THE ABORIGINES OF NEW ZEALAND:

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume 3, Issue 69, 14 August 1851, Page 3

THE ABORIGINES OF NEW ZEALAND:

Two Lectures delivered by the Rev. Thos. UNKNOWN Wesleyan Minister, at the Auckland Mechanics' Institute, on the evenings of the 25th March, and 12th May, 1851. LECTURE I. The subject of the present lecture is one of deep interest. I could wish it were in the hands of tome one belter qualified to deal with it. 1 confess I greatly feel my inability to do it anything like justice. To trace the early history of a people is no easy ta;k. In fact we may say in the language of a popular hi<torian, —" The investigation of uncie.il history is always difficult. Like the prospect of an extensive landscape, it exhibits, in the exticme distance, objects which nru certainly perceived, hul which cannot be correctly defined. We stand on nn eminence, and, casting our eyes over a wide range of scenery, clearly discern the objects which arise in our immediate vicinity, and can easily form an accurate judgment of their several qualities and relations ; while beyond are seen hills and rivers, forests and fields, losing all their various distinctive colouring in one general haze. So that while sufficient evidence of their existence and general locality is given, it becomes impossible accurately to define their limits, or to ascertain with any precision their respective boundaries.•' So in history, we can survey the progress of iriaiions, and from the present time prosecute bur investigations into distant ages, while the light of authentic records illuminate the scenery. There is, however, a distance beyond which this light fails and gradually fades into dim glimmering of tradition and fable. With reference to these remote eras, absolute certainty is not to be expected, and we must rest satisfied witn a greater or less degree of probability. In reference to the history of tho New Zealanders, no reords of any kind exist. Till Christian missions were established, they had no written language. Great events were sometimes handed down in their carvings; the locality of great battles was well defined, and a hole dug on the spot where a great chief fell:

as you pass over the scene the natives will point out those maiks and detail the principal events of the battle. Some were accustomed to preserve their history by a carved stick, each notcli of which denoted some important event, which the kaumalua (old man) would relate as lie held it in his hand. We are dependent, then, for our information on tradition ; and that, as in the case of other barbarous nations, is so mixed up with fable, that frequently we cannot look for certainty, or indeed go beyond conjecture. On referring to various publications on New Zealand, I find they contain but little that I could make available. And, without appearing to assume the office of critic, or wishing: to make any invidious remarks, I may say I have been surprised to find how little real information they supply on the history of the Aborigines, and how much I hey relate that would not bear investigation. Nor is this fact surprising, since the authors have generally been individuals whose knowledge of the native language lina been very circumscribed, and whose residence among the Natives has been of short duration. One of the best, if not the very bent work in print on New Zealand, is a small volume in the "Library of Entertaining Knowledge," published by the " Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge." It is a compilation from various sources, interwoven with the personal narrative of John Rutherford, who lived among the New Zealanders several years, and seems to have become almost a perfect Maori. It were greatly to be wished that some competent person would take the trouble to collect information on th* origin and early history of these tribes, and place it in a form in which it could be preserved. The time for doing this will soon have gone by. The old men arc fast dying off, and with them the legends and traditions, crntained principally in native tvai7aj(«ongs),willpassaway,and the next generation will know but little about them. The young men of tho present generation know comparatively little of ancient history, and do not understand many of the allu'ions made by old priests and chiefs in their speeches. I have asked for explanation when listening to a kaumatua, and received for reply, Kahore ahau e mohio, he lamariki au net. (I don't know, lam but a child.) Perhaps the best collection of native songs and legends that has been collected is in the possession of Ilia Excellency the Governor. I I hope we shall one day see them in print. ' I have been favoured wild the use of that collection, and am indebted to it for some that I shall employ in the way of illustration.* The subject is quite comprehensive, and it would be impossible to include everything! or even all that might be interesting within the limit, 1 ) of two lectures. It would not indeed he difficult to find matter for a volume or even volumes. To dwell on every subject connected with their customs in war, their government, their social and domestic condition, their mental peculiarities, and their literature, —though unwritten they possess it in the form ol songs and poems,—to dwell at any length on all these subjects would carry theso lectures beyond all reasonable limits. Our duty then will be to select what appears to be most interesting, and best adapted to convey a general, but clear and distinct, view of (he character and habits of these interesting tribes. It is a'so necessary to observe that native custom varies in different districts, and among distinct tribes. Customs that exist among some tribes, have no existence among others. For instance, the custom of killing sl.ives to attend their chiefs to the land of spirits, was common among the Ngapuhi, but was not practised among the Waikatos. Many of their legends 100, differ. It will generally be found that legendary accounts of their origin, and of facts connected with their ancient history,are differently recorded indifferent districts. The ground work is the same. The principal facts in the main agree, but the mythological and fabulous parts often vary. Each tribe has its own tradition. The account, for instance, of the fitst emigration is variously related ; each tribe bus its own ancestor. Hoturoa was the father of the Waikato tribes. The Northern tribes had others, Itarawa and Ngapuhi; Turi was the ancestor of the Taranaki tribes, and Whakue of the Rotorua, &c. All agree in one particular,- that four canoes came from Hawaiki. It is very probable that the emigrants lauded at different |.luces, and became the progenitors of the different tribes who speak of them as the first men. Each tribe haa its own gods, ancestors, and regulations about tapu. I remark on these differences, lest any of my hearers should conclude that facts which have met their own observation contradict some things advanced. If it be remembered how distinctly their territorial divisions are marked, how independent each tribe is of

