THOUGHTS OF THE TIMES
PRO-VERBS AND THE MOA
Several proverbs hitherto unrecorded and corroborating the belief that the inoa was contemporary with the Maori was quoted by Mr George Graham in his Auckland Institute lecture on Maori proverbs, One of these meant: “The contest of you two is like unto a brace of moa,” the. suggestion being that when two people were foolish enough to squabble or fight they need not assume that others were concerned. A tall and shoit species of moa mingled and “Here comes Kura-roa and Eura-poto” indicated what the European signifies by the term, “the long and short of it. There are signs of native memorised knowledge of the bird and its habits, apart from archeological evidence. It is said that to this day there remain certain narrow tracks over ridges in certain districts where moas wandered in single file. 1 hey are ‘Ara-mna. as distinguished,from “Ara-Maori. A proverb referring to a party going across country said. “They go on the moil’s trail.”
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Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1931, Page 4
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167THOUGHTS OF THE TIMES Hokitika Guardian, 13 June 1931, Page 4
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