the canoes. Bird-snaring was an important art to tho Maori, for on this he depended • largely for his food, although fish, Cruits and berries. were also part of hiS diet.- The tui was eaught in the act of feeding on berries, the kaka -when feuding on the nectar of the rata tree; a snare placed among, the branehes being used to tangle the bird's legs. Pigeons, however, were ofteu epeared. In fishing, also, the Maori excclled himself, and a tremendous amount of lore surrounded this art. The Maoris had to sttidy the habits of the fish and, in this respect,. they found out a great deaf from watching the gulls and other birds. Hooks similar to those used by Europeans were made of wood and shell with bone points with barbs in them. The fishing was done by trolling from a canoe. Hooks were sometimes made from the almost-complete jaw of the native dog. How the Maori Made Fire. In Maori art it was noticeable that there was never any attempt made to draw things in proportion. The neck of a man was generally shown as long as his legs, but this did not .detract from the artistie merit of the carving. Canved hair combs made from the lower jawbone of a whale and closely resembling combe in use to-day were shown by the speaker. These were used for combing the hair and were then placed in the back of the head to keep the hair in place. Children 's toys were also elaborately carved. The primitive Maoris made fire by rubbing a sharp-pointed stick on a piece of flat wood. A fine dust would be formed in the gropve whiph the friction would make in the flat board and this dust would smoulder and finally burst into flame with the aid of dry leaves. Some people imagined that the trlbes of old were at continual warfare, but this was not the case, although the Maori regarded fighting much the same as the modern man regarded Rugby football. The warriors usually met man to man and fought with single or double-handed weapons. "There ia a great deal that can be learned from studying the past,5,-Mr Fisher concluded. "If we study the past history of the Maori it makes it easier for us to gain a better understanding of his difficulties to-day, and we should try to help him all we can. There is no such thing as a colour-bar in New Zealand." A vote of thanks to the speaker was proposed by Mr G. Ebbett, after whieh a number of examples of Maori work whieht Mr Fisher had brought with him were h'anded Tound among members for their inspectiom