VALUE OF A MAORI DOG.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4578, 22 June 1923, Page 3

VALUE OF A MAORI DOG.

By Hare Hongi (Frank M. Stowell), in the “Northlander.” Some generations ago a band of our. Puketarata people (Taranaki East), which included some women and most of our young men, well furbished with Maori weapons of greenstone, whalebone, and our trusty ake, r.autangi, proceeded on a distant eeling expedition to the wilds of the Ngaere,, which lies inland from the present township of Eltham. Who could be aware of 'the fact that a hostile war party of the Ngatimaru were in the vicinity for the purpose of attacking us:there? They divided their, force down stream and, favoured by the moonless night, stole unobserved along each bank, close Behind oui, fishing party. Upon reaching the best fishing grounds our party laid aside their weapons, and while some prepared temporary habitations of raupo reed and bulrush the majority at once engaged in the business of. the expedition. There was an abundance of eels, which so delighted our people that, ever .and anon, loud shouts of satisfaction went forth in celebration of the good fortune in store. In truth, the rejoicings speedily partook of the nature of a carnival. This was our foes’ opportunity, for at this supreme moment their forces were upon us, renting .the air with their war cries and overwhelming us with their numbers and- ready arms, “Kri a au te mataika (I have the first fish) !” was simultaneously given out from several different points, our unfortunates could but exclaim,. “Ka mate a au (E-ah me I die)’.” Taken so completely. by surprise, in an instant' all was confusion and despair, and the swish and thud of. our enemies’ weapons—ours, alas, were not at hand—kept time to their exultant shouts, varied in turn by the grpams of their helpless victims. Flight, was the only resource, and those of us who managed by the most extraordinary means to disentangle ourselves fJjom that deadly- struggle fled towards the Pa of our kinsman of the Araukuku, near the township of Normanby. As a precaution against being waylaid a wide detour was made, and they eached the Pa in safety shortly after dawn. Here is was found that seventy had escaped from perishing, and these were hospitably treated by our Araukuku kinsmen. Ah me—that dog.

-Now Moko, the chief of the Araukuku, had at the time a tame dog (kuri whangai) ; there also existed the kuri mohowao (wild dog).. This dog, which was in "excellent and pampered condition, was called Nonoke. So excellent, was its condition that the refugees hungered after it—yea, with a great hunger, and what wonder ! for a piece of such dog flesh was a very rare morsel in those days, very rare indeed. *Now, as time passed on and it became more and more apparent that Moko did hot contemplate adding dog meat as . a relish-to the ojther good things with which they were regaled, the spectacle of the fat creature roaming leisurely amongst them, or basking in the warm sunshine, more and more intensified their hungry longing to transfer it to a more useful and, on their part,, desirable sphere. Wherefore a section of the sufferers held secret council, at which it was decided to establish a private larder, and also that one of their {number’should honour its institution by the casual contribution x>f the coveted dog—dressed. This’was the Council’s finding—truly a most savoury one. Following upon this a moonless evening materially assisted the execution of the project, and that self same night testified to the oily fat of the dog anointing the vocal organs of the conspirators. Curiously enough, no arrangement had been made as to a starve room,, but no hitch occurred on that account, as fortunately their . stomachs proved equal to the emergency. Taau mahi e te whakaaro maori (Thy action, O perverted mortal). Morning dawned, the familiar form of the dog was missed, and its absence created no little surprise, and a corresponding amount of speculation. Moko ordered a thorough and immediate search. “Keihea rate kuri e kimihia kau ia nei (Wherever can the dog be, so vainly searched for) ? While this was being prosecuted Moko consulted his Tohunga, whp recommended that the refugees be assembled in the courtyard for the purpose of question and examination. This course was adopted, and the sun shone upon the proceedings, casting rays of warmth and brightness upon innocent and guilty with equal it was at this interesting point that one of our women announced that a small residue of the missing but now defunct animal had been reserved by her husband for future processes of digestion, and at that particular, moment was carefully secreted beneath his pillow! This narrative is now concluded. The Ataukuku fell upon them and slew them to a man. Of the seventy who for a few brief days had been classed as survivors from the fated eeling expedition, and entertained with the most affectionate regard and sumptuous hospitality, not one was now spared. Hence was the Araukuku Pa called Kaikai (stolen food), and hence a feud exists between these branches of our tribe to this day. “Toona taonga a tena o mau—he kuri (Such was the estimation in which a dog was formerly held).”