The Rev. Thos. Buddle on "The Aborigines of New Zealand." (Continued from our last.)

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 533, 24 May 1851, Page 3

The Rev. Thos. Buddle on " The Aborigines of New Zealand." (Continued from our last.)

Cannibalism of the New Zealanders. The practice of Cannibalism among the New Zealanders was connected with their wars. They have obtained au unenviable distinction for this revolting custom. The subject has, however, been greatly exaggerated. They have been represented as man-eaters from sheer love of human flesh, and the most affecting pictures have been drawn of the cannibal feast It has been described as the greatest delicacy with which visitors of rank could be regaled. I am fully satisfied that such accounts are beyond the truth. The New Zealander never ate human flesh because he preferred it as an article of food ; nor did he kill his slaves to make a feast for visitors, but invariably to gratify revenge. Piisoners of war alone were the victims, and revenge the principal feeling. Perhaps it was connected with the idea, that to eat the flesh of a warrior would imbue them with his valour and bravery. So far as I have been able to learn, revenge has been the"principal ciuse among the Polynesians generally. Sometimes famine may have driven them to it ; but even in Feejee, at present, so notorious for its anthropophagism, I am told that to gratify revengeful feeling is the principal cause. This horrible custom very probably had its origin in their mythology, which led them to suppose that the spirits of the dead were eaten by the deoaoni,— that the spiritual part of their offerings wa« eaten by the god to whom it was presented. In lome islands, Kllis 'ays, " Man-eater was an epithet of the principal deity," and that " it was probably in connection with this, that the king, who often represented the deity, appeared to eat the human eye." Tradition among the New Zealanders, says that it origrintted with the demi-gods. " Rongo," god of the kumera, " Tane," god of trees and birdi, »• Tonga" roa," god of trie sea and of fiin, " Haumea" god of fern-root, and " Tv," god of war, were all brothers. Tv eat them all. This wn» the commencement among the pods. Among men it was begun at Hawaiiki, by Manaia, who killed and eat an adulterer, in detestation of his crime. Jarvei says, "U was not uncommon for the Sandwich lolanden to indulge in the horrible custom after the close of battle in early times ; and in later days it was confined to certain, robber chieftains who infested mountain paths and receises of foresti, from which they tallied forth, slaying, plundering, and gorging like vultures on the flesh of their victims." The New Zealander h*s an idea there are some such beings on the mountains, whom they call Paraus; and though you never meet with one who has seen them, yet they aie in great dread of them when travelling alone. D ffereut tribes have their own tradition on the origin of the custom. Al Waikato they say that Malunga, the father of the Ngatimuhanga, inhabiting Waingaro*. wai the first to eat men in thiir district. He lived in the fourth generation descended from Hoturoa, the emigrant from Hawaiiki. Hoturoa had a hon called Tama-la ie-maranffai. The latter h-ul a «on called Tuhetiai andTuhetia had a sou caled Makanga. Tuhetia went out to sea to fish with his brothtr-in law, Tahinga. When they had nearly filled the cauoe, Tuhetia desired Tahinga to get up the ■tone used as an anchor, but Tahinga beiDg envious of the popularity of Tuhetia, who was a very general favourite, and could have kai any where, had plotted his death, and pretending to draw up tho stone, laid he

