THE MAORIS AS A RACE OF FARMERS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 19, 15 October 1937, Page 48 (Supplement)

THE MAORIS AS A RACE OF FARMERS

Times have changed since the days of Captain Cook, and where the Maori people once tilled the land with primitive tools, to-day alltheaids of modern machinery play their part in Native agriculture.

■ - ■ ■ ■ — — — • ■ ■■ ' — ji NOWADAYS the Maori in common ' witb bis pakeba bretbren of tbis district uses the latest agricultural implements, and tbe tractor can be seen on many Maori farms, or at work on development scbemes. Seed-sowers, bay presses, in faet, all tbe modern • devices to assist in the tillyi'g , of the soil are in general use. Tbis of course, implies that tbe Maori farmer has the , money to spend; in this respect be is no different to the European. In backblock settlements wbere times are hard, botb tbe Native and tbe pakeha -must wait for the improved machinery, until tbe economie situation improves. Wben one considers, however, tbat less than" a century ago the Maori' was employing tbe primitive implements used by generations Of ■ bis f orefathers, it must- be admitted tbat wonderful progress bas been made. In olden times the only agricultural lmpiement known to tbe Natives was the ko, a very primitive article. It was merely a wooden pole sbarpened at one end withi a step or cross-bar of tbe same material fixed to it, . at any dis* tance varying from • one foot to tbr.ee feet above tbe ground. Some of - these kos were elaborately, carved on tbe top end and in otlier cases tbe. footrest was carved. Since tbe commencement oi' tbe intercourse of tbe Maori with Eiiropeans, however, tbe spbere of husbandry bas been enlarged considerably by tbe introjluctionof. several valuable implements wbicb were' formerly unknown to tbe Natives. History records tbat Captain Cook introduced tbe potato into New Zealand and sinco tben the well-known tuber uas ubecome the stapie. food of tbe Maori. The New Zealanders bad made eonsiderable advances in agriculture, even before Cook visitod tbe country, and tbe well-bnown riavigator ' mentioned in liis narrative of bis iirst voyage tbat nuraerous patcbes of land in a state of cultivation were seen. j tteferring to tbe spot in the Marlborough Sounds wbere tbe crew of tbe Agnes wero made prisoners, Cook says: "Banks saw some of tbeir plantations ivbcre tbe ground was well tilled; in these spots were sweet potatoes and gourds. Tbe sweet potatoes wero placcd m small hills, and s6me ranged in tows all laid out by a line witb the greatest regularity. Tbese plantations were of varying extent, ranging from one or two acres to ten acres. Taken altogetber, tbere appeared to be froai 150 acres to 200 acres in cultivation in tbe wbole bay." • Samuel Marsden, tbe pioneer missionary, saw tbe wives of several of the chiefs toiling hard in „the iields witb the ko. Among otbers be noticed tbe head wife of tbe great Hongi. Tbougb quite blind, says Marsden, she appeared to dig tbe ground as' fast as tbose Wbo bad tbeir sight, and auite as well. Sbe lirst pulled up tbe weeds as she went along. Then sbe set ber feet upon tbe weeds so tbat sbe might know wbere tbey were. Einaliy. after brealcing tho soil, she threw tbe* mould over tbe weeds witb ber bands. Tbus, it can be lmagined, tbat |he labours of agriculture in New Zealand were in tbis way rendered exceedingly toilsome by tbe lmperfection of tbe only instrument which tbe Maoris • tben possessed. Euatara, tbe Ngapuhi cbief, was tbe first person wHo actually grew grain' in bis native country. He brougbt the

wbeat and maize seed witb bim on bis return from New South "Wales, and distributed tbe seed to tbe chiefs. Tbey planted the seed accordmg to instructions, and wben it grew to a certain height they 1'ooked for .tbe resuit. Tliey therefore dug at tbe roots, thinking tbe wheat bad tubers, like a potato. Pinding notbing tbey were greatly disappointed, and. pulled up tbe remainder of tbe wbeat and tbrew it away, and later burnt it. Hongi was the only one wbo allowed bis wbeat to grow. The remaimng chiefs were therefore much astonished when they saw tbe ears of the yvbeat. "Wben Marsden saw how* Hdngi . bad,, succeeded, be gave him a small bandmill and: showed bim bow it worked. Hongi ground bis wbeat;, made pancakes and gave' some to thpse chiefs wbo bad pulled up tbeir wbeat. Tbey were greatly impressed aiid from tbat time till tbe present day Maoris uave been agricultuiists. Euatara also pianted some maize seed be brougbt back with bim, and toid tbe Maoris tbat it was exactly the same food as tjio biseuits on shipboard, which be bad tasted. Tbe maize seed was later distributed, and thence , afterwards tbe Maoris devoted ibeinseives co.'growing potatoes, maize, wneat auai gourOs. Tbere is also a tale often told concerning turnip seed. Cook di'stributed several varieties of seeds at various times, including turnips. Tbe Maoris were keenly interested, and some eonsiderable time later procured some gunpowder, no doubt in excbange for some of the articles required by the sbips. Thinking tbat tbe powder was turnip seed, tbey gleefully sowcd it, but were greatly disappointed wben no isigns of turnip could. be seen! Euatara 's visit to New Soutb Wales was an ever wonderful story to the Maoris, especially wben he dwelt on tbe food eaten by the pakeba. He told tbem of-cbcese be bad been given, and bow mucb be bad enjoyed it; tbe moutns of tbe Maoris watering at tbe glowing pieture presented. He deseribed cheese in detail. Some time afterwards a ship came to tbe coast} and tbe Natives saw tbeir opportunity to proeure some of tbat wonderful cheese deseribed by Euatara. Tbey looked round on tbe ship till at last tbeir eyes found wbat tbey desired. After bargainihg tbey took a box of it asbore, joy'fully distributed it, and started to eat it. XJnfortunately, bowever, it was not cheese, but ship's eoap! Tbe xesult can be well imagined. Wbetber Euatara 's mana was lost after tbat experience, history dpes not tell, but it can be presumed - tbat be was not so popular as immediately on bis return from New Soutb Wales. •Pakanae, a noted Maori village on tbe Hokianga river, was celebrated for tbe wonderful yields of all kinds of food, produced from tbe soil tbere, and

