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

Tub Faiuies. Among other superstitions prevailing in the land Wiii their belief in the existence of nn nerml tribe, called •' Te Patupniareke," or Maori Fairies. Thqie mysterious beings, hove had an imaginary existence in most parts of the world, generally being supposed the most perfect and beautiful creatures, of diminutive Form, living in a land of exquisite beauty, amid scenes of enchantment an-1 loveliness, governed by kings and queens who live in splendid palacei, riding on milk* white steeds, dressed in brilliant green, moving in processions more magnificent than those of eastern monttrchs, dancing among shady groves and over verdant lawns to music more deliciom than any mortal lips could ting or hands produce, and occasionally visiting eartb, and helping or annoying its inhabitants. The Fuiry superstition among the Maone* somewhat differs. They are not the diminutive beings thej aie supposed to be in most lands, but giants— a people of extraordinary dimensions. They are exceedingly numerous, and huve their abode it) the mountains, on the tops of which they build their pas. These pas are gcueially seen at sunrise, all perfect in houses and fences, and everything essential to Maori comfort and safety ; but when the Maories go to pay them a visit they find the tctae has moved to another and distant peak, to tliat they can never get near them. Sometimes they are seun at sea, fishing ; both angling and netting; but as the Maories draw nigh they disappear beneath the wave*, and then reappear at their work in the distance. They suppose them to be spirits of depa ted men. Like fairies in other lands, they are musicians ; and when they play their inntrui ments bewitch the ears of the listeners. They someI times puy a visit in the night and make a whole house sick and ill by trampling the inmates unmercilul.y as they sleep. To protect them against such midnight troublers, they used to deem it neceisary to build their houses with the door towards the north. Only one roan is said to have been taken away alive by them. His name wjs Turapikuu; and it is incori.sei queoce of big residence among tliem that they spar©

others whom they visit. They are said to linve the po<*er of driving; men mad. Is it not probable thut these Patupaiarehe rleriee their existence frosn atmospheric illusion, some of those spectral or illusory appearances which take pLce from the power of refraction in the atmosphere, or some other atmospheiic phenomena resembling the mirage (/f the deceit ? A v»rv lemarkable instance of this illuiion occurred during the pas^nge of the French army across the desert fit the nine of Napoleon's expedition to Kgypt " When naomuig dawned," gays the historian, " the army found itself traversing boundless plains of sand, without water or slude, and with a burning lun over head. All the wells on the ioul were exhausted. In the mid?t of the general depiession aludden gUam of hope illuminaUd the connienanceS of the soldiers. A lake nppenred in the wi'ileiiieis, with vill iges and pa'm trees clearly reflected « n its glossy surface. The parched troops hastened to the enchanted spot, but it receded from their steps. Again they pressed en with b'irninjj impatience, but it for ever fled from their approach, and they h<id the mortification of discovering that they had been dectived by the mirage of the desert." Some English voyagers in the Arctic regions speak of splendid visions which they saw at one p'ac*. " The general/spect of the co.ist was thut of an extensile and iiti-jicrnt city, with ruined castles, churches, hills surmounted by tunets, butilements spiies, and pinnaclrg." So tnagnific nt, that the} termed it " the enchanted coast." Tlierp citi bp no doubt but similar phanomen* called into existence those pas on the mountain tops And as to the hostile visits paid by those aerial beinus, and the seveie trampling they inflicted, it is veiy likey to have happened af er eating to repletion some unwholesome food, which pioduced nightmare and general sickness. A people without any knowledge of the laws of nntire, and exceedingly superstitious, mis^ht be expected to account for such occurrences in this way. From these uiy^erious beings they say they Irarnt the art of making fishing net?. At the north they had often obseived in the mornings tlie prints of feet on the sea shore, as though a large company had passed along in the mcht; and also heaps ot fi^h scales, for which they could not account. A man named Malawhero was deti-rnuutd to keep watt h, and went to the apfit one night lor the purnoti*. About midnight a great host of these beings made their appealance, spread a large seine, and enclosed a multitude of fish. He mixed among them, doiiisr as they did, and re« (named uuob ecvtd. He was veiy anxious to examine the srme to see how it was made. Bye and bye they clividfd the fish, that each might carry his share; and as he knew they wou'd be off before day break, he tried to detain them. In ctriugiog his /ish he made no kn »t .nor fastening, ami as fast as he strung them at one end they slipped off at the oilier. All were jpady for fli»ht but Matawhevo. The fairies came to Ins help, but did not discover his duplicity. His fish could not be btrmng. At length day d-iwned, and away flew the new friends of Matawhero, leaving both seine and fish. His object was gained : he examined the net, and discovered the Brt of netting. They say the albinos Sprung from those Patnpaiarclie. They have many cuiious superstitions about the spiritual world. The following song is laid to have •been composed by a spirit from the other world. She was one of two wives, and died childless, but bye aad bye returned and stole the chiM of u more favored wife. The mother of the missing child, greatly distressed, applied to the priest, who engaged to induce the spirit to bring it back again When he had peifornied his incautations the bpiiit kidnapper was seen jou the top of the house nut sing the child and sWging ,the following plaintive poetiy. The translation was &indly furnished me by Mr. C. O. Davis.

