ORIGIN OF THE MAORI.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2157, 31 July 1920, Page 1

ORIGIN OF THE MAORI.

THE LEGEND OP HAWAIKI. .HAWAII THEORY REVIEWED.. NEW REPUTED EVIDENCE. Statements by two writers in regard to an alleged discovery of strong evidence in support of the theory that the traditional “Hawaiki,” from which the original Maoris of New Zealand are supposed to have sprung, is identical with Haway, are published by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, in its issue of June sth. A party of Maoris is now visiting Honolulu in connection with the work of the New Zealand Mission of the Mormon Church, and coulirmation of the tradition that the Maoris descended from the early inhabitants of Hawaii is asserted to be an interesting outcome of the visit. The language used by the Maoris is stated to be strangely like that of the Hawaiians. Several woi’ds arc identical, and in many words the only difference is one letter, the word love, for instance, being Aroha in Maori, and Aloha in tho Hawaiian tongue. Since the arrival in Honolulu of theqmrty of Maoris it has been discovered, according to one of the writer’s, that two of the visitors, Mr Wiremu Duncan, of Dannevirke, and Mr Wiremu Karaka, of Tokomaru Bay, are able to trace their pedigrees back, on different lines, to Kaitangata (Aiganaka), the father of Puna and Hema, from whom also Farnander’s genealogical table demonstrates the descent of Kamehameha 1. A tradition of the Hawaiians is that Hema left and went to Tahiti, from which island he did not return to Hawaii. A genealogical table of the Maoris shows that the same Hema went from Tahiti to New Zealand, and there established his colony, ancestors of the Maori race. The following is an extract from the Forandcr pedigree of Kamehameha : 1. Aikanaka, father of the two following;— 2. Puna (male). 3. Hema (male). 4. Kahai, son of Hema, 5. Wahicloa, son of Kahai. (i. Luka, son of Wahicloa, from whose family line Kamchameha descended. A similar extract from the pedigree of Mr Wiremu Karaka is as follows: — 1. Kaitangata, same as Aikanaka. 2. Puna. 3. Hema. 4. Tawhaki, same as Kahai. 5. Wahieroa, same as Wahicloa. G. Kata, same as Laka. In the Maori tongue the Hawaiian “L” is “R,” and ‘Tv” is “T.” which accounts for the difference in spelling of the names given above. Mr Wiremu Duncan’s pedigree shows: — 1. Kaitangata, father of the three following: 2. Puna. 3. Hema. 4. Hapairangi (woman), from whom Mr Duncan states that he has 'descended, as evidenced by an unbroken genealogical table in his possession. SIMILARITY OF WORDS. Tho following is a list of words which show similarity between the Hawaiian and Maori languages; —• English. Hawaiian. Maori. Love Aloha Aroha Father Makua Matua God Akua Atua Heart Naan Ngakau Man Kanaka Tangata Woman Wahine Wahinc Mouth Waha Waha Nose Ihu Ihu Foot Wawae Waewae Face Maka Mata Head Poo Upoko Stomach Opu Kopu Sea Moana Moana Heavens Lain Rangi Above Luna Runga Come here Helemai Haere mai Outside Iwaho Kiwaho Give here Ho mai Ho mai Water Wai Wai Hawaii Hawaii Hawaiki