MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 January 1940, Page 2

MAORI MEMORIES

THE SPIRIT LAND.

(Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”)

The Maori priests of every tribe taught their people that the Creation of Man was due to their three principal Gods. This was remarkably akin to our Trinity. They also believe that the first woman grew from a man’s rib bone. The name for a bone is iwi, the sound of which closely resembles the Hebrew name of the first mother. When Marsden asked in ironic tone if they knew, saw or heard anything of their gods, they invariably replied: "Have you not heard or seen Uira (lightning), Whatatiri (thunder), or Whiu (wind whistle)?”

When planting their food supplies in the mara (garden), they chose a time when the sky is mottled with light clouds, when the Atua Rangi (God of the Sky) is supposed to be planting his kumara.

Many tribes believe that when a great warrior or a person whose life was an example to his people dies, his spirit goes to Te Reinga on the third day and then lives for ever. The less worthy die bodily, then three days later their spirit is annihilated, making the future home Te Reinga one of perfect souls. A pioneer Wesleyan missionary says: —“When we told them of Heaven and Hell as described in Scripture, an old chief said he would not go to our Heaven, nor to our Hell to eat fire; but preferred Te Reinga to feed on kumara with his own worthy friends there, who frequently sent a glorious description of its comfort and beauty by moe moea (dreams).