THE ABORIGINES OF NEW ZEALAND.

Lyttelton Times, Volume I, Issue 18, 10 May 1851, Page 6

THE ABORIGINES OF NEW ZEALAND.

Early in the last month, the Bey. T. Buddie delivered a Lecture on the above subject in the Hall of the Mechanics Institute, Auckland, which lecture was in part transferred to the columns of the " New Zealander." As we think the subject likely to prove interesting to many of our readers, we shall extract from the report in that Journal.

After adverting to the scarcity of information in the popular books'on New Zealand, on the habits and manners of the Native Inhabitants, and shewing the necessity for accurate and competent research before the present generation should pass away ; the lecturer entered upon his principal topic, The Origin op the New Zealanders. Native tradition says their forefathers came from Hawaiki, a name which is identified by its orthography with Hawaii of the Sandwich Islands, making allowance for difference in dialect. That their origin was one with the Copper Coloured Tribes scattered over a great portion of the Southern Pacific, there can be no question. There is a community of form, feature, and language, of manners and customs, that identify the New Zealander with those tribes.

That the Islands of the Pacific are peopled by tsvo distinct races is clearly indicated by a marked difference in physical confirmation, colour, and language. The one is considered to be a Negro or African race, the other Asiatic or Malayan. The one is distinguished by a large frame, black skin, and crisp hair ; these inhabit what is called Western Polynesia, including New Holland, New Guinea, New Britain, New Caledonia, New Hebrides and the Fejees. The other has a frame well moulded ; the hair fine and glossy ; the skin copper coloured ; and the countenance partaking strongly of the cast of the Malay. These occupy Eastern Polynesia, including the Sandwich," the Marquesan, the ' Paumotu, the Tahitian and Society, the Austral, the Hevvey, the Navigators, the" Friendly Islands, and New Zealand, with smaller Islands in their respective localities. Some think there are two races in New Zealand, and conclude the darker coloured and negro featured were an aboriginal race, and the

others emigrants. But I doubt this. Is it not probable, were such the fact, that some tradition of it would exist? But we never hear that the i first emigrants from Ha*aiki found the land inu habited; and, on the other hand, there is no \ tradition among any, professing to be the original occupiers, to the effect that such a colony once reached them. If Such had been the fact, is it not probable, too, that some traces of an original language would have remained ? Nor does it appear to me that the physical differences are greater than are seen in every country between different classes of people:—between the well-fed luxurious idler, on the one hand, and the half-starved, ill-clad, labouring man on the ...Other. We find many instances of stunted form, dark complexion, rather a negro cast of countenance, but no instance of what could be termed frizzled or woolly hair. With the copper-coloured Polynesians the New Zealander is identified, not only by physical conformation, but by His Language. It is well ascertained that one common language prevails, comprising a multitude of dialects, but all reducible to one radical tongue; and indeed so familiar, as to enable the Natives of distant Islands to understand each other to a considerable extent, and soon to converse with freedom. The great resemblance of language is fully described by one of our missionaries. I may here quote a few specimens. « 5 w cj tf A T3 3 S & g S 8 & S S W Fq H W H t« i=s N Three Tolu Tolu Tolu Tolu Torn Six Ono Ono Ono Ono One ■ Ono Fish Ika Ika Ika Ika Ika Dead Mate Mate Mate Mate Mate Mate Mate Water Wai Vai Wai Vai Vai Via Wai House Vale Fale Hale Fale Fale Ware They have also the same Gods. Each Island may have gods not known in the other Islands, but the principal gods seem common to all. "Ma we" seems universally known. At Tonga he is known as the god that supports the earth, and is the cause of earthquakes; at the Navi-g-itors, as the cause of earthquakes ; at Tahiti, the same ; here, he is the god that fished the island out of the sea. Another god, generally known as "Tiki," called "Tii" among the Tahitians, who, with ". Opiira," were the parents of the human race, and resided in the Po, or world of night. At Rarotonga, Tiki was the name of the first man, who was supposed, after death, to have received dominion over the region of departed spirits. And in New Zealand Tiki was the creator of man. The word Tiki in Nukuhivan, and Tii in Hawaiian signify an image, and " Heitiki" signifies the xtgly image that the New Zealanders suspend to their necks, "Tangaroa" is another name in Polynesian mythology, genejally known. He was the principal god of the Tahitians ; a being, according to Mr. Ellis, who was uncreated, existed from the beginning, or from the time he emerged from the Po, or world of darkness. At Samoa his name was " Tangal oa t- langi"—heavenly Tangaloa. At the Friendly Isles Tangaloa resides in the sky; sends forth thunder and lightning; is god of the carpenters, and of all foreigners. At Hawaii his name is "Tanaro ;" and here " Tangaroa." Among the New Zealanders he is the god that reveals secrets. Tangaroa piri ivhare. He sits |by the side of their houses, hears all their korero (conversation), then carries it to whom it may concern. It is not improbable that he was the original god of the Polynesians ; —perhaps before they inhabited these islands at all. The existence of these names strongly in- "* dicates common origin. The similarity, too, of-many of their customs, particularly the universal prevalence of lapu, all support the fact of the common origin of these tribes. The next question that arises is, Whence originated the whole ? to what great family of the human race do they owe their origin ? whence came they to people the islands of these seas ? Some incline to the opinion that their origin was Mexican ; others that it was Malayan. For the latter the evidences are most conclusive. In tracing the origin of the copper-coloured Polynesians," says Mr. Williams, " I find no difficulty." At page 504 of his Missionary Enterprises, we read thus— " Their physical conformation, their general character, and their Malay countenance, furnish, I

