MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 January 1941, Page 3

MAORI MEMORIES

MASSED FIGHTS. (Recorded by of Palmerston North. I tor tlie ■ The tribal fighting was always preceded by a formal Taki < challenge i ' akin u> the modern declaration of war. ■ Well known warriors selected and • named an equally famous warrior as his opponent .Abusive epithets wen hurled across from rank to rank, every ; man stripped from head to heel. Silent 1 or less active ones in the front line' were invigorated by the point of a spear from the rear guard. Both sides mad with anger and ex-J citement. each one rushed a chosenl victim with screaming yells, grappling I with his right or left arm and using his' stone I’atu with either. These duels! lasted but a few moments before one party, seeing their leaders fall, turned and tied followed with h.-wlmg yells Tin- side which killed the M.'itaik.'i • first victim l chai jo d with mmt en- ! < rgy and loudest t i ll ; generally w- n by producing panic There were m> r.illii'■ repul v. a dr-feat and deictr destruct ion. The victors returned in triumph to; the field and marked with. ,i sp.cpr , i-ach ‘ put where a swarrior fell. A ch-mhed lumd -Rmra Kukm w;o. I>ri'i>f o( death Them woumlisl w.-rc carried on tin Amo tiiper, of 0.-.-o I'oler laced across with flax Iti anger ..nd resentment they 10-. t ;.!! pny far their wounded enemy Chief-- and even : tortured them to death N- w under the cover >-f d. :a?;t fire arms ottr Maori reemi: G a splendid, -ofiiior but bavins; 10-* the excitement of the war dance and vellmj; crowdhe hate, a hand-to-h.-ind iudi: Whit: a fight (’tided, th** ■•'•’■t*.'". ;'d'e cd i-m to mc»‘( ilte rctunmu; warrior-: and if a son nr a btir.ha.nd was killed each widciv. nr mother was prrmitied ’.<> kill a cay’:vc slave to serve h< r d< ~d relat.ve i T- f’.’-mg.i ’.!w Ta -n Heaven of the v. :M