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V Myth and Folk Lore

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We have now to deal with one of the more interesting phases of Maori lore. It is true that we have, in scanning his cosmogony and anthropogeny, surveyed some of his most interesting myths, but then no true Maori will admit that they are myths. He looks upon them as being relations of actual occurrences, even as we still place faith in old Babylonian or Sumerian concepts of the origin of man and of sin. It is the mixture of myth and religion that forces the writer to treat these two subjects as being inseparable, when dealing with such a people as the Maori. Max Muller has well expressed this aspect in his preface to the Rev. W. Gill's “Myths and Songs from the South Pacific”: “Parts of mythology are religious, parts of mythology are historical, parts of mythology are metaphysical, parts of mythology are poetical; but mythology as a whole is neither religion, nor history, nor philosophy, nor poetry.” In describing the performances of Tane and his brethren we are dealing with myths, but this cannot be done without an explanation of the concept of the Supreme Being, his attributes, and the attitude of the Maori toward that deity. We must also bear in mind that Tane, Rongo and others who appear in these superior myths are themselves viewed as atua, or gods. They are the secondary or departmental gods of the Polynesian pantheon. It is when we come to deal with the folk tales of a people, that a line can be drawn between myth and religion.

The higher class myths of the Maori, such as those described in the previous chapter, illustrate a type not found among races of low culture. They bear the mark of a comparatively high plane of thought, and are the result of universal personification of natural phenomena, the higher phases of animism. Many explanatory myths are evolved by such folk as the Polynesians, and undoubtedly the religious spirit has entered into the higher conceptions of the mythmakers’ minds. We recognise, however, wide differences in native myths, for they range from superior cosmogonic concepts and interesting mythopoetic allegories, down to puerile folk and demon lore. The relation of secondary myths and folk tales found quite an important place in the social enjoy-

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ments of the people. Such stories are termed korero purakau, and korero tara. Some of them are tales or myths heard in far lands, others are of local origin. Many contain a moral in some form, such as the perils of transgressing the laws of tapu. An old sage has told us that the story of Hine-poupou swimming across Cook Straits is simply a tale related to children in order to render them fearless in the water.

We notice another attribute of some of these oft-told tales, namely, that genuine accounts of actual events, such as voyages, have become encrusted with myth. I deem it highly probable that the strory of the voyage of Rata is that of a genuine expedition from the eastern Pacific into Melanesia, possibly the Fiji group. Into this story the marvellous has entered, and so we have such impossible occurrences as the re-erection of the tree felled by Rata. In the accounts of the voyages of Whiro, Tura, and others, we note the introduction of weird folk who dwelt in trees and knew not the use of fire, of strange peoples among whom natural birth was unknown, but all infants entered the world through the medium of the Cæsarian operation.

The superior myths of the Maori have evidently been introduced from Polynesia, if not from still further afield. This may also be said of some of the folk tales which are encountered in northern isles. Attention will be drawn to instances of such transferences. Certain myths, such as that of the Sky Parents and Earth Mother, are of world-wide occurrence, and were probably evolved in different lands. On the other hand myths may have been carried long distances even in remote times by seafaring peoples. Indirect contact has effected much in past times. At a time when our forefathers dared not sail out of sight of land the Polynesian voyagers were carrying their language and unwritten literature thousands of miles across the Pacific area.

The evolution of myths has had a considerable effect on human mentality, and hence on such institutions as religion. We even see its effects in social laws and customs. Thus the attributing of life and personality to what we term inanimate objects has deeply affected the religious concepts and mode of thought of the Polynesian mind. Myths are, in many cases, attempts to explain phenomena, and the personifications of

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such phenomena were the gods of the Polynesian. Tylor's dictum that “What is poetry to us was philosophy to early man,” is assuredly a truth that demands attention from those who would understand the mentality of barbaric man.

Myths may come into existence by means of a love of the marvellous, and during a long residence among natives I have observed the genesis of weird tales on several occasions. When my very worthy friend, Rua Kenana, proclaimed himself as the true Messiah, many natives had faith in him and believed that he would, as promised, be the means of banishing all Europeans from these isles. Thus I was gravely informed that he was going to a place called Parae-roa, up the Whakatane River, in order to unearth an enormous diamond concealed at that place. This was to be utilised in abolishing the “mortgage” on New Zealand, after which all Europeans were to be deported. During a meeting of natives called together to discuss the matter, Rua is said to have performed the miracle of feeding some hundreds of hungry followers on two “fifties” of flour, a miracle that evidently hinges upon Christian teachings. Some of these miracles, or prophecies, seemed to hang fire. I observed some natives who lived a few miles from my camp, making a broad track through scrub and bracken up a hill adjacent to their village. This, I was informed, was as a means of escape for the local natives, whose hamlet was to be destroyed by a huge tidal wave that was ere long to sweep up the valley. That tidal wave, I may observe, has not yet arrived. A number of absurd acts, beliefs, superstitions and prophecies were the fruit of that strange craze. The end was not well, for much adulation so affected the “New Messiah” that he thought himself above all law, a state of things that led to a brief fight at Maunga-pohatu, in which his own son was killed.

Polynesian myths are often symbolical and allegorical. They often resemble those of Aryan peoples more than those of Semitic folk, especially with regard to such conceptions as supernormal beings, gods, personifications. We find a number of Asiatic-Polynesian parallels, cases in which similar myths have been evolved in the two regions, or have, in remote days, been carried from one area to the other by migrating peoples. Of such a nature are the myths connected with the primal

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parents, the origin or man and of fire, the waters of life, and the Mist Maid. It is unquestionably a fact that similar conditions produce similar institutions and concepts, and hence our parallels may not betoken borrowing or transference in past times. At the same time the resemblances in some cases are very striking. We are aware that, in New Zealand, are encountered a number of arts, artifacts and customs, that are not met with in Polynesia, and that were apparently introduced from Melanesia. It seems probable that the first settlers of these isles, the Mouriuri folk, were responsible for these introductions. In the case of myths and folk tales of the Maori that reappear in Melanesia and Indonesia, it is within the realm of possibility that such were carried eastward by migrating peoples of former times. There is a certain amount of confusion in Maori myths, as also in some other departments of knowledge, and this confusion extends to Polynesia to some extent. This may be due to racial admixture, or to the fact that the Polynesians are descendants of several bodies of migrants that reached the eastern Pacific area at different periods.

