MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 January 1940, Page 9

MAORI MEMORIES

THE MAORI HEAVEN. (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) Savage, a pioneer, whose observations of the early days are highly commended. says of Maori worship: “Their adoration of the sun, moon, and stars was constant. Of these it was not easily understood why the moon (Marama) was the principal, seeing that they assumed a mournful tone and attitude when addressing her, more especially as our imaginary ‘man in the moon’ was known to them as Hine Marama (the moon maiden). They worshipped the stars, Whetu Marama (shining light) and Ra (the sun), especially Rawhiti (sunrise) with every appearance of pleasure, the songs on that occasion being marked with joyful sound and cheerful face. This divine worship of the Heavens is all the more natural when we realise their implicit belief that “Life itself is a spark from the Sun” (Ra the sun, Kora a spark. Ora life).

At sunset (ahi ahi) the light (ao) went to their under world (Te Reinga) and the eyes of their dear departed were thus reflected in the Heavens above, a conception of the Heavenly World more beautiful, poetic and adorable than anything yet imagined by Christianity.

A shooting star to them predicted the approach of death to a chief. Their belief in this was so earnest that its mental and moral effect upon chiefs who were slightly indisposed, convinced them of its truth and actually caused their death. Traces of this most ancient, faith and primitive knowledge of astronomy may be found in the history of almost every country in the world. That of the Maori being the most strikingly realistic of all on record.