every oilier, what liu'e intercourse was held I ininr to the introduction of cluistianity, except for purposes of war ; il will not excite surprise that some custom* brought from the original country should he lost, anil others adopted just as'cheumsianccs suggested, or rendered, them necessary. Nor should any difference of nns'om lend to tl.e conclusion that thev are dilFercut races. The "first topic to which our ,1 tenlion is directed U. The Origin of tiik New Zkai.andeks. Mere a multitude of interesting questions meet us. Whence came they? when did the first emigration take place ? What were their mimbeis? Mow wcie thev conveyed hither? Were ilu-y b'iriic nlong involui Urily, hy the breath of storm, or did they emigrate ? These and similar queries, can . nly he answered hy referring to their own traditions. Native tradition "says their forefather's came from Hawaiki, a name which allowance far diirerenrc in dialect— is identified hv its orthography with lla»;ii of the Sandwich Is ands * 'i'lic trao'ilioii is rinious Hoturoa vra* the man who originated the cclony. Ho lesulvcd to It.ive Hawaiki and go hi search of nn island on which to live. For what ica-on, whether in consequence of crowded population, or quarrel, or intp'ly from love of adventure, is not gLiled. Hip first thing was to provide canoes. Trees were cnldoivn and they « Pn t In woik. lie had a brother-in-law called Rakataura, who was an idle fellow and would only sit by thu workmen nod help in consume the kai (food). He contrived to krep himself covered with dust mid to have, a few chips stickinu to his garment, that the conks might think he was at work, and allow him to sliaru the food. His lazy habits vexed Hoturoa, and he strangled Ra kataura's son, and buried him among the chips. The father sought the lad in «mm, till the rorpse began to pntrify, and the offensive smell discovered their hiding place. This led to a serious quarrel, and Hoturoa determined that Rakataura should not accompany them on their expedition. The canoe', four in number, were finished. Two were war canoe.", called Te Arawa and M.itaiuu. The others were common ones, called Tainui and Kurawhaupo. They had son-.e difficulty in dragging them In the water, and feared there had tieen some offence given to the gods, who would not sufler lite canoes to move. They rectified this, and iang> — We have cut oft" the root, and liere we lesvo it; Wc have cut oflftlie branch, nnil here we leave it. The Sacred Oven shall certninly move it now, Our oltVrinjr had not readied iho priests, N6r die gods, nor their disciples. The canoes are launched, and they set sail in the night. When the day dawned, they found themselves at the plac? whence they started. At night they siihd again, and ngain, with the break of day. loun I themselves driven back. Hoturoa lay down to sleep, and bad a vition. The spirit of his father appeared to him, and told him f'at he had not taken his bones with him, and for this ro sou they were driven linek. He nt once exhumed what renamed of his father and again embarked. Itakataura was a sort of mysterious being, who could live <>n land or water, and, finding th-y were gone, followed in the sea, keeping near the canoe-, so that he could heir all that wag goi g on. At scathe canoes separated. The two war cino'S coming along tin; eastern coast, ati'l the ollms along the western. 11.-tinea and hi< puny determined to land ut Aotei ; but Uakainuia hastened on shore, and contrived to make a great noiso resembling n multitude of voices, so that, as the canoes tieared the land, lloiuron said '• That laud is full of people, wc must go further." Again ihey put to sea, and made several a'tempts to land, liul were scared by Knkatiura makinu a great imisc. At length they got round to the eaft toist, and 1 ended ut llaur.ki, were Kukalaura ins anily diicd up the river, that they should not leave. Here they remained nb'iut a month, and having consumed nearly oil their kumeras, went in quest of food, and while getting the iiiih of tli» palm tree, were blinder by dust from the h-iivo, mid could not find their way back. Fiicnd-i went in s".t!ch of them. mW the finest resounded with tills, Keilien k- utou? (W'l'e'e nr.: yon >) The Kiwi(i liird) replied, crying Jloie. At length all mustered, and Ifakataiiri, feeing ih.ir distress begun to softn, ami brong it hack the water,. They sailed round iho N' r h Cape and along the Western Coast