Many Maori myths are based on observation, hence the profusion of Native myths and personified forms. The Maori had ever an intimate fellowship with Nature, and this fact sprang from several causes. In the first place he lived in close contact with Nature; he was compelled to observe closely natural products and forces, in order to retain life. Thus he observed the habits of birds, of fish, of plant life, their functions and peculiarities. He also believed that all things possessed a life principle (mauri), an indwelling vital spirit, though not an apparitional spirit in the case of what we term inanimate objects. Above all, he held the belief that all things, animate and inanimate, are descended from a common source, the primal parents, Rangi and Papa. This belief had a considerable effect on the native mind, for, when the Maori walked abroad, he was among his own kindred. The trees around him were, like himself, the offspring of Tane; the birds, insects, fish, stones, the very elements, were all kin of his, members of a different branch of the one great family. Many a time, when engaged in felling a tree in the forest, have I been accosted by passing natives with such a remark as:

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“Kei te raweke koe i to tipuna i a Tane.” (You are meddling with your ancestor Tane). As a tree fell they would remark: “Kua hinga a Tane.” (Tane has fallen.) When old Pio, of the Awa tribe, was explaining to me the habits of the inanga, a small freshwater fish, he remarked: “When the star Takero is seen in the heavens, then the third migration of the inanga commences. They proceed to their ancestress Wainui (personified form of the ocean), and there produce their young. Inanga are descendants of Rehua (the star Antares, also apparently an old term for a forest). On the Turu and Rakaunui nights (16th and 17th) of the ninth moon they begin their first migration to Wainui. For, in the night of time, the inanga folk had enquired of Rehua: ‘What are we to do?’ and he had replied: ‘When you observe a red gleam in the heavens, that is a sign for you to hasten to your relative Wainui.”

As to explanatory myths it would appear that reflection, introspective thought, must be the mental condition that produces them, whereas in the matter of religion emotion enters largely into causes. As Tylor puts it: “Nature myths are the most beautiful of poetic fictions,” and the mythopoetic Maori has given full play to his imagination in that direction.

The Maori tongue is undoubtedly lacking in words denoting abstract ideas, but it would be a serious error to believe the Maori mind to be deficient in the faculty of abstraction. That mistake was made by Shortland, who wrote as follows: “The Maori has a very limited notion of the abstract. All his ideas take naturally a concrete form…Hence the powers of Nature were regarded by him as concrete objects, and were consequently designated as persons.”^* Here I cannot agree with that writer. The power of abstract thought was developed to a very remarkable extent by the Maori, as witness his concept of Io, the Supreme Being, also those of the spiritual potentiæ of man and all matter. The Maori personified all things, he believed all things to be related to each other, to be offspring of the same parents. He did not speak of a thing inanimate as a person because he believed that it possessed the attributes and qualities of man. Many a time have I heard native speakers refer to “Tenei tangata nui, a Aitua” (this

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important personage Misfortune), also to “Tenei tangata kino, a Rama” (this evil person Rum), but these speakers were not confusing affliction and rum with volitional beings in their own minds, whatever European hearers might think.

Such occurrences as have given rise to myths in the past are still taking place in our midst, but our altered mentality does not make use of such opportunities. We have emerged from the myth-making plane of thought, and any newly-evolved myth that attempts to raise its head is met by many scoffers. The Vision of Mons is an example of this attitude. We passed through the Mythopoetic Age long centuries ago, while the Maori trod that path to the end. Even as Tane banished the Dawn Maid from the Ao Marama down the long descent of Tahekeroa to the under world, so has our changing mentality driven mythopoetic concepts into the realm of oblivion.

We have already scanned a number of myths pertaining to the primal offspring in dealing with Maori cosmogony and anthropogeny. There are, however, other concepts connected with the progeny of Rangi and Papa, or Sky and Earth, that must be dealt with in order to gain a comprehensive view of Maori myths. Those connected with Tane, Tu, Rongo and Tangaroa are especially prominent, not only in New Zealand, but also in the Polynesian area. In confining ourselves to local versions, we shall find that Tane and Rongo are the most interesting of these departmental deities. We have already seen that Tane is a personification of the sun, while Rongo represents the moon. Not only do we frequently encounter these names in native myths, as pertaining to two separate and distinct beings, but we also meet with a combination of the two names, in the form of Rongo-ma-Tane (Rongo and Tane). This title is known to the natives of the Society Group, where it appears as Ro'o-ma-Tane. The Maori folk make use of this name as though it denoted a single being, as in speaking of agricultural ritual, but it was evidently a case of combining two important names. This twain, moon and sun, were held to possess great influence over Nature, and they were appealed to in connection with many things.

It is of interest to note that, in Maori myth, there are two distinct personified forms of the moon, male and female,

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and that, in like manner, there are several names of the sun. The ordinary name for the sun in vernacular speech is ra, a widespread term throughout the Pacific area. Ra kura, the red sun, is a kind of honorific name for the sun among our Maori folk, while Tama-nui-te-ra is a title of its personified form. The name of Tane is, however, its most important title; Tane is assuredly the personified form of the sun, though he appears as one of the offspring of the Sky Father and Earth Mother. We find also, in native myth, that the sun itself, as distinct from its personified form, is said to be the offspring of Uru-te-ngangana, a brother of Tane, and a female being named Moe-ahuru. With regard to the moon, the ordinary name for the orb of night is marama; in mythologic recitals it is often alluded to as the marama-i-whanake, or waxing moon. The moon goddess is Hina; she is the female personification of the moon, and, as Hina, Ina and Sina she is known far and wide throughout Polynesia. One of her titles is Hina-keha (Pale Hina), though during the dark phase of the moon she is called Hina-uri (Dark Hina). Yet another of her names is Hina-te-iwaiwa; as the patron or tutelary being of women she is so termed. Inasmuch as iwa is the numeral nine, it is quite possible that we have, in this secondary name, an allusion to the period of gestation in women.

In Rongo we have the male personification of the moon. This name appears as Ro'o, Longo, Lono, Ono and Rongo throughout Polynesia, in sympathy with well-known letter changes. Among the Hawaiians Hina, when translated to the heavens, adopted the name of Lono, the Hawaiian form of the name Rongo. Rongo is the patron deity of the art of agriculture in New Zealand, and the moon was connected with that art in many old-world lands. In old mythologies the moon often appears as being older than the sun, and of more importance. In Maori myth Rongo is the elder brother of Tane. Thus we can understand why the name of the former comes first in Rongo-ma-Tane. In the Paumotu Group Tane appears as the husband of Hina, so that in this case the sun took the moon to wife. In the Chatham Isles, near New Zealand, Tama-nui-te-ra (the sun) has three daughters, Hine-ata (Morning Maid), Hine-aotea (Day Maid), and Hine-ahiahi (Evening Maid).

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Tane was not only the personified form of the sun, but also represented all fructifying power; he was essentially the fertiliser, the origion of life, animal and vegetable; the active male element in Nature. The passive force in Nature is represented by the Earth Mother and by the female sex generally. The myths pertaining to Tane are of a superior type, as pertaining to a demiurgic being, while those connected with the name of Tama-nui-te-ra are of a lower class. The latter name appears as Tami-te-ra at the Chatham Isles, where it was also applied to a charm repeated over a dying person. It was recited by an attendant while holding the head of the dying one in the hollow of the arm, the reciter pointing to the sun with his other arm.

