MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1939, Page 11

MAORI MEMORIES

PRIMITIVE WHALERS.

(Recorded by J.H.S, for "Times-Age.”)

For the Maori of olden days the Tohora (whale), which occasionally drifted ashore probably after a jealous fight between a pair of males, was a treasure beyond price. The whole family would camp near by for weeks. First - the pieces of blubber would be suspended round the fire so that the oil would drip into the heu (calabashes), then roast Kiko kiko (flesh) would be gorged like hungry dogs by those who seldom knew food in such quantities. Much of it would be soaked in sea water and dried by sun or fire to be stored in baskets and hung in the smoke for future meals. Next the bones would be scraped ready for making weapons and implements. By this time the odour would attract fish in thousands and a fine harvest would follow. No European could bear the smell so the Maoris had a monopoly. In 1869 a 26-foot whale in dying condition was found ashore by a Rangitikei setler, who at once put his mark on it and brought some threelegged pots and twelve beer barrels in which to try out and store the oil. Then came the difficult problem of transport to Scott’s ferry 12 miles away. This he solved by nailing two pieces of wood with a hole in the centre to each full barrel and attaching a half circular iron rim from an old cart wheel by which his horse drew it to the wharf. The net return was £lOB for twelve barrels.