THE MAORI AS A CONSERVATIONIST.

Forest and Bird, Issue 12, 1 April 1927, Page 7

THE MAORI AS A CONSERVATIONIST.

(By H. Hamilton.)

We have always referred to the Maori as being of a barbaric racethat is, a race not subject to our civilisation. True enough Ave have been trying to “civilise” him for the past hundred years, but is he the better off for our efforts? There are many who doubt it. After all, “civilisation” is a relative term, depending on one’s viewpoint.

In many ways the old-time Maori surpassed our efforts in a subject that will yet interest New Zealand most vitally namely, “conservation.” By his very mode of living he was forced to become a conservator, especially of food resources; and I propose to deal with his efforts in the forest.

The Maori believed that man and all other forms of life originated from Tane, the fertiliser. Tane is the personified form of the sun, the father of all living things on mother Earth. When a Maori entered a forest he felt that he was among his own kindred for had not trees and man a common origin Therefore every tree, every bird, and every animal had a tapu life principle such as he had. Consequently the cutting down of a tree was, to the Maori, the slaying of one of the offspring of Tane.

The forest was specially tapu in the fowling season, and great care was displayed in former times to prevent that tapu condition being polluted. Thus persons engaged in snaring birds might not carry any cooked food into or about the forest. Many evils would result if the gods of the forest were belittled by such an act. All luck would desert the fowlers, and, indeed, the birds would desert the forest and migrate to another district. Holding such beliefs, it can be imagined that the art of bird-snaring was a serious undertaking.

Trespass on another man’s preserves during the snaring" season was looked on as bad form, to put it mildly. Should a man, in wandering through the forest, chance upon a place set with another’s snares, he would just break off a branch,, leave it in a conspicuous place, and pass on. The Maori not only set snares at places which the birds frequented, but he took water to the birds at their feeding places. Wooden troughs were set up filled with water, and snares were placed on both sides of the trough.

Fowlers concealed their catches, putting the birds into a hole, and covering them with brush lest the living birds should see their dead kin, and so become shy and perchance desert the forest. Again, feathers were never left lying about the forest, but were always buried, and young folk were trained never to scatter feathers about.

With these and many other peculiar customs the Maori of old showed his respect for forest conventions. He knew how dependent he was on the animals of the forest for his food supply, and he only took sufficient for his daily wants. He studied the flowering and fruiting of all the forest trees, and knew the habits of the animals that frequented the forest and stream.

The advent of “civilisation,” however, brought death and destruction to' the children of Tane, the trees and the animals. Settlers uprooted the forests and destroyed the home of the animals. Civilised man with his dog and gun ravaged the animal life, and killed much more than he needed for his wants. To complete the destruction he introduced vermin in the shape of deer, goats, rats, rabbits, and other destroying agents.

Would it not seem that we (civilised men) are the barbarians, and could we not adopt that beautiful conception that the trees and birds are our living relatives, imbued as we are with a life principle? We are all children of Tane, the father, and Papa, the mother, and life being beautiful, none of us w r ant to die. Give some thought, then, to our speechless relatives dwelling in the forest and the stream.