The Ngati-Awa tribe gives a different form of some of these old myths, and makes Hina-te-iwaiwa a daughter of Tane, which is not generally accepted. At Samoa Rongo appears as a son of Sina (Hina) and Tangaroa. At Mangaia Island, Rongo and Tangaroa are the twin children of Vatea (Maori Watea), Space, and of Papa. In Hawaiian myth the home of Rongo is said to be on the waters; and this probably accounts for his secondary name in New Zealand, where he is often called Rongo-marae-roa, Rongo of the far-spread expanse. Marae-roa, or Vast Expanse, is an expression employed to denote the ocean. It is also termed Marae-nui-atea (Vast Open Expanse). Moon worship was often connected with water worship in olden times, as in Babylonia. In that far land the moon was regarded as the parent of the sun and stars, and there, as in some other lands, moon worship was older than sun worship. It was the moon that caused crops to grow in Babylonian belief, and this also was the Maori belief. In both lands seeds were sown during a certain phase of the moon, while the moon was the measurer of time and controlled the seasons. The double stone image set up by the Maori in his cultivation grounds seems to have been called Rongo, but probably represented Rongo-ma-Tane. One of these images is in the New Plymouth Museum. This double name was specially prominent at Tahiti, Rarotonga and New Zealand. Another dual form is Rongo-ma-Uenga, but this I cannot explain; it occurs as the name of a god in Rarotongan lore.

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Rongo seems to have been also known as Rongo-nui (Great Rongo), and the twenty-eighth night of the moon was called Orongo and Orongonui (O-Rongonui=pertaining to Rongonui), as the twenty-seventh night was termed Otane (O-Tane). The Maori planted his sweet potato crops during these two phases of the moon, a most suggestive fact. The Rev. W. Gill tells us that Rarotongan myth places the home of Rongo in the shades, even as the Maori alludes to the underworld as the “hidden home of Tane.”

The name of Rongomai appears frequently in native myth and story. In the first place it is the name of an atua, which god is apparently the personified form of meteors, and this being was appealed to in war time, and in connection with other matters. But, like the name of Rehua, it seems to have another application. Thus Rongomai is spoken of as a being of very early times who was translated to the moon. Certain markings on the surface of the moon are called Nga Umu o Rongomai, the ovens of Rongomai. Rongomai is mentioned in a formula recited when the kumara crop was being planted, as also were Kahukura and Uenuku, both personified forms of the rainbow. One version makes Rongomai the father of Kahukura. It is possible that there is a connection between Rongomai and Rongo-marae-roa.

Another name met with in Maori myth is that of Rongotau, or Rongo-a-tau, or Rongo-nui-a-tau. This being is said to abide in the heavens with Tane and Rehua (the sun and the star Antares). Apparently these are variant forms of the name of Rongo-marae-roa, for Rongo-tau is shown to be connected with the sweet potato and with Pani, who is spoken of as the mother of that prized tuber. In Vol. I. of White's “Ancient History of the Maori,” p. 163, appears a sentence stating that Kahukura (the rainbow) and Rongo-nui-a-tau were seen standing in the heavens. Again, Rongo-maui, the husband of Pani, is apparently the same being as Rongotau. He is said to have been a brother of Whanui (the star Vega), from whom he obtained the kumara tuber. The heliacal rising of that star was awaited by the Maori as a sign of the crop-lifting season. It would be of interest to learn that, in some other land, there is a connection between the star Vega and agriculture. There is a considerable amount of con-

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fusion among the numerous moon names, or of names of the personified form of that orb. It is noticed, however, that the connections between the moon and agriculture, the moon and women, the moon and water, are most consistent, and these connections are very ancient Asiatic concepts.

The Maori has some quaint ideas concerning the moon. Natives have told me that, in olden days, the rising moon was at times greeted with the remark: “The husband of all women in the world has appeared.” An old native once remarked to me: “According to the knowledge of our ancestors, the marriage of man and woman is a matter of little moment; the moon is the true husband of woman.” It will be observed that in these various myths and beliefs the sex of the moon changes. In one version the moon appears as a male with two wives, Rona and Tangaroa. In popular myth Rona is the woman in the moon, translated thereto from earth in punishment for having insulted that useful orb by applying an offensive expression to it. She was going to procure water at night, when the moon was obscured by a cloud, which fact led to the unfortunate incident. When seized by the moon she grasped a ngaio tree, which was torn from the earth, and to which she still clung. Rona is still seen in the moon with her calabash, and the tree. In the South Island Rona appears in myth as a man, and the father of the Echoe Children. He fled to the moon to escape from his wife.

In dealing with Hina, the female personification of the moon, we have again to deal with a number of names, and a certain amount of confusion. In local myth Hina usually appears as a sister of Maui, but in a South Island version she is given as the mother of Maui, and the daughter of Mahuika (personified form of fire). In an ancient and mythical genealogy she is called Hina-i-te-po, in allusion to her appearance at night. One story makes Hina a daughter of Tangaroa. She also appears as the wife of Maui. The names of Hina-kai-tangata and Hina-whakapau-tangata are said to pertain to her, thus connecting her with death, the destroying of man. The moon is certainly connected with death in one way, as denoted in the expression mate a marama, which implies temporary death, the death that comes periodically to the moon, but from which she always recovers.

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In the Paumotu Group Hina appears as the wife of Tane, that is, the sun takes the moon to wife. At Samoa Sina is “the woman in the moon.” At Manihiki Isle she is sister of the Maui brothers, at Mangaia she occupied the same position, and became the wife of Tane, though in another version she is taken by Marama, the moon. In yet another she appears as the daughter of Rongo. At Niue (Savage Island) the heavens are “the bright land of Sina,” and in the Marquesas Group she was the wife of Tiki, the first man. This latter position connects her with reproduction. The moon is concerned not only with the growth of crops, the fertile earth, but also with fertility in women. At Tahiti Hina appears as the first woman and the wife of Tiki. At the Hawaiian Isles her husband was “Man Eater”; he broke one of her legs when she ascended to the heavens, where she took the name of Lono-moku (Rongo-motu, or Crippled Rongo), thus connecting her with Rongo of New Zealand and other isles. In Maori myth she became the wife of Tinirau, who is the origin and tutelary being of all fish, and the son of Tangaroa.

At Mangaia isle Rongo was said to be black-haired, and so we hear of “the dark haired children of Rongo,” as all dark-haired folk are termed. The few fair-haired people among them are called “the fair-haired children of Tangaroa.” At Tahiti this Tangaroa was the most important of secondary gods, and he it was who created the first man, Tiki, whose wife was Hina, who, we are told, had two faces. Tangaroa and Tiki sought to destroy man and all the waters of the earth, but Hina saved man and brought the waters back. It is this Great Hina, the Watcher, who is invoked by the natives of Tahiti when performing the famous fire-walking ceremony. She is the being who causes high tides. Always Hina has some connection with water, even as Isis of old was a water goddess.

