MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 December 1939, Page 3

MAORI MEMORIES

TAPU, A UNIVERSAL LAW. (Recorded by J.H.S. for "Times-Age.”) To us the Maori law of Tapu appears as the height of absurdity, yet in the case of these primitive people to whom bravery and war were the highest ideal, it was their salvation. No doubt their Ariki (High Priest) introduced it as the only alternative to extermination. As a matter of fact, through our ridicule and denunciation of it as a gross superstition we have determined the fate of the Maori race. There were many instances of its efficacy. On beard the "Dromedary" in the very early years the Maoris, used to common ownership, calmly appropriated anything they fancied, and would innocently have stripped the vessel unless their Ariki Tapued the ship. Land sales, to the mind of the Maori impossible, were made effective for all time by the touch of the Cjiief Priest’s hands.

When a surplus supply of fish was taken, ample provision for winter food was made by this beneficent law. The luggage of immigrants and their whole belongings were absolutely safe when the law of Tapu was applied even up to 1860. Without it. the idea of community ownership would have made immigration impossible. A strange application of this primitive law, universally believed and applied. was that, every person wno touched his food and drink, or their utensils, would die if he ate or drank. They were, therefore, obliged to eat and drink "Penetia te Kuri" (like a dog), or be fed by another. This punishment was tar more effective than all our penal laws.