could not. " Cut the rope," said Tuhetia. " T hare no mukoi" (shell), said Tahinga. " Dive for it," said Tuhetia. «• 1 can't hold brenth long enough," sail the other. Od this Tuhetia went into the sea himself, and Tdiiuga instantly cut the cable, and pulled away. When Tuhetia came up the canoe was gone. He called, and Tahin£« replied by throwing; bis clothes and fish into the sea, saying, '■ That is all the canoe you will have." When he reached the shore, Tuhetia's wife asked where his fiiend was. He laid he went alone; but at daybreak next morning she saw her husband rise out of the tea in the form of a taniwha, and was then assured he had been drowned by Tahioga. Tahinga had a son named Kokaho } who lived at Waikato heads. And when Mahanga grew up, having enquired who was his father, and what became of him, and bein<? told that Tahinga killed him, he made war on Tahinga's •on, and killed and eat him from revenge for the death of his father. Any details on this subject would be too revolting ; but I may remark that great insult was offered, and great indignities practised on the bodies of their enemies, They would often torture the victim, heat the oven, and throw him alive on the hot stones, and tear his flesh with the cannibal knife, Taatini. The skull was used as a drinking cup ; the teeth hung to their ears ; their bones made into forks ; and some into needle*, with which to sow dogskin mats. These mati were valued the more for being sewed by the bones of their enemies. The collar bone made a frame for a bird Biiare ; and rings for the legs of decoy parrots were made out of the lee bones. Topeora'i cutse» which we have just read, refers to some of these customs. This ia a dark portion of their histcry, but it could not be passed over, A brigh'er day, thank God, ha 3 dawned ; and now they are ashamed of those things that ware done in darkness. To name the custom is sufficient to raise the blush pf shame, and cause the New Zealander to turn away in disgust at the inhumanity of his former deedB. The last authentic account of cannibalism was the case at Tauranga, in 1842 or 1843, by Taraia. I trust the last in the history of the country. Taraia will never be envied the dis'inction of having completed this list of those who indulged in the horrid custom. Perhaps it would be just to say, that the New Zenlander ha i not been alone in this practice. It has prevailed among many other na'ions. Humboldt, in 1m work on South America, gives an account of the introduction of the custom among the Mexicans. Southey's notices of the same country contain the most revolting details— much worse than New Zealand ever furnished. Cortez, in some of his desp itches during the Spanish war in America, speaks of the prevalence of the custom; and Bemal Diaz, one of his soldieia, confirms it. The most extraordinary instance known to I exist, is that practiced by the Battas, an extensive and populous nation of Sumatra. These people, though considerably advanced in civilization, according to Sir Stamford Raffles, eat human flesh by law. "It is the universal and itauding law of the Battas, that death by eating shall be inflicted — Ist, for adultery; 2nd, fop midnight robbery ; 3rd, in wara of importance ; 4th, for intermarrying in the same tribe ; sth, for treache» ova attacks on a house, village, or persoa. In all the above cases it is lawful for the victim to be eaten— tied to a stake and cut up alive, and devoured by piece* meal." These accounts make us reflect with mitigated teverity on the practice of the New Zealanders, who had much lets civilization, yet never pursued the custom from love of it, but to gratify revenge.

Preserving the Heads of the Slain. Another custom connected with war was preserving the beads of the slain. These were stuck on poles as trophies. Most nations have their own way of celebrating a victory. It has been customary among all to have some memorials, and the state of society among garages not admitting; of extensive public monuments to preserve the renown of military exploits, the barbarian, victor generally celebrates his triumph qd the bodies of slain enemies, in dikfiguiing which he first exercises ingenuity, then converts it to a permanent trophy of his prowess. David carried the head of Goliath to Jerusalem, and laid it in triumph at the feet of Saul. Herodotus iaya the ancient Scythians were wont to carry the heads of all the slain as a present to the kin?. The Galls hung them round the necks of their horses, and embalmed them, keeping- large collections, which they showed with much exultation to their frieuds. England itself, to a very late period, used to expose the heads of traitors — a relic of barharous times, when it was not considered meau and brutal to carry revenge beyond denth. The New Zealunder had a method of preserving the heads, that left the hair, and teeth, and talon as plain and perfect as when alive; and when diy they would keep for ever. A French writer considers this art a proof of some original connection between the New Zetiander and the ancient world, as the process is as effectjrc as tliat by Trliicli the Egyptian;, prepared their mummies. They frequently used taunting language to these heads — ° What 1 you wanted to run away did you ? My meri overtook you; and after you were cooked you became food for my mouth ! Where it your father ? He is cooked ! And your brother ? He is eaten t Where is your wife ? There she sits a wife for me I And your children ? There they are with loads on their backs, carrying food as my slaves !" Thin their hatred followed their enemies beyond the grave.