The myth of Hina and Maui, two personifications of light, is known in New Zealand and some isles of Polynesia; in others the two names are not apparently connected. Our local version makes Hina the sister of the five Maui brethren. She was taken to wife by one Irawaru, who was transformed by Maui the mischievous into a dog, and who has since been looked upon as the parent or tutelary being of dogs. When

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Hina went in search of her husband, and called to him, a dog came running to her, wagging its tail. So grieved was Hina that she resolved to abandon her home, and so called upon the monsters of the ocean to bear her away. So it was that Hina drifted across the great ocean until she came to the Sacred Isle of Tinirau. Here she was found on the beach and taken before the chief Tinirau, the Lord of Fish, who took her to wife. She was sought by Maui-mua, her eldest brother, who visited her in the form of a bird, the rupe or pigeon, hence he acquired the name of Rupe. He carried Hina and her newly-born child away from Tinirau. In this myth Hina is spoken of as Hina-uri, or Dark Hina, and evidently the story accounts for the absence of the moon for three nights during the hinapouri or dark phase of the orb. When Rupe was in search of Hina he ascended the heavens in order to enquire of Rehua as to her whereabouts. Rehua arranged that food should be provided for the adventurous visitor, and, when the oven was heated, he loosed his bound hair, from which flew forth a flock of koko (parson birds) that were to be utilised as food. This is one of the stories that connect Rehua with the forest.

Under the names of Hina-te-iwaiwa and Hine-te-iwaiwa, the moon was viewed as the patroness of women. Hina presided over childbirth and the art of weaving, even as the moon goddess of Egypt did. The first tiki known was one made for Hine-te-iwaiwa by her father. This tiki is the grotesque image, usually fashioned from intensely hard nephrite (green-stone), worn by Maori women as a fructifying symbol.

Inasmuch as Hina-te-iwaiwa is shewn, in one version of the myth, to be the daughter of Tane, then the making of Tiki, and of the tiki by him, is a matter that can be explained, and that explanation is given in the account of Tiki as a personification. In another version, however, Hina-te-iwaiwa is said to have been a daughter or descendant of Uru-tengangana.

The most interesting of moon myths met with in Maori lore, however, is that concerning the Waiora a Tane. This phrase is usually rendered as “The Living Water of Tane,” or “The Life-giving Waters of Tane.” In popular myth, in New Zealand and across the Pacific, this name illustrates a

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belief in magical waters that possessed the great virtue of restoring the dead to life. Our local version is that, when Hina-keha (Pale Hina) becomes Hina-uri (Dark Hina), that is to say, when the moon sickens, wanes and comes nigh to death, she goes afar off across the ocean to seek the waters of life, or fountain of youth, the Wai-ora a Tane. In a far region she bathes her wasted form in the healing waters of Tane, and so returns to this world as Hina-keha, once more young and beautiful.

The above is, of course, an old, old myth in many lands. From Tane of Polynesia to the fountain of healing of Babylonian myth; from the waters of life of Alexander to Ponce de Leon of Florida, we note the persistence of this concept of healing or rejuvenating waters. Hewitt remarks in his “Primitive Traditional History,” that the Fountain of Youth myth probably originated in India, and that of the Waters of Life is said to be of Semitic origin, it having been traced to Assyria. At the Hawaiian Isles this myth was very prominent, as shown in Fornander's writings. At Tonga the water of life is represented by a lake called Vaiola, and we meet with the same name at Samoa. At the Chatham Isles the name was Wai-oro nui a Tane, according to Mr. Shand. At Rarotonga the life-giving waters are spoken of as a pool, and this version mentions that Hina dived into it to regain youth. She is here spoken of as the mother of Tiki, a curious and suggestive position. The Hawaiian tells us that the life-giving waters have three outlets, one each for Tane, Tu and Rongo, so that both sun and moon seem to gain renewed life thereat. Our Maori myth of the moon and the waters of life is clearly paralleled by that of Babylonia, wherein Istar is washed in the water of life, and so restored to glory.

Such is the widespread myth concerning the Waiora a Tane, but the inner meaning thereof has yet to be given. The word vai (Maori wai) of eastern Polynesia, means “to be, to exist,” and vaiora means “to survive.” The Maori word waiora has a general meaning of “welfare,” and is allied to ora and toiora. The waiora of Tane is light, sunlight, which is the welfare of all things. Tane-te-waiora is Tane as dispenser of life-giving sunlight. The dying moon bathes, not in water, but in this life-bringing light, and in this esoteric

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version we see that the Maori of yore hit upon a scientific truth. With this knowledge waiora must be written as one word, and not as wai (water) ora (life, living).

The crescent symbol is by no means common in Polynesia. It is seen cut in rocks at Hawaii, and in the rei miro of Easter Island, a breast ornament worn by women, a wooden crescent with a face carved on each cusp thereof. This crescent form is also seen carved on the rocks at Orongo (O-Rongo) at that island, and we have seen that Rongo represented the moon. In New Zealand we find a crescent carved on the upper end of the shaft of the old wooden spade (ko) formerly used by the natives. This is suggestive, when we remember that Rongo was the patron of the art of agriculture. That crescent-shaped apex is called the whaka-marama, wherein we have marama=the moon, and whaka, a causative prefix. This old symbol of the moon and fertility was thus employed by the Maori husbandman. Where did he bring it from?

In Hine-Korako, the Fair Maid, we have a personified form of the lunar bow, or halo. She occupied quite an important position, and was looked upon as a kind of guardian spirit. One Tu-korako is, however, a rainbow personification, and has nothing to do with the moon. We also hear of one Hine-Korako of popular folk lore. She is a supernatural being who is said to dwell under the falls of Te Reinga at Te Wairoa; she was looked upon as a guardian spirit and even as an ancestress of the local natives. It is not improbable that she personifies the iridescent display of colours occasionally seen at the falls. In the far-off Hawaiian Isles we are told that Hina's home was in a large cave under the Rainbow Falls near Hilo.

In Hina or Hine-te-iwaiwa, and Rongo, we have mild and benevolent beings; the moon spirit is viewed as a mild-natured power, as the source of fertility, and as a protective being, a guardian of woman.

In dealing with the stories of Maui, Hina and Tuna, we encounter sun, moon and phallic myths, for Maui certainly represents some form of light. In the myths of barbaric folk we note that light and life are practically synonymous terms, and, knowing the common Polynesian a to o vowel change, it

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is not surprising to find that moui means “life, alive, to live” at Tonga and Niue. Parallel forms are mauri and mouri, which bear the meaning of “life, to live, life principle” in many Polynesian dialects, and are encountered far westward in Melanesia. In Egypt Moui was a personification representing the splendour and light of the sun. The contest between Maui and the Queen of the Underworld was one of light, or life, against darkness or death.

The story of the encounter between Maui and Tuna, commonly termed by us the eel god, is a singular and interesting myth. Hine, or Hina, the wife of Maui, was meddled with by Tuna, who dwelt in the water. Maui then resolved to slay Tuna, and so he laid down nine skids^* and enticed Tuna ashore. The troublesome eel crawled up the skidway and was slain by Maui at the last skid. As the eel advanced over the skids Maui kept repeating his charm, which consisted of one verse for each skid. It runs:—

“Mata Tuna ki te rango tuatahi
Ko Ira i! Ko Ira i! Ko Ira i! to ro wai.”

