MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 February 1941, Page 2

MAORI MEMORIES

KAITANGATA (Cannibalism). UU’Cordcd by J.U.S., of Palmerston North, for the “Times-Age.") As in many countries centuries ahead of the Maoris, cannibalism began with starvation. Striking instances in favour of the Maori, and they alone among all cannibal nations, are that they never ate the flesh of a woman nor permitted their women to eat human flesh. The Maori race had an unenviable and an undeserved notoriety in regard to this vice. Few persons in those early days could think of New Zealanders apart from cannibals, or of; cannibals other than New Zealanders. This was altogether a mistake, for with few exceptions it was used as a last resource from starvation or a religious ceremony, apart altogether from sacrilege. The perverted view was due to Sydney Smith’s humorous advice to Bishop Sclwyn "that he must keep a choice joint of roast Curate on his sideboard, and if b.is Maori guests should prefer a real live Bishop he hoped that his Lordship would disagree with them.” The first Maori who tile the heart | ’ngakaui of an enemy was: Mansia. his I object being to keep it alive and in torture so long as he ’Manaiai lived, be-1 cause that enemy had caused M;m.<iu'; i wife to be unfaithful. Tasman's sailor was eaten in 1G62 and Cook’s men m 177-I, both alleged!;. I as a retaliation for some brv.ifh <if-thr| sacred law of Tapu. It has been frequently written that the introduction of the pig as a sub-) stitute for lit.m. is responsible for t!t<‘, abolition of.this rvrcmomal practice I 'l'lii: is quite wrong. The ymcirin and' self-.sacriflce of early Christian un ■) sionarics caused every Mann to abar.-i duii that barbaims ceremony