MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 January 1941, Page 9

MAORI MEMORIES

THE NATURAL MAORI. ■ Recorded by J.ILS., of Palmerston North for the •■Times-Age.'*) The old Maoris regarded the head (Upoko' as extremely sacred, but they did not know-it or the brain iroro) as the source of intellect or emotion. In their estimation these came,front the abdomen. ’ A passionate person was known as “angry belly" (puku ririi. The source of intellect in their estimation was experience, aged persons were therefore supposed to bo wise tmatanga' because they had seen and heard more than the young. Their mental education was principally in regard to the sacred laws of Tapu The memories of the old Maoris were phenomenal. This may probably be duo to the fact that the clear brain had few diversions, and no reading or writing to obscure the filaments of ’heir brain cells which may oo regard-

ed os photographic negatives Imagination was not strongly developed, though it ran wild in regard to superstition. They had little or no idea of invention. ii.)t one good example of which can bo quoted from their achievements, though it should bo regarded as the highest function of this faculty. There is no iraee of the dram:'., bin fables obviously of Indian origin, were n: daily use. They hove a keen. ; pprecialion of lime and melody in ample music. Before the influence of th? Pakeha, reason and judgment, both ef good influence were scamly known to ’he Mam is. and because of th:- they receded rather’ than advanced m civilisation. They even failed lo e<tim;:tc their own numbers, and lost tiie art of guiding their canoe.' by the star.-. With the minds <>f children >md the ; .■■mni of men they became Christi; n> no; from judgment, but from elf-mtci’t-1 and imitation