This second line is repeated in each couplet, and one is tempted to connect this Ira with Ira the eel god of India. The line may be rendered: “It is Ira, it is Ira, it is Ira of the waters.” This concept of an eel assaulting a woman is a very peculiar one, but it appears again in the myth of Tiki, the so-called first man. It seems to hinge upon the Asiatic concept of the phallic eel, which is connected with the phallic serpent known of Mother Eve. The symbol of the eel god of India is a linga with a lunar crescent on its head, which points to the symbolising of fertility. But the eel god of Ira of India is one and the same being, we are told, as Indra, who, in Persian myth, is the fell serpent. Here the phallic eel and serpent coalesce, as it were, and the old myth of Eve and the serpent reappears in the Polynesian myth of Tiki and the first woman, and that of Tuna and Hina. The eel appears as a generator in Celtic (Irish) myth, and it was a sacred creature in Egypt. Several forms of this Tuna myth appear in Polynesia, as in the Cook, Samoan and Paumotu Groups. In the Rarotongan story of Hina she is said to have led about an

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eel with her. In many lands we note this connection between the moon, fertility, water, and fish, in which the eel is most prominent. A widespread Polynesian myth explains how the coconut originated from one that grew from the head of Tuna. An interesting item is that, in the far-away Mortlock Isles, in the Caroline Group, the natives call the eel tiki-tol, and use it for the equivalent of the serpent in the garden of Eden. For tiki is the old Maori sacerdotal or esoteric term for the phallus. Tol is probably a contracted form of tolo (Maori toro), “to generate, to thrust endwise, etc.” The death of Tuna, the phallic eel, on the ninth skid, is connected with the death of Tiki (the personification of the phallus) on the paepae or “threshold” of Hine-ahu-one. The story of Tiki and the first woman, with her adventure with the phallic eel, is given elsewhere (see Marriage). Evidently it is connected with the myth given above.

It seems probable that the Maori atua or god called Puhi is a personified form of the eel. Near Tauranga is a place named Te Rua o Puhi (The Pit of Puhi) whereat, in a hole, lived a huge eel that was looked upon as a supernatural being. It seems to have been viewed as an ancestor, or as representing one, and a local saying was “The descendants of Puhi do not eat eels.”

The position of Maui is not an easy one to define. He is not treated as an atua, or god, by the Maori, but rather as one of the heroes of antiquity. He is described as performing all kinds of marvellous tricks, and rejoiced in the name of Deceitful Maui, Maui the Trickster. Yet he apparently personifies light, or day, and is credited in many places as having drawn up lands from the depths of the ocean. It is thought by some that the attributes and feats of two different individuals of the name have become mixed, that the more modern Maui was a voyager in Pacific waters who discovered a number of islands, and so gained the reputation of having drawn them up to the light of day.

In Hochstetter's work on New Zealand a statement is made that Maui was the creator of the world, but no Maori myth exists that makes any such claim. A further remark by the same writer to the effect that Maui, “as god of the atmosphere and lord of the deep, as god of the creation in

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heaven and on earth, is identical with the cosmogonic supreme deities of other Polynesian islands,” is utterly incorrect in all particulars.

Analogues of the Maui myths, or some of them, have been noted in the ancient lore of India, Babylonia and Egypt. It is stated in Maori tradition that Maui pertained to the original homeland of the Maori. The Maui of whom so many stories are told was one of five brothers, whose names were Maui-mua, Maui-pae, Maui-taha, Maui-roto, and Maui-potiki. The latter was also known as Maui-tikitiki-a-Taranga, and this, the youngest of the brothers, is the one around whom so many marvellous stories cluster. We hear but little concerning the other brothers. Some curious statements occur with regard to Maui; one such is to the effect that one of his eyes was like an eel, and the other was like greenstone. One of his names is Maui-matawaru, which may be rendered as Eight-eyed Maui, but then the Western Pacific word matavaru means “wise,” or “wisdom,” and this is probably the meaning in the above case. But a Rarotongan account of Maui states that he had eight heads, which should endow him with a fair number of eyes. Yet another Polynesian story is that Maui came by way of the rising sun to the Marquesas Group, which, in conjunction with other evidence, seems to support the view that he personifies day, or light.

The name of Maui's mother is usually given as Taranga by the Maori, his father's name appears in many forms throughout Polynesia. Maui-potiki was an immature birth and was wrapped by his mother in her girdle (tikitiki) and cast into the sea. But Maui did not perish in the waters, for the sea denizens befriended and nurtured him. The Wave Children of Hine-moana, the Ocean Maid, succoured him. Their names are Ngaru-nui, Ngaru-roa, Ngaru-tiketike, with many another. The Cloud Children, Ao-nui, Ao-roa, Ao-pouri, and others, bore him on their backs. The Whanau puhi, the Wind Children, came from the rolling plaza of the Ocean Maid to gambol with him. Tangaroa, the Tide Controller, and Rongomai-tahanui of the vast expanses, were as parents to him. Hine-moana sent the seaweed to clothe him as with a garment. When Maui had developed into a fair and stalwart youth, then the Wind Children brought him to land, where

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he made his way to his mother's home. Taranga declined to recognise him as her son, until reminded of the circumstances connected with his birth. Maui soon began to show his daring disposition and capacity for marvellous adventures. He soon discovered that his mother never remained at home during the day, but always descended to the underworld ere the dawn came.

Maui resolved to seek the realm wherein his mother spent the day, and so, by a stratagem, he prevented the dawning light being seen inside the house, and so detained his mother until it was broad daylight. He then assumed the form of a bird, the pigeon, and followed his mother down to the underworld. The passage thereto was disclosed by pulling up a bunch of rushes. Maui found both his parents in the underworld, and there met with a number of adventures. Doubtless there is some hidden meaning in this story. Maui is in some versions said to have been the son of Hina, who represents the moon, and we are told that the home of the moon is in the underworld. These stories are assuredly of an allegorical nature.

Maui acquired the powers of magic and was able to destroy life by that means, and in present-day speech the word maui denotes witchcraft. One of his most notable feats was his great task of lengthening the day. At that period the days were so short that man could not find time in which to perform his daily duties, hence Maui resolved to capture the sun and cause it to move more slowly. He and his brothers proceeded to the edge of the world, to the rua or pit from which the sun appears when it emerges each morn from the underworld. There they laid in wait, some concealed on either side of the aperture, around which the nooses to catch the sun were arranged. Ere long the sun, like a fierce, flaming fire, appeared, its head and limbs were ensnared in loops of stout rope, the Maui brothers ran to control the captured sun. Maui-potiki then attacked the sun, wielding a strange weapon, the jawbone of his grand-parent, and beat it so severely that it cried for mercy. He then compelled the sun to move more slowly in its daily journey, that the day might be lengthened for the tasks of man. This feat of Maui's is told by natives from New Zealand northward to the Hawaiian Group. At

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Mangaia, Maui is said to have plaited his snare from the hair of his sister Hina.