think, indubitable evidence of their Asiatic origin. But to these proofs must be added the near affinity between the caste of India and the tabu of the South Sea Isles; —the similarity of the opinions which prevailed respecting women, and the treatment they received in Polynesia and Bengal, more especially the common practice of forbidding them to eat certain kinds of food, or to partake of any in the presence of the men ;—the inhuman conduct to the sick ;—the immolation of the wives at the fune ral of their husbands ;_and a great number of games and usages. These I think are clear indications of the Asiatic origin of this people." The correspondence between the languages is especially adduced as most decisive evidence on the subject. Mr. Williams says, " the identity is very remarkable in the speech of the New Zealanders, Raratongans, and others, who introduced the nasal sound of the hard consonants." The Malay numerals are used with scarcely any variation, and several words are precisely the same, or, with a little difference in orthography, have sprung from the same root. The existence of many Jewish customs furnishes collateral evidence of their Asiatic origin, which might lead to the conclusion, that either they are descendants of Abraham, or of some race that dwelt contiguous to the Hebrews, and mixed with and adopted many of their customs. I speak more particularly of the New Zealanders, with whose customs I am best acquainted. As among the Hebrews the mother was tapu for a season after childbirth, so it is among the New Zealanders. She was not allowed to feed herself or engage in any kind of work."" Some sacred person was engaged to attend her; and that person had to be fed by another ; his hands were not permitted to touch any kind of food ; and no common person was allowed to approach. The Eastern custom of betrothing, too, is prevalent here to this day. Daughters are frequently betrothed from their birth, and the persons to whom they are promised, never forget the claim thus given them. Any breach on the part of the girl's friends, has often created a war. The Mosaic law on the subject of a brother taking to wife a deceased brother's widow, is a regulation in force among the New Zealanders, the nearest kinsman can claim the widow as his right. Among the Hebrews—he who came nigh a corpse was considered unclean, and had certain ablutions to perform before he could come into the congregation,—so among the New Zealanders. He who touches a corpse is tapu ; — cannot feed himself, nor do any kind of common work till the tapu is removed. I have seen such an one sitting with his hands behind him being fed by another. The Jewish custom in reference to first-fruits finds also a similar rite among the New Zealauders. The kumera harvest was a sacred season, all were tapu, and the first kumeras taken from the ground were sacred to the gods, to whom they were offered with great solemnity. Mr. Ellis tells us that a similar practice prevailed among the Tahitians. The first fish caught, the first fruits of orchards and gardens, were also given to the gods, as it was supposed that death would be inflicted on the owner or occupant of the land, if "the god did not receive such acknowledgment. These corresponding customs are at least striking indications of Asiatic origin; and, Mr. Williams has clearly shown how easy it would be to emigrate from the Malay coast to any of these Islands. Though their vessels might be frail, and their knowledge of navigation very imperfect, the islands are so numerous, and distances are so short, that they might pass from island to island without difficulty—people the nearest first, and gradually spread over the Archipelago. A reference to the map, or to Mr. Williams' " Enterprises," will show how easily canoes starting from the Malay coast or Sumatra could reach these islands. In his " Enterprises," p. 507, he says:— " Suppose that the progenitors of the present islanders had started from the Malay coast or Sumatra, what would have been their route ? By sailing five degrees, or three hundred*miles, they would reach Borneo; then, by crossing the Straits of Macassar, which are only about two hundred miles wide, they would arrive at the Celebes. These are eight degrees from New Guinea, but' the large islands of Bessey and Ceram intervene. The distance from New Guinea to the New. Hebrides is twelve hundred miles; but the islands between them are so

numerous, that the voyage may be made by short and easy stages. Five hundred miles from the New Hebrides are the Fiji's ; and about three hundred miles farther on, the Friendly Islands. Another stage of five hundred miles brings you to the Navigators; but between these two points, three other groups intervene. From the Navigators to the Ilervey Islands, the distance is about seven hundred miles, and from thence to the Society group about four hundred more. Thus, I think, every, difficulty vanishes ; for the longest stage, in the voyage from Sumatra to Tahiti, would be from the Navigators to the Hervey group, seven hundred miles; and the Rarotongans themselves say that their progenitor, Karika, came from thence. " The two opposite points have yet to be reached; —the Sandwich Islands and New Zealand. The former are about two thousand five hundred miles north of Tahiti; but the passage, if made hy way of the Marquesas, would not be difficult, because the distance would thus be dimished from six to eight hundred miles, and the voyagers taken so much to the eastward, that they would be wafted, with great velocity, before the prevailing trade wind." Mr. Ellis seems to favour the notion that the islanders came from America, and similarity of language and customs, indicates that the Malays, Polynesians, and North Americans were formerly the same people, and had one common origin. It is said that the carvings of the New Zealanders present a striking analogy to the architectural ornaments of the Mexicans: the kumera too, is indigenous there. lam inclined to think that the emigration was from the contrary direction, and that America was probably peopled from Asia by way of the Pacific—the way of which is interspersed with numerous islands, making the passage easy from Northern Asia to America. " The Continent of Asia," says Javes in his History of the Sandwich Islands, " from the numerous intervening islands, affords more facilities for reaching Polynesia in this manner than America, though stragglers from the latter have doubtless from time to time added to the population, and thus created a mixture of customs which to some extent indicate an origin from both. The probabilities are greatly in favour of Asia." Baron Humboldt, too, the celebrated traveller, favours this idea. And here we must take leave of this part of our subject; the point we have endeavoured to establish is, that the New Zealanders have had a common origin with the rest of the coppercoloured tribes of Polynesia, and that their origin is Asiatic.