MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 July 1939, Page 3

MAORI MEMORIES

ANCIENT LANGUAGE. (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”)

Selected from various authorities on the comparison of the Sanscrit (8) and the Maori (M) languages, the following examples will show the origin of this ideally simple Maori tongue to be extremely old:—

(S) Tu, grow, increase, (M) Tupu, grow. Tutu, assemble; (S) Vevi, obtain, (M) Whiwhi, receive, Rawhi, grasp; <S) Pa, protect, (M) Pa, fortified, Para, brave; <S) Bhu, to be, (M) Pu. to blow, Puaki. come forth; <S) Raj, to shine, (M) Ra, the sun, Rangi, the sky; (S) Agni, fire, god of fire, (M) Ahi, fire, sacred chief; (S) Ma, measure, (M) Maro, fathom, Tuma, odd number; (S) Ma, the moon, (M) Manama, the moon; (S) Gone, an angle, (M) Konae, turn, Konini. crooked; (S) Tano, stretch, (M) Tatango, snatch, Tanu, plant; (S) Co. sharpen, (M) Koi, sharp, Koti, cut; (S) Mana, heart, mind, (M) Manawa, heart; (S) Ha, leaving. (M) Haere, leaving, Hapa, gone; <S) Dhu, shake, (M) Ru, earthquake; (S) Maha, great, (M) Maha, many; <S) Deva, deity, (M) Ahurewa, shrine. Rewa, elevate; (S) Twachtrei, thunder god, (M) Whatatiri, thunder. In his splendid little book, “The Aryan Maori,” Edward Tregear makes one noticeable error. He says. “There is no Maori Aryan word for frog. In Sanscrit we have Bheki, the frog, Peke, leaping, Pepeke, drawing up arms and legs.” He evidently had not known of the “Little Red Men” on Coromandel peninsula, well known by the Maoris as Pepeke (the frog—to leap). This strange little creature justifies his nickname by his likeness to a diminutive baby in face, fingers and feet. Still more remarkable it never approaches water, and in breeding time its eggs are laid in a fluid sac, and are kept away from water.