Another of Maui's feats was that of drawing up the land from the depths of the ocean. The North Island of New Zealand is said to have been so pulled up by him, hence its name of Te Ika a Maui (The Fish of Maui). In this task he used the jawbone of his grandparent as a hook, and, having no bait therefor, he smeared some of his own blood on it. That hook is now represented by the curved coast line of Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island, its point being the cape known as Te Matau a Maui (The Fishhook of Maui). When the island appeared above water it was seen to be occupied; houses were seen upon it, and fires were burning; people were engaged in their daily avocations. Again it is related that, when drawn up, the island was in a very soft condition, and the brothers of Maui, by walking over it, caused its present rough surface, the valleys, ranges and mountains. The island groups of Tonga, Cook, Hawaii, also Manihiki, Mangareva, etc., are said to have been so fished up by Maui, a truly wide-spread myth. It has apparently been carried as far as the New Hebrides; if indeed it was not brought eastward. In some of the isles of Polynesia Maui is said to have lifted the heavens up to where they are now, a task credited to Tane in New Zealand.

The procuring of fire is another far-carried myth in which Maui appears as the principal figure. In the New Zealand version we are told that Maui carefully extinguished all fires, apparently in a mischievous mood, he wished to play pranks on the custodian of fire, one Mahuika, a female being who is the personified form of fire. So, as fire was needed wherewith to cook food, Maui set forth on his quest, and came to where Mahuika dwelt, she whose offspring were the five Fire Children. Now the names of the Fire Children are Konui, Koroa, Mapere, Manawa and Koiti. These are also the names of the five fingers of the human hand. The fingers of Mahuika were the Fire Children, and Maui the Deceitful sought to destroy them. He applied to Mahuika for the gift of fire, one of the Fire Children, and she gave him Koiti; that is, she pulled off her little finger and gave it to him. This he took away with him, but he did not carry it home; he extinguished the fire;

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that is to say, he destroyed Koiti, and, returning to the fire conserver, he begged for more fire, saying that the first had gone out. On receiving another Fire Child, he also took that away and destroyed it, and so continued to act until all but one of the Fire Children had been destroyed. Mahuika was now so enraged by the loss of her children that she plucked off the remaining finger and cast it at Maui. Then ensued a terrible conflagration. Fire attacked everything—plants, trees, stones, the earth, all waters, everything took fire and burned with great fierceness. The fire attacked Maui, who fled, pursued by raging flames. Maui narrowly escaped death, but, as he fled, he called upon Te Ihorangi, Ua-nui, and Ua-roa to come to his assistance. All these are personified forms of rain. Swiftly came hail, and sleet, and heavy rain to succour Maui; the countless legions of Te Ihorangi assailed Mahuika, a terrible conflict ensued. In the end water gained the victory, and Mahuika fled, her wailing and distress equalled that of Maui when hard pressed by her. Mahuika now faced death; fire was in danger of extinction. Mahuika fled to one Hine-kaikomako, to Hinahina, to the child of Momuhanga for protection. They gave her fair refuge, within them fire found a sheltered haven. These names represent forest trees in which the seeds of fire took refuge, and which still preserve it for mankind. The first-mentioned is the personified form of the kaikomako tree (Pennantia corymbosa), the most highly prized wood for the purpose of generating fire. The Kaikomako Maid is the Fire Conserver. When man desires fire he applies to this Fire Maid for it; that is to say, he takes a piece of her body wherewith to generate it. This Maid was taken to wife by one Irawhaki, the Fire Revealer, whom we hear of in Maori myth. He is referred to in an old song—

“E Ira E! Whakina mai te ahi.”
(O Ira! Reveal to us the fire.)

The other two trees referred to are the mahoe and totara (Melicytus ramiflorus and Podocarpus totara respectively). These also were utilised in fire generation.

In one version of this myth Maui is said to have transformed himself into a hawk in order to escape from the pursuing fire, but even so he got scorched by the heat, hence

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the colour of the hawk's plumage even unto this day. It is a curious fact that, in Egyptian myth, the hawk was connected with fire. In Mangaian myth Maui is said to have cured Hina of blindness, that is to have restored light to the moon, which certainly seems to connect Maui with the sun. Mauike (Mahuika) is there said to be a denizen of the underworld, where Maui's mother also dwelt. Maui descended to the underworld to procure fire, and met with a similar experience to that related in the New Zealand version. In the Samoan version Mahuika becomes Mafuie, the “k” being dropped, and Maui is called by his second name of Tikitiki, which there becomes Ti'iti'i. At Niue the name of Maui appears. At the Hawaiian Isles Maui is assisted by Hina, his mother, in his quest for fire; she also assists him in the Tahitian version. With a few differences and transposition of names we find this far-spread myth preserved in many lands, and, in a number of cases, birds are connected with the desired fire, or with the procuring of it.

Maui is credited with many feats, great courage, and superior cunning, also with cleverness in many ways. Thus we are told that he was the first to make and use barbed fish hooks and bird spears, and the first to construct an eel pot fitted with a retracted entrance that prevented the escape of the eels. He was an expert dart thrower and kite flier; he invented the game of whai, or cat's cradle, and was renowned in many ways. He was not, however, deemed an atua, or god.

The final and most remarkable of the adventures of Maui was his contest with Hine-nui-te-Po, the female janitor of the underworld. In this adventure he strove to disable Hine and gain eternal life for man. Evidently this is a myth concerning a contest between light and life on the one side, and darkness and death on the other. It is, in fact, another such myth as that of Tane and Whiro, already explained. It is not clear as to why the Maori should possess two distinct myths pertaining to this subject. The Maui versus Hine-nui-te-Po story is based on the popular native belief that this Hine, the ex-Dawn Maid, is actively engaged in destroying man; she stands for death, and drags man down to the underworld of death and darkness. The higher teaching concerning her is of quite a different nature.

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The enmity between Maui and Hine originated in the death of the Fire Children at the hands of Maui. For Mahuika (personified form of fire) was, we are told, a sister Hine-titama, though other versions do not agree with this. Hine resolved to punish Maui for having destroyed the Fire Children; Maui was to be slain by magic arts. It was necessary to procure a medium through which such spells might affect their objective, and so Hine despatched Kahukura (the butterfly) to procure a drop of Maui's blood to serve as an ohonga, or medium. But the messenger failed in his errand through feebleness and his conspicuous appearance; he was slain by Maui. Hine then despatched Waeroa, the mosquito, but he was too noisy; Maui heard him approach, humming as he came, and destroyed him. Hine then chose Namu, the silent sandfly, as a messenger. Namu succeeded, and bore back to Hine a drop of the blood of Maui. The end was now assured, through Maui knew it not. The hero who had conquered the sun and performed mighty deeds, the fame of which had struck against the heavens, was doomed to meet death at the hands of Hine of the Dark Underworld.

Maui was distressed by the presence of death in the world. He wished men to die as does the moon, that is, for a brief period only, and then return to life. But Dark Hine of Rarohenga said: “Not so. Let man die for all time, and return to the Earth Mother, even that he may be mourned and wept for.” Thus it was that death became permanent in the ao marama, this world of life. Then the thought grew with Maui—why should he not slay or disable the Goddess of Death, thereby destroying her influence, and so bring about the condition of temporary death.

Thus it was that Maui set off to seek Hine-nui-te-Po and overcome her. As companions he took with him several birds. When they arrived at Kautere-rangi they came upon Hine lying asleep at the house called Potaka-rongorongo, on the door frame of which had been smeared the blood of Maui obtained by Namu. Maui proposed to enter the body of Hine, destroy her vitals, and so abolish death by destroying the author of death. He assumed the form of a rat in which to essay his desperate venture, but Tatahore (a bird, the whitehead) told him that he would not succeed in that form.

