THE FISHING OF MAUI.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume I, Issue 7, 1 August 1855, Page 13

THE FISHING OF MAUI.

Mauirangawhenua was the ancestor: his son wss Taranga, whose children were Mauimua, Mauiroto, Mauitaha, Mauitikitikioterangi, the youngest,—Haruikura, a girl. Taranga lived under the surface of the ground, but his wife dwelt above ; this was at Hawaiki. When the sun had set, and it was quite dark. Taranga made his appearance from underground to sleep with his wife. This he did for two or more nights, but still Maui could not discover the path by which his father ascended ; for he always returned the same night, lest the passage by which he descended night be known. So Maui went to the house where he slept and hid his belt and girdle, that he might obtain some clue to his path in the morning. He was a troublesome sou,and wished to discover his father's secret. So he took the old man's tilings, carried them away, and hid them. When the morning dawned, Taranga looked in vain for the things, but could not find them ; even though it was daylight, he could not find them. Then Maui showed him where they were, saying, "Here, old man, here are your things." Taranga immediately disappeared by his secret passage, while Maui stealthily crept after him, aud thus discovered it. When he had passed out of sight, Maui went on and opened the door of the hut, and when he looked in, he saw tnem sitting at work inside, with a fire burning. He advanced boldly, and fouud that the laborers were just"returning from their work : they came home, but left their tools in the field. So he sat down amongst the crops and commenced a karakia. The cry was raised. * There is a man among our crops.' When he noticed the fire was burn* ing, he beat it down, and put it out till only the little finger remained alight; this he thrust into the kaikomako, (this is the reason why there is fire in that tree.) Having done that, he looked and saw Hinenuitepo sitting in the house : that was how he came to recollect the site of the house. So he returned to his own country, to Hawaiki. On his arrival there, he found that his grandfather Murirangawhenua had died during his absence. When his elder brothers went out to fish in their canoe, Nukutaimemeha, they ate of the sacred food, but gave none to their younger brother. He sat very quietly and arranged his plans ; then took the jawbone of his grandfather, Murirangawhenua, cut it up, and fitted

it to a piece of wood, nicely carved, till it re" sembled a paua. He waited patiently till night earae ; he thought, andwaited till the morning ; and just before daylight he bid himself in the bpws of their canoe. The owners, little think ing he was there, launched her and paddled out to sea. Then only did the young man show himself; and when his brothers saw him they were annoyed, and threatened to pull ashoreBut he said, 'Sirs, are you willing that I should remain to bale our canoe.' So they let him stay. They then dropped the anchor, and when it touched the ground, the elder brothers commenced fishing, aud being very successful soon filled the canoe. Then Maui produced his hook, baited it, and cast it into the sea. It soon caught something ; he pulled and pulled until the canoe lay dry upon the back of the fish. His brothers shouted to him 'Maui! Maui, let it go, let so ! But he replied," No ; let mine be brought to the surface." When it appeared, they beat it with their paddles ; and the cuttings and slicing? are the islands which stand in the sea. This couDtry is tho body of the fish ; and the choping they gave it caused the hills, the vallies, and the mountains. The place where the hook caught was the widow of Huienuitepo's house ; that is why we have water. If it had caught the groundsill of the door, all would haye been dry : there would have been no ocean the float the ships, nor for the canoes to have come from afar. The head of the fish is Port Nichol son ; Whanganui-a-tara and VV'airarapa are the eyes ; llimurapa is one jaw ; the Taurarua range passing on to Ruahine, Taupiri, and so onto Ngapuhi, is the back-bo.ue ; Muriwhenua is the tail ; the fins, te Mahia or Turanga on one side, aud Taranaki on the other ; Tongariro auci Taranaki. (that is the spot where Taranaki formerly stood,) is the navel.

Auckland, August 11, 1855. Friends, Chiefs of the Waikato, Salutation to you. When I arrived in town, having come up for the purpose of selling some of my lands to the Government, I was informed that letters had been received by you requesting that you would collect a sum of money to enable to repay the Europeans for some of the lands which they had purchased from me; and also advising you to refrain from selling your lands. My friends, let me assure you that I was not the writer of it. Do not pay any attention to

that falsehood because it was not written by me. Now this is my practice: to dispose of my wast e land* to the Europeans, because there is no profit to be derived from them; and let them be occupied by Europeans, that we may enjoy the advantages of their living among us. Other tribes may hold a different opinion j other men may think differently ; but I will ever manifest good feeling towards the Europeans, from whom we derive so much good. Again, I will be careful to retain some good reserves out of the blocks sold to the Europeans. It will be impossible for me ever to cultivate all the land I possess, to obtain food for myself and my people; therefore I will sell the overplus to the Europeans. Now my friends, Chiefs of the Waikato, I think that it is very likely the ietter was written by t.e Heuheu. If so, let him hold his own opinion, but do charge me with it. Surely I may do tthat I think proper with my own lands. From te Hapuku, the Great Fish of Hawke's Bay.