Tatooins. The custom of marking the skin called TalOo, in New Zealand, Moko, u one of the most widely diffused practices of sava»e life. It is found with various modifications throughout the Pacific, from New Zealand to the Sandwich Islands, and also among the aboriginal tribes of Africa and America. It appears to hava been in use among the ancients. Hence the Mosaic prohibition, Lev. xix. 28— '• Ye shall not make sny cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you." These were doubtless customs of neighbouring tribes, connected wiih idolatrous worship! Men primed marks upon their flesh in honour of the objeeis they worshipped. Herodotus mentions it at prevailing among the Thracians, who considered that "to be marked with punctures was a sign of noble birth." Others speak of it as tlie practice of the Scythians and Assyrians. All the castes of the Hindoos bear on their foteheads or elsewhere what are called sectarian marks, which distinguish them, both in a civil and religious aspect, from each other. Among the Greeks thes>e marks weie called "stigmata.'* To these St. Paul refers when he says " I bear in my body the marks (stigmata) of the Lord Jesuj." Caesar rcmaiks it as pievailing among the Britons, and Puny says they introduced the juice of the plantain into punctures made in the skin, so as to form a permanent delineation of »<imus objects. Like most other customs amon? the Polynesian!!, tatooing is supposed to have had its origin with the gods. Mr. Ellis gives a tradition about it in the first volume or his Researches, p 262. The New Zealander generally refers tho invention to " Mataora ;'• hence many of their &ongs speak of the "uki Mataora," (the cuisel of Mataora). Mataor* was the inventor ot the ait, and Onctonga the first man Utooed,

It may have originated in a sense of decency iv the tropical Islands, where little or no clothing was used. The Marquesans are i»id to b« tatooed from head to foot. And the New #ea landers my that when their ancestors came from Hawaiiki their legs only were tatooed. , i XT ' ""' It is not a mark of chieftainship among the JNew Zealanders. Many chiefs are without a single line, and many a slave 'ias submitted to the greatest pain to have his plebian face m»de as beautiful as the moko could make it. Nor is their rank denoted, or the tribe indicated, by it. All depends on the taste of the artist, or the directions of the party and his ability to pay the operator. The only reasons they assign for the custom are— lst. It increases their beauty— makes them admired by the ladien, who are not supposed to fall in lote with a plain face ; and 2nd. It secured the pre« aertation of their heads when dend, as an untatooed face was not considered woith preserving. fCTbe operation was performed by a certain clast of Tohungas (priests), who moke it a profession, and go from village to village for the purpose. The process causes great pain. The pcrsou lie* down with his feet against something; for pressure ; the lines are traced with charcoal, and the incisions made with a small chisel struck with a slight mallet, the point being dipped in colouring matter, either of flax root burnt to charcoal, reduced to powder, and mixed with water, or the soot of kahikatea collet ted in their houses. Great inflamation ewmes, so that but little can be done at once. The face is not generally coveted for years, bat one? done it is not possible to erase it. They have a name for every part. While the process is going on the women sing, principally with a view of inspiring tbe sufferer with patience and diverting his tl.oughts. The following is one of the song 5 : :— " We are sitting eating together. "We are'viewing the prints one jetrows And on the nose of Tutetawha. They are crooked a« a lizard's leg. Tatoo him with the point of Mataoraj Be not impatient to go to the girl That gathers you sweet greens In baskets of Kowhara. Let every Vine be traced. The man that has the uiu, Let the figures be handsome ; The man that hai no uiu, Make it crooked, leave it open. Let our son* lull the pain, And inspire thee with fortitude. O Hiki Tangaroa. 0 Hiki, &c." I am sorry I am not able to «ay that it has pasifd away. Many of the young mm of the present generation still desire it, and submit to the pain rather than live and die with what they call a plebian face. But in proportion as Christianity reaches their hearts and civilization spreads, like every other pagan custom it must pass away.