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Maui then took the form of an earth-worm, but Tiwaiwaka (a bird, the fantail) condemned his appearance, so Maui transformed himself into a moko-huruhuru, and wriggled about in a manner that vastly pleased his companions, so much so that that form was decided upon as the best. The moko-huruhuru was explained to the writer as being a species of caterpillar, or grub, possessing phosphorescent qualities, though it is said in “The Whare Wananga” to be a hairy lizard. This latter definition is probably a literal rendering of the two words composing the name; presumably a hairy lizard would be somewhat of a rara avis.

Maui now warned his companions to remain silent, and above all not to laugh at his actions. His aim was to extract or destroy the heart of Hine, and to pass through her body, whereupon eternal death would be vanquished, and man would live for ever. So Maui entered the body of Hine by way of the Paepae o Tiki, and passed into the puapua. The sight quite overcame the companions of Maui; Tatahore laughed outright, while Tiwaiwaka fled to the plaza and danced about with delight. But Maui of the many lands was doomed. Hine was startled and awoke; she felt Moko-huruhuru and slew him. Thus died Maui the hero, and so near was man to grasping immortality here on earth.

Maui is said to have had an encounter with a huge monster named Mokoroa-i-ata or Mangoroa-i-ata, an encounter credited to Tangaroa at Rarotonga. This monster is now represented by the Milky Way, usually called the Mangoroa. It is alluded to as an eel in Vol. 24 of the Polynesian Journal.

At the Chatham Isles Maui is said to have taken to wife one Rohe, a sister of the sun. She remarked upon his ugly face, and so he forced her to change faces with him, and finally he killed her. Her spirit attacked and destroyed Maui, and so death entered the world. Here Rohe takes the place of Hine-nui-te-Po of the Maori version; she became queen of the underworld, and personified form of darkness and evil, as is Whiro in Maori myth. The Maori knows little of Rohe, so far as we are aware, but both Maori and Rarotongans have preserved the name.

Such are the Maui myths that are known across so vast an area of the Pacific Ocean. The various stories are here

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much abbreviated, but serve as an illustration of the popular myths that were so much appreciated by the Maori.

It seems to be a recognised thing that no land is complete without a deluge myth, and many such have been placed on record in anthropological and other works. We do not find anything of peculiar interest among our Maori folk, however, concerning a past cataclysm of this nature. There is a lack of detail and precision in native references to a former deluge. Some refer to the Hurihanga a Mataaho as a deluge, but that name merely denoted the overturning of the Earth Mother by command of Io. Another so-called deluge mentioned is that known as the Tai-o-Ruatapu. This was quite a modern affair, having occurred but about twenty generations ago, according to a popular story. Possibly the tale is based on such an occurrence as the tidal wave that swept across the Pacific in 1868 (if my memory serves me). The persons mentioned in the story lived in the isles of Polynesia, about the time that the Arawa and other vessels sailed for New Zealand, or a little before that time. One Ruatapu, wishing to bring trouble on his friends because his father Uenuku had belittled him, resolved to drown certain male members of leading families. He induced them to go afishing with him, and, when well out at sea, he secretly pulled the plug out of the hole in the bottom of the vessel, and so allowed it to fill with water. There are several versions of this popular story. One has it that Ruatapu and his brother Paikea (alias Kahutia) were the sole survivors of this tragedy. As Paikea made for the shore Ruatapu called out to him: “When you reach land prepare for the future. Assemble all the people at Hikurangi, for when the long nights of winter arrive, I will be with you.” When the time came Ruatapu returned to his home in the form of a deluge of waters, and only those who had ascended the mount of Hikurangi escaped perishing in the flood.

A story of a deluge has appeared in Chapter XII. of White's “Ancient History of the Maori,” Vol. I., that was obtained from a South Island source. This account I can but view with deep suspicion, for it seems to be based upon missionary teachings. A number of expressions used, such as

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whakapono, are employed in such a way as to show that the relater was conversant with the Maori edition of the Bible. Many of these usages are not met with in genuine old relations of Maori lore. Evidently some enthusiastic Christianised native has introduced a number of names of mythical beings of Maori lore into a garbled description of the old Babylonian myth beloved of our own teachers. The statement that a great flood was sent to punish men because they refused to heed the admirable teachings of Tane is certainly Biblical, but is utterly opposed to the trend of Maori lore.

We have seen that one Mahuika is the personified form of fire in Maori myth, and that Maui obtained fire from her when he destroyed the Fire Children. This, in popular story, was the ultimate origin of fire, but a less widely known myth takes the origin of fire back to the sun. In this wise:—

The sun on high wished to confer a boon upon mankind in days when the world was young. Even so Ra pondered as to what that boon should be, and at last resolved to send them fire, that man might possess the blessing of fire for all time. He therefore commanded his son Auahi-tu-roa (personified form of comets) to come down to earth bringing with him the seed of fire as a gift to mankind. This command was carried out, and, on arriving in this lower world, Auahi took Mahuika to wife, their offspring being the five Fire Children, whose names are those of the five fingers of the human hand. Their sad fate at the hands of Maui has already been related. Another name for the personified form of comets is Upokoroa, or Long Head, as seen in the saying: “ Me oioi ki te ringa ka puta te tama a Upoko-roa,” an allusion to the method of kindling fire by friction. The ignited dust was placed in some dry fibrous material which was waved to and fro, when the fire blazed up, or, as the Maori puts it, the child of Upoko-roa appears.

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A Matatua version of the Manuika myth has it that one Hine-i-tapeka, a sister of Mahuika, represents subterranean fire, and is responsible for all the charred timber seen in volcanic deposits. Subterranean fire is called the Ahi o Tapeka (Fire of Tapeka).

At Mangaia Island we find that Mauike, the conserver of fire, dwells in the underworld, whither Maui went to procure it. At Samoa Mafui'e also abides in the underworld, and at both places the sex changes. At the Tokelau Group we have the form Mafuike, and the sex becomes female again. In many other isles the name is met with, carrying certain letter changes, according to the dialect.

In Maori myth the winds in general are personified in Tawhiri-matea and Tawhiri-rangi, two members of the offspring of the primal parents. Each wind has, however, its own personified form. The winds are said to have come from Rangi-tamaku and Rangi-parauri, the second and third of the twelve heavens. All phases and forms of wind, snow, ice, etc., are the offspring of one Huru-te-arangi, a supernormal being, and of Tawhirimatea. This Huru was taken to wife by two beings, and produced all the Wind Children, the Snow Children, and Frost Children.

Here we have the origin of these phenomena in clear tabular form. Huru was taken to wife by Te Ihorangi, the personified form of rain, and brought forth twelve children, who personify different forms of snow, ice, frost and hail. She was also taken by Tonganui-kaea (Tonga=south) and had Parawera-nui, the cold south wind, who mated with Tawhirimatea and gave birth to the Wind Children. A recital of the names of all these young folk would be tedious and unprofitable.