tbe inbabitants of tbe village acquired quite a reputation as agriculturists. Tbe r'egalarity of tbeir plantatious and tbc order witb wbicb tbey carried on tbe various works excited tbe admiration and tbe envy of tbe neigbbours ra villages. Tbe chiefs togetber witb tbeir families, set tbe eXample of labdir. At one glance around tbe village could be seen more tban 200 acres of cultivated land. Tbat land was not lightly turned up, but was well worked and cleared. "Wnen tbe primitive nature of tlieir tools is considered, togetber witb their limited knowledge of agriculture, it must be admitted tbat tbeir persevering industry was: truly astonisbing, Tbe aneient Maori esthblisbed a wl-se custoin, wbicb bad' tbe effect of preventing a great deal of waste and cqnf usion, . and ensured to tbe planter a good crop," so -far as tbe seasons allowed. Tbe -services of a tohunga were procured for tbis special purpose, and be pxonounced tbe land to be sacred, che effect being tbat death threatened any person wlio trainpled over or disturbed any portion of tbe consecrated ground. Tbe wisdom and utility of this procedure can be readily recognised. Hence arose an old proverb wbicb indicates tbe dignity of labour: "E hara ta te tangata kai be kai titongi kaki; 1 kore, 1 rite ki tana alce, tino ake, .tino makona. " (' ' Food prepared by otbers merely tickles"*tbe . tbroat; it uever equals that gained by one's own exertions, whicb is tbe best and mosr satisfying of f oods. ' ') Tben, again, tbere is anotber old saying wbicb is very appropriate: "E bea ma; ina f.e ora o te tangata. " ("O friends, here is tbe' sustenance of man. ' ') Tbe youtbful men in a Maori villagj di.d all tbe hard Work clearing tbe land, and tbe first tilling of tbe soil. Tbey generally worked in rows in teams of from four to ten, taldng in a wide and long strip of land. Tbey would work wholeheartedly with tbe ko, spurred on by tbe song, jibe, or banter of tbe leader, mucb in tbe .samo way a.s tbe old-time sailor, and his cbanties? when bauling in the ancbor. Tbe womenfolk of the village alway? attended to tbe weeding and eartbing up of tbe soil about tbe plants, and also did most of tbe harvesting. There is an old saying among tbe Maoris tbat tbe warrior has a sbort and merry liie, but tbe tiller of the soil lives a long and happy life in tbe bosom of bis family, and is a benefit to mankind. The kumara being a native of tropical climate, tbe aneient Maoris found great difficulty in growing it in .places wbere frost was likely to pro.ve fatal to its existence. To regulate the temperature of the soil and secure perfect drainage, they covered .tbe surface of tbe .kumara plots witb fine gravel to tbe depth of a few incbes. Tbis was later

formed into mounds about two feet in diameter. Tbese were arranged witb tbe precision of tbe squares on a chess board, aiid tbe tubers were planted in the mounds. Breakwinds made of manuka branches and varying from two to four feet in height were erected every few yards, in such a way as to secure ' the greatest amount of ' sunshine and sbelter for tbe plants. Botb tbe plirating and tbe gatbering of tbe crop were accompanied by peculiar religious rites. Only skilled persons were allowed to take part in tbis work, every detail of wbicb was held sacred, being eonducted under the supervision of tohungas chosen for this special purpose. Tbat tbis was a .high bonour can be seen in tbe fact tbat tbe tohungas for tbis work were chosen for tbeir special qualifications at tbe annual meeting of tohungas or learned men, held in tbe wharb wananga on the rising of tbe star Puaka (Eigel). It was -tbe duty of tbese men to eonseerate the kumara plantations eack spring to tbo service of Marinaka and Pani. tbe two divinities wbo presided over tbe welfare of tbe sacred plant. Starting from the left-hand corner of each field tbe tobunga's began tbe ceremony by placing sprigs of koromiko, or veronica, in line to tbe otber side of tbo field, reciting appropriate prayers as they proeeeded. At tbe top of each mara, or plot, tbey gatbered a handful of deaves or weeds (pitau), which tbey carried to tbe nearest taumatua or shrine At Waimate Nortb, in, tbe early days, tbere were several of tbese shrines Eacb sbrine comprised a piece oi ground a few feet square, cncloscd witb a f ence, siinilar somewbat in appearance to a cemotery plot. This was calletl ' ' tbe god 's garden. " Four mounds were made and planted witb kumaras. After conseciating tbe left side of tli» field, tbe tohungas proeeeded to eonseerate tbe rigbt side? gatbering, as before, tbe pitau offering wbieb was placed in one or otber of tbe shrines. Tbis offering was called tbe whangainga, or feeding of tbe atuas (gods).' Tbe last persons wbo performed these important duties at Ngapuhi, Waimate Nortb, were two old and venerable chiefs of that kiana, Werobia and Euke.