MAORI SUPERSTITIONS DIE HARD.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2483, 9 June 1888, Page 1 (Supplement)

MAORI SUPERSTITIONS DIE HARD.

A stone bittle-axo, which aa the native tradition goes, was bidden about seven generations ago by a chief of tho Ngai-auni tribe, (Taran-aki) named Ranaitaupca, and ivhiuh has been inada sacred and tho subject of tradition and song under the name of Te Awhiorangi, perhaps by reason of such hiding, was found in December last by a } T oung woman who was gathering fungus in the bush. A member of the tribe has written an nocount of the finding and the find to the Km imuko, the native journal. He stales as soon as tho girl saw it at the stump of a tree, she shouted in wonder, and immediately a thunderstorm came >11, it became as dark as night, snow began to fall, and the young woman became almost demented. An old man came up imd used incantations, "and the dicturlwd elements ceascd to exhibit themselves iu this extraordinary manner." A meeting was called and the young woman was questioned, when she said she saw a something—something like a god, and she was very much afraid. Immediately they heard it they knew at once it was the Awhiorangi. The old man (who bore the gentle name of Rangiwhahairione) again uttered invocations " after which" they were enabled to take up the axe. After a course of " lamentations," —something after the style of " Why did you die, why did you dio Rangituapea, ob ?" probably they took the stone axe to their settlement and hung it on a tree that all might see it. Then they organised a procession to go and look at it with due decorum, the " priests " (tohungas) leading the way and i.li " making lamentations '■ as they went. " Immediately the thunder and liglitniug came, and theu ihe fog, making it dark as night. The priests used their incantations again tiud dispersed the fog and darkness. The people then made offerings to Te Awhiorangi, and renewed their lamentations, winding up with singing one of the songs about the b-ittleaxe. The writer concludes his letter with a matter of fact (?) description of the wonderful weapon. He says, '• Friends and all people on thei>e islands, the Awhiorangi is something like i coloured axe, iu shape similar to an Lil/.e, mottled like the plumage on tho in-east of the pipiwharauroa (the cuckoo). Its appearance is so peculiar that it must be seen to be realised. When suspended it was so bright that your image is reflected in it. It is 18 inches long, 0 inches wide, 1 inch thick. The edge is bevelled 2}, inches, which makes it sharp, similar to a European adze. Friends, and all people belonging to these islands, the Awhiorangi is a precious relic from our ancestor, llangituapua. Adieu. May God proservo you!" How the writer comes only four months after the occurence. to add to the simple narrative of tho rinding an embellishment of elemental wonders, and the subduing of these by the tohungaor priests, shows that a superstitious imagination is still a strong point with sorno natives ut any rate.