Witchcraft. The belief in Witchcraft was deeply rooted in the mind of the New Zealander. Like most other nations they have had their " kai makutu," i. c , sorcerers, wizards, and witches. Throughout the Pacific, fof eery has been one of Satan's most powerful agencies. It has exerted a fearful influence— stultified the intellect, culled into existence n thousand fears, destroyed mutual confidence, rerpetuated their mentwl and spiritual bondage, and, •> much if not more than any other natite superstition, impeded the progreis of the Gospel. When we remember how very extensively * belief in the existence of witches and in their power over the fates of men has prevailed, even in the civilized nations of Europe, and especially in England, we cannot feel surprised to find it among the New Zealanders, whose mythology brings them into such cloie and constant communication with infernal spirits, and -whose ignorance and superstition make them the easy dupes of designing men. Witchcraft among the New Zealanders belonged to the Priesthood. A certain class of prients, called tangata Mahutu, alone were able to practice the art. The mysteries of their profession, aud the powtr to practice, they handed down from generation to generation. Their children of both sexes were supposed to be initiated. They were employed for pay by parties wishing to avenge some real or supposed insult. They had several causes for which they considered it lawful to bewitch as. " He Kaihau, i c. The payment for a certain article going elsewhere. A man receives a garment for which he promises to give some other article hut violates his promise by sending it elsewhare. This is n great offence. Envy induced it. A man was a favourite 5 had distinguished himself in war ; ti is fame is sung by his friends, and some envious compeer who likes not to be cast into the shade employs a witch to take him away. Squabbles about land, jealousy among rival wives, often led to it. A "Tangata Kaiponu" i.c , a niggardly man, a man close fisted, was greatly dishked andVis niggardliness would often bring the wizards upon him. A degrading addreßs would sometimes be the cause. If I were sitting over the fire, and were to say to one coming to join me, " he ahi tapu," " this j fire is sacred," I should degrade him ; he would feel insulted and resort to the black art for utu. Cursing, too, was another cause aud it was one way of punishing a Thief. , . t „ The following is a Piayer to bewitch thieves. " Thou shalt be held by the power of Rnnutunu I by the power of Kopare, and by the power Whiwhio* tarawe, and thou shall be brought forth and hung upon a tree to dry. Tbou hast now a swelling in thy vitals ; Oh let thy heart think of this !" The process reminds one of the witch-broth in Macbeth, though tbe ingredients differ : They had " No Fillet of. a fenDy snake, No eye of newt, nor toe of frog, No wool of bat, nor tonyue of dog, No adder's fork, nor blind worm's sting, No lizard's leg, nor owlei's wing, No scale of dragon, tooth of wolf, No witches' mummy, man and gulf." The New Zealand wizard collected parings of finger nails, broken shells, human hair, sharp gagged edged stones, old rags, &c. These were wrapt together, and with incantations buried. The evil spirit was invoked 1o send these witches weapons into the bated one and tear and torture till he expired. Wh«n a person is taken ill or dies, the priest is called to ascertain the cause ; the patient sometimes professes to have seen the spirit of someone with whom he was at variance, standing by his bed, whom he concluded to be the witch. WUeu dead, the priest, who is supposed to be gifted wiih second sight, pretends to make the discovery. He first divines as to the cause, by throwing an arrow. If it stick in the garments of the corpie, which they dress up for the occasion, it was a natural death ; but if it pierce the forehead, it was the work of a witch or wizard, and sometimes the " Matakite" pretends to see the guilty one bending over the corpße. Sometimes he performs his incantations by the water side, and brings up the spirit of the person who has been guilty of the sin, crying out— such an one lUndt before us. Patu him :— when they all rush to the water and strike. But like Eneas in his path to the shades, they lift their weapons against a foe too Uriel to be wounded.

If the person fixed upon be a person of no rank, he was often despatched without much ceremony. I bate known the mo»t revolting circumstances in connection with these superstitions. When I lived on the Waipa, a man near the Mission Station had lost two or three children, and the men gifted with second light had hxed on his own mother-in-law as the witch who had cauied their death. He one day enticed her away from the Kaiuga, on pretence of looking after his pigs ; and leading her to the side of an old kumera pit, put a noose over her head, strangled her, and threw her into the pit. There I found the corpse about |a week after. The inhuman son-in-law w»s unmoved when the murder was discovered, exulting thatbe had ridded himself of a, pest, and angry when we brought the corpie to make it a coffia aod giro it Christian sepulture. Another man, for the same cavie, had destroyed one of his own wives, »nd we had reason to believe consumed the remains with fire. If the perton was a chief, the cuitom of Pikitoto divination) was resorted to. (To be continued.)