MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 October 1938, Page 2

MAORI MEMORIES

A MAORI GARDEN. (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) Houhere (lace bark) is another attractive shrub. Its foliage and profuse white bloom, with the fine lace-like inner bark, caused the early settlers to plant it freely. They now find it is infested with a boring insect which kills it in a few years. A decoction from the leaves was used as a sedative by the Maoris. Horoeka (lancewood) interested Charles Darwin as an instance of evolution in the life of a single plant. When growing in the shade of shrubs, it develops leaves 30 inches long and pointing down at an angle to gather warmth from the earth. Rising quickly, it loses the effect of radiation, drops its long leaves, and points the new crop of two-inch foliage to the sun. It also loses its fringe of prickles which were designed to protect it from browsing animals, of which, however, there were none in New Zealand. Possibly the moa was in the mind of the Great Architect. Kowhai, with its golden bloom, is a great attraction on the river banks and stony flats. There the lui and the komako (bell-bird) sip its honey and rejoice the ear of men with their sweet song. Evidence of their satisfied taste s clearly shown on their shapely heads shining with yellow pollen. Kowhai ngutu kaka (kaka beak), with its brilliant scarlet bloom shaped just like a parrot’s beak, is another instance of evolution. In its native state on Great Barrier Island, it climbs the trees 60 feet to kiss the sun; planted in a sunny garden it meets the sunlight as a shrub, and loses all tendency to climb aloft. In this the Maori saw another proof of wisdom in their God of the Forest.