MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 December 1938, Page 9

MAORI MEMORIES

ORIGIN OF MAORI MYTHS.

(Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”)

. Maori legends, Maori myths, and Maori lore Were related only to nature, sun, moon or stars, the sky, the earth, or the ocean, birds, trees or fish. They Were thus distinguished from the legerids of other nations. “Tane was our God of light. He defeated Po the God of darkness, thus we alternately bless the one for the Sunlight to work and play, and the other for sleep and dreains,” said the Maori. “We have the most ancient record of an eclipse of the sun in which the brother and sister Maui (the sun) and Hinauri (the moon) were one day missing, each from their usual place. Hinauri in despair threw herself into the arma of the sea and was not seen for three days. Hinaika the goddess of fish rescued her and carried her safely to the Sacred Isle (Motutapu) where she became known as Hinemoa (the goddess of the ocean).” The story of Maui and Hinauri fishing up the North Island has its origin in the fact, now confirmed by astronomers, that When the sun and moon are in conjunction and exbrt their combined attraction upon the earth, that is responsible for great earth movements such as seen near Napier in recent years. Maori myths regarded by the Pakeha as childish, are founded on some marvels of nature, the origin of their knowledge being lost in antiquity. Life itself was always known to the Maori as a spark from the sun, hence the words Ora (life), Kora (spark), Ra (sun), and have we any more reasonable theory as to the origin of that great mystery —life —Ora Kora Ra.