till they cnme again lo Aot-a,* and one of ihem going on shoie saw a bird. He returned saying 'J'u l'ai ole langala ole tohcnua, nei Lahore e noho ki >aro tutakalulaka ! (What beautiful creatures they nre here ! They never sit on the earth, but fly about saying tutakatutnka !) They sailed lo Kawhia, where they took up their abode. Waknotiranjii, the wife of Mofuro.i, hid saved a few kumcras io the bottom of n kete, which they planted, in 'soil brought from their native laud. The settlement titer named llnw.-nki. whieh is the nimic of ihnl place to this day. This tradition then, stripped of a'l that is fabulous, replies to most of our questions. They ennte from llaivaiki. As to da'e,—we hove no means of ascertaining that. As to numbers,—there were four Cannes, with Ilotuiou at ilieir head. As to whether it was chai.ee or voluntary emigration,—it appears they purnos-ly emigrated. The leading facts are cl. arly defined, ami the fabulous parts may be thrown aside. That their origin was one with the Copper Coloured Tribes scattered over a great portion of the Southern Pacific tin-re can be no question. Tin re is a community of form, feature, language, of manners and customs, that identify the New Zealander with those t lilies. Tli.it the Islands of the Pacific are peopled by two distinct races is clearly indicated by a tuaiked dill'ertnce in physical conformation, eolour anil language. The one is considered to be a Negro or African race, the other Asiatic or Malayan. The one is distiiuuished by a larte frame, black skin, and crisp hair; these inhabit what is called Western Polynesia, including New Holland, New Guinea, New Biitain, New Caledonia, New Hebrides, ond the I'Vcjee?. The oilier has a frame well moulded ; the hair fine and glossy ; the skin copper coloured ; mid the countenance partaking strongly of the Malay. These occupy Kasteru Polynesia, including the Sandwich, the Sl.irqiiesaii, the Pauinotn, the Tahitian and Society, the Austral, the llervey, the Navigaiors, the Friendly Islands, and New Zealand, with smaller Islands in th< ir respective localities. Dr. Pritcliard, in his very learned wo.k on the "Natural History of Alan,"' seems to fuvour the id* a that the Polynesians are out one race, though they may not display the same physical appearance. The physical dif Terences lie would fll'ribti'e to the " spontaneous variations which display themselves in tribes of people who have inhabited from immemorial ages dillerent climates and have existed in nianv respects under dillerent physi< al conditions " It might appear presumption in ine to controvert the opinion ol such a writer as Dr. Pritcliard, lint the evidences against the Doctor nre so conclusive, I »m compelled to believe that two races inhabit Polyncin. To say nothing about physical differences, their languages are totally different, having nothing in common. Mr. Rllis speaks of one of the Islands lar to the westward, where both these tribes exist, yet lera.iin disii-ici—the Negroes dwelling in the interior, mid among the mountain ia>tue«ses; those of fair co uplexion form set lenient* along the shore. Is it not possible die lighter race inav have drifted t» the island, and driven the aborigines biiek ? He thinks the Tougaus are a mixed race. Some think there are two r.ic's in New Xealaul, and conclude that the darker coloured and negro featured were nn aboriginal race, and the oilier emigrants. But I doubt this. Is it not probable, iveie such the fait, mat some iradhion of it would exist? liut we m-vcr hear that the first emigrant* fiom Hawaiki found the land inhabited ; and, on the oilier hand, them is no tribe claiming to be aboriginal, n r any having a tradition to the effect that such a colony once reached them. If such ha I been the fact, is it not probable, ion, that some traces of an original language would have remained ! Nor does it appear to me that the physical dill'ercnci's are greater than arc seen in every country between dillerent classes of people j between the well-fed luxurious iil'cr, on ihc one hand, and the half-starved, ill-clad, labouring man on the other. We find many instances of blunted form", dark complexion, rather a negro cast of countenance, but no instance of what could bo termed frizzled or woolly hair. Willi tile c >pper coloured Polynesians the New Zealmi'Jcr is identi'ied, not only by physical confirmation, but by his Language. It is well ascertained that one common language prevails, <:oni|iiising a multitude of dialects, but all reducible lo one ladieal tongue; and indeed so familiar, as to enable the Nat.ve* of <li.-t.mt Islm Is to uii.lersiund each other to a consitleiable extent, and soon to converse wiih freedom. ,

* Since the above was delivered I have scon a portion of a work containing n valuable collection of imtivo songs and lege nils by Sir (Jeoiige Giiey, winch he is now conducting through tlio press, and which will preserve the early history of these tribes, and assist research on the subject.

• The name is also identified with Siraii of the Navigators group; and as this group is comparatively near to Sew Zealand, the voyage thence to ldbulla would present no very formidable uiiilcrtiikiug. May not then the first immigrants have started from Savaii or lliu Navigator*, insUad ol Hawaii of the Sandwich Inlands, oh is cnmmoidy supposed ? Thii con* elusion would set aside the objection generally raised nguust a Sandwich Island origin, because of the difficulty of making so long a voyage in nitiw lm.iom, TJi<j H-'V. Mr. McDonald, with whom I have con* versed on the subject, after comparing thu languages, t -u«ior;i4, nnd habit a of the inhabitants, and considering the continuity of the islands, scents fully per<i:.idi.-:l that the llawaiki ol the New Zealander is the Sav-.iii ui the Navigators.

• Oilier traditions say lln-y ilnijjseil llii'ir canoes Tcr.is< i'io |K'r(.i%-<! tit Otalinliu froni liie T.im.'iki to the Miiiiuknu waters'.