Song of the Spirit while nursing a Child. I am pierced by the wintry blast, My body it slender and wan ; 1 weave not —my weaving is past, And all my warm garments are gone. Full oft to fair Arikirau* All lonely I posted my way To gather the flax leaf—but now, My members refuse to obey. *Twas thoughtless of thee to come herr.fWith nought but thy paddle in hand; Soroe power must have eilenced Hint few "Ever felt in approaching this land. Ngfthue,J methinks it was thee I beheld ou the dark distant Isle ; And fain would I hasten to see, And sit by thy side for awhile. As the kelp of the sea is nptorn, By the high -.welling tide, from its bed j So o'er the wide waters I'm borne And cn&t on the shore, as one dead. Anon I am lashM by the surge That heals on dread HinKarae's]) reef So sacred—bat soon I'll emerge, And tfiumph o'er danger and grief. O come ye soft airs from the plain, Where Hinerau§ fans tbe fair trees ; And waft my fond spirit ag<iio f Where the lov'd onei ate dwelling at ease, To linger awhile, or to roam, Where once I wai youthful and gjay, Would draw off my heart from its home;— O tliL-i) let me hasten away. Let me hasten to Hewawe'b^f vale?, Where the ho»ts of the mighty ones tre^ ; Where tLey fly on the swett-sc^rnted galss, Far, far from ihe tombs of the dead. Great Rangi,** thou comest for me; Ah, haste thy kind message to tell; Again my bright home I shall see, Then mortals and death— faie ye well.

SOCJAL AND DoHTSTIC CONDITION OF THE NEW Zl ALANDERS. Tlie social and domestic state of the New Zealander preienta many interesting scenps, and furnishes benevolent minds with urgent motives to adopt the belt mean* for his improvement and eli'«aiion. Marriage was geneially con 1 ranted befween individuals of the same tribe. A man was rarely permitted to take a wife Irotn another and strnn^e tribe. They weie generally hetroilied in early Jife, anil the engagement on the part of the female considered sacred and binding. Any favouiuble regard to the attentions of another suitor vras considered a violation of uative custom, demanding satisfaction. A chief who wishes to take to wife one whom her friends designed for another would demand her, and attempt to take her by foice. If the affection were

* Arikirau — a place celebrated for flax. f Addressed to one supposed to hare just entered the land of spirits. X Ngabue — a friend of the spirit's. || Ilingarae — a sunken rock. § Hinerau— said to be the name of a wind in the world of spirits. Hiwawe— supposed to be in the world of spirits. ** Ranjjuiuikc— a god of reputed gicatness.

nrMiMi.il, the female would elope and take up her abode with the nvin of her choice. Her friend-, would go in a body to recover her. The favored suitor would endeavour to detain her, assisted by her friends, A struggle wou'd ensue and the strongest party bear away the object of contention. The poor woman was often a great sufferer, and paid dearly for her attachment to the. man her friends disnppioved. Engagements °f t' 1" kind often originated with the female, who wou'J, contrary to Euiopean custom, mike her overtures to (he man of her choice, and iiik often the anger of her tribe, her comfort, and even life itself, for the sake of him she loved. They often ex« pressed their feeltngi in poetry—no uncommon mode of expiessintr tender attach men ti. The following is a specimen :—

Song by a Girl who hah an apfjintmcnt to MEET HER LoVEK. Flow tides and fill the rivers. With my paddle in mv h.ind, I am waiting f r your help. Blow winds from the north, And fl iar me along; I am totally deaf To the anger of Kohalca. With such emotion within, How tMn I lia'en ? Lest my beloved think I have forsaken him for otheis, I would not longer stay. Nnr sbVI !o»e be disappointed, He Ins Ipft me the sign. When ft une ascendi on hiich, And cu'ling smoke is seen 'Mong evergreen* that bhade The arches of Fahere, Hasten to me there— I sit waiting for tl>ep. The manner of treating their young females on thene subjects was cruel, and oft^n led io much sin, to'infanticide, and suicide and f yen muider. Insted lof allowing her to consult her own wishes on the choice of a husband, the woman was often compelled to unite her* self to one twice or thrice her own age, and for whom she had neither aflVuiioii nor respect. But Christia nity is <rradustlly breaking down the custom. Polygamy was a fuubiful source of domestic misery, and a great lundiance to social improvement!. Where this prevails, the order of nature and the institution of heaven are violated. Nothing but wretcliedne»s can result from it. It has been the custom of all barbarous nations; and ihe New Zealander looked on numerous wives as among his greatest richer. Hf generally had one principal wife, a chicftest; and a number of inferior or slave wives. These he loved to multiply, that he might the better gratify his luits and have numbers to attend the wishes of hi» barbarian lordihip. Polygamy has been one of the greatest hindrances to the spread of Christianity : perhaps no other native custom has impeded the tru'h to an equal extent. That real vital piety has spiead so slowly is in some meusure attributable to this cu'tom. " I won't rmbrace your teligion. I shall have to give up my wives," was often the reply we met wiih. To be continued.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZ18510528.2.6

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 534, 28 May 1851, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
2,016

The Rev. Thos. Buddle on "The Aborigines of New Zealand." (Continued from our last.) New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 534, 28 May 1851, Page 2

The Rev. Thos. Buddle on "The Aborigines of New Zealand." (Continued from our last.) New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 534, 28 May 1851, Page 2

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