MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 January 1939, Page 9

MAORI MEMORIES

TAPU DESTROYED. (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) Nearly seventy years ago, an aged Maori Tohunga on his death bed reluctantly answered the cross-question-ing of Dr Edward Shortland, M.A., who was then Native Secretary for New Zealand, in the following terms: “You ask me about the Maori customs and how we came to learn them. Our knowledge is not of modern origin, it is older than your Rongo pai (good news); but that is not the proper name of your Scripture. Man’s knowledge was then deep in his Manawa (the source of his breath), and so we learned to make rules for our Tinana. Hinengaro, mete Wairua (body, mind and soul). From these there grew up the mysterious power of the Tohunga. Hence also the miracle of mind over matter, the Pure (sacred service for the dead), the Karakia (for infants, mothers, men, birds and fish). The God Tiki was the source of our Karakia (devotions), or Makutu (curses), which came down to the Tupua (demon), the Pukenga (teacher). the Wananga (learning), and the Tauira (example) for the Maori people.

‘‘Our Karakia had absolute power over the mind and hence the body, mainly because no man on Papa (earth) understood the mystery.of its source. Then came your Gospel which destroyed our law of Tapu; and Mate Kino (evil diseases) came in its place. Formerly men died only by the hand of an enemy or by extreme old age. ."Even the sign of warning to errant men Ra Kutia (eclipse), which appeared at midday in my boyhood comes no more since your Gospel came to destroy our Whakapono (faith.”)