STORY OF LOST MERE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 24 July 1929, Page 3

STORY OF LOST MERE

RELIC OF A GREAT TRIBE ROMANTIC 'I?liCOVI!«Y MAD* DEPOSIT IN MUSKIiM SIiIiOKSTED In the home erf Mr 11. Martin, at llokianga. is a niagnilicenl greenstone. mere, known by the Maoris alleetioiiuteIv as Wainiiri. which for many generations before the coming of the white man In New Zealand was treasured as U battle axe of the Te Aupouri tribe. For many years lost, il was eventually discovered near llaulnru, and, excepting a lew vicissitudes, has remained in the possession of various branches of the tribe ever since. The story of its recovery and subsequent wanderings is related in ilu- following words by Mrs Mona lined, of Auckland, a 'direct descendant of the Te Aupouri chiefs (says the "Herald). Many general ioi:i-> ago, in the Far North of Auckland, on the west coast, north of llokianga Harbour, were many beautiful hamlets and valleys. Ju these were settled many tribes of Maoris, who had lived happily for generations. A prettier settlement or kianga, than llaulnru was hard to find. Fisll of all descriptions, wild pigs, pigeons and fern roots were the chief foods, and were very plentiful, so'(here was no worrying about their daily bread. llaulnru Valley was beautifully situaled for cultivating purposes and sur rounded on three sides by great mouii tains or lovely native woods. Through litis valley ran a pretty little stream of uhi'l, dear waler. Wu the western side was a natural nutlet leading oiii to u lovely beach of while sand, where childii*ii played all day long. In the kainga lived Ihe Te Aupouri tribe, the descendants of WJiertl, the greatest chief of his day. CHILI) MAKKS A DISCOVERY As the years went by the happy little kainga. was broken up. Families went off to Ihe giiiufields until at last one solitary man was left, in the place with his grand-daughter. W'ene. lie was a descendant of the. great chiefs who had lived and fought for this land for generalions, so he would not leave bis ancestors' home. For - many years be and his granddaughter lived' very happily in the deserted kainga. One day,, on one of their long tramps which they were in the habit of taking, they made a great discovery. W'ene was running ahead of her grandfather gathering wild berries and flowers when they came to some high cliffs and caves. She. climbed up, looking in the nooks and caves, as children do. Suddenly she saw the green end of a stone sticking out from between the crack ill •' rock. She called her grand father Up to see it. When he came tn her he knew that, the long-lost mere, Wainiiri. which was his ancestors' greatest, treasure and pride, was there, before bini. Years ago a great chieftainess bad owned this mere. It was a battle axe of many of lier brave sons and warriors. It had been handed down for generations until the coming of the pakeha to New Zealand. Then one of the sons of the tribe, hicl it so that it would not fall into the hands of one who was not,worthy to handle it. The tradition concerning it, the good luck attached lo it, and the belief that it was hidden somewhere in Haut'iru were well known among the chief descendants. Many had hunted secretly for ii., but no one had succeeded. THE MERE lifIOUGHT TO LIGHT

As the old man grazed at it. lying in its muddy bed, he wept loudly and for long, ami before removing it he said a prayer over it to chase away the powers of darkness. It was a bright, sunny morning, hut just as he took hold of the mere, thunder and lightning commenced, and rain poured in torrents for several minutes. Then all was bright and sunny, again. As he washed and cleaned the mere he sat for hours admiring its. beautiful workmanship, carvel by some dead ancestor. It measured fully two and a-half feet long,, and the handle was beautifully carved. It was made of the best greenstone. News of the finding of the mere Wainiiri soon spread far and wide,- and invitation came for "her' from several tribes, for among these people the mere was looked upon as a ladv of high standing, and was even addressed as such. Her guardian, with his tribe, visited other tribe.", who wished to see "her," and wherever she went she was loaded up with presents of all kinds, which were divided among her Ijearers. Wherever they took her she was accorded greai welcomes and tangis, just as though she were some well-loved perron who had been missing for years. She was passed on to the chiefs of the Te Aupouri, who resided itn the extreme North, and was there for several years. MERE SOLD AND RECOVERED Tn the meantime the old man who had found the mere died, and his younger brother brought il back and became its guardian. The next guardian of Wainiiri sold her secretly for a small sum sn thai iic might atlend the Land Court. This was in 1900 She had I hen been known for a! least ten generations. At Inst, alter a good deal of trouble, the Wainiiri was once more redeemed after i 8 years. Those in more direct line now say, "Send her to the museum, poor Waimiri. Take her out of bondage and give her a place of safety." And what would ho more fitting for anything so beautiful and tapu?"