One Raka-maomao is also connected with winds, and the south wind is called the Child of Raka-maomao. At Raro-

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tonga this being appears as representing all winds, but at Samoa La'a-maomao represents the rainbow. At Hawaii one Hema personifies the south wind.

We are told that the four toko (poles, props) by means of which Tane supported the heavens are the four winds, though another version states that they were rays (also termed toko) of the sun. The personified forms of the four winds are Parawera-nui (south), Tahu-makaka-nui (west), Tahu-mawake-nui (east), and Hurunuku-atea (north). From these winds all things acquire the breath of life. The Wind Children it was who bore Tane to the heavens, and defeated the hordes of Whiro. They dwell in the Wind House, but emerge therefrom to gambol on Mahora-nui-atea, the vast plaza of the Ocean Maid, and to assail the Cloud Children in the vast region of Watea (space personified). They are known collectively as the Whanau puhi (Wind family) and as the Tini o Matangi-nui (Multitude of Great Winds).

The wise men of yore were believed to possess the powers of raising and laying winds. Hence wind charms were an important part of the equipment of seafarers. A simple method of laying a violent wind is to procure a piece of dead ember, proceed to a stream, and stand therein while you pass the ember under your left thigh with your left hand, repeating at the same time an appropriate charm.

The wind calabash of Polynesian myth is a quaint fancy, a symbolical conception employed in a practical manner. Holes formed in the lower part of a calabash represented the wind apertures on the horizon, whence come the various winds. When ceremonially demanding a certain wind the operator left open the aperture pertaining to that wind, and closed the others.

The superior creation myth shows that sea and land were brought into being by Io-matua, the Supreme Being, but popular myths tell a different story. Thus we are told that waters collected and so formed an ocean, out of which the earth appeared, developed, gained maturity, and was taken to wife by Rangi. Another story is that Rangi took to wife one Wainui-atea (Great Open Space of Waters, or Great Expanse of Water), and to these was born Moana-nui (Great

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Ocean). Among the Matatua folk of the Bay of Plenty the ocean is personified in one Wainui, but the best-known personification of it is Hine-moana, the Ocean Maid. These personifications sometimes appear in genealogies as the progenitors or forerunners of man, but this was condemned by experts. The Ocean Maid is spoken of as constantly assailing the Earth Mother, ever she attacks her; all bays, gulfs, inlets we see are “te nganunga a Hine-moana,” the result of the gnawing of Hine-moana into the great body of Tuanuku, our universal mother. This aggression was noted by the Whanau a Rangi (Offspring of Rangi), who appointed Rakahore, Hine-tu-a-kirikiri, and Hine-one (personified forms of rock, gravel and sand) to protect the flanks of the Earth Mother from being swallowed by Hine-moana. When the serried battalions of the Ocean Maid roll in, rank behind rank, to assault the Earth Mother, gaunt Rakahore faces them fearlessly, and they break in fury around him. Still they rush on, in wavering array, to hurl themselves in vain against the rattling armour of the Gravel Maid, or upon the smooth but immovable form of the Sand Maid. They budge not, but ever stand between Papa the Parentless and the fury of Hine-moana.

This table shows the origin of the three personifications mentioned. They sprang from the line of Tane and the Mountain Maid.

Hine-moana was taken to wife by Kiwa, the guardian of the ocean. The first wife of Kiwa was Parawhenuamea, who produced the waters of the earth. The ocean is known as Te Moana nui a Kiwa, the Great Ocean of Kiwa.

The Ocean Maid is a descendant of Tane, as shown below:—

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The offspring of Hine-moana consisted of shellfish and seaweed of many species. These young folk were conveyed by their parents to Rakahore and Tuamatua (personified forms of rock and stones), and placed under their charge to be fed and reared. Tuamatua and two others were appointed by Tane to assemble and keep in order these offspring of Rakahore, Hine-moana and Parawhenuamea. The offspring of Kaukau and Te Arawaru (cockles, etc.) were placed with Hine-one, the Sand Maid, to be cared for by her.

Kiwa, Kaukau and Takaaho, the guardians of the ocean, dwell in the “house” Tahora-nui-atea, and ever guard the bounds of Hine-moana. The name Tahuaroa is occasionally applied to the great expanse of ocean. The words tahua and marae both denote a plaza, and both are applied to the ocean (Marae-nui-atea) which is compared to a vast plaza. Used in this sense we also encounter the word marae in the full title of Rongo (Rongo-marae-roa), for, like all lunar deities, he is connected with water. Another name for the expanse of ocean is the Raorao nui a Watea, The Great Plain of Watea (personified form of space). The Chatham Islands natives call it Te Hiku Watea.

All shellfish are termed Te Whanau a Te Arawaru (The Offspring of Te Arawaru), and they are divided into many families. The two clans of Pipi and Kuku (cockle and mussel) were at war at one time, and the former folk were driven to dwell at the one tahua (sandy or sand and mud beach between high and low water).

Tangaroa is the personified form of all fish, and his son Tinirau is also connected with fish. He it was who took Hina (personified form of the moon) to wife when she went across the ocean to the Sacred Isle, Motu-tapu. He is connected with Te Puna i Rangiriri, a mythical spring or place in the ocean where fish are said to originate, or come from. The frost fish, river eel, and conger eel have, however, a different origin, as they are said to have sprung from Te Ihorangi (per-

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sonified form of rain). These came down from the heavens to earth. The inanga also is said to have sprung from Rehua, and the shark from Takaaho, another member of the offspring of Rangi. Whales originated with Tinirau.

All seabirds are personified in Hurumanu, one of the primal offspring, and some species have a special personification of their own.

Tane it was who arranged that the waxing moon should control the tides of Hine-moana. Rona and Tangaroa assist in this task, hence their secondary names of Whakamau-tai. At the same time the Tuahiwi nui a Hine-moana (The Ridge, or Backbone of the Ocean Maid) was located in the ocean and assists in the regulation of tides. The popular story concerning the origin or cause of tides is that they are produced by the inhalations and exhalations of a huge monster named Te Parata, who dwells in the depths of the ocean.

There are a number of personified forms of the rainbow in Maori myth. Such are Kahukura, Uenuku, Haere, and some others. The ordinary vernacular term for a rainbow is aniwaniwa; it is sometimes called atua piko, or “curved atua,” the latter word denoting something supernormal. The most interesting myth connected with the rainbow is that concerning the adventure of Uenuku with the Mist Maid. In this story Uenuku is introduced as an ordinary mortal living with his relatives the ordinary village life of the Maori people. In his walks abroad one day he encountered two women of surpassing beauty. These were Hine-pukohurangi and Hine-wai, two sisters who abode in realms celestial. The former is the Heavenly Mist Maid, to render her name literally; she is the personified form of mist and fog, to be hereinafter referred to as the Mist Maid. Her sister, Hine-wai, is the personified form of light, misty rain, such as is often connected with mist. In one version we are told that these two maids came down to earth in order to bathe in the waters of this world. Whatever their object may have been it is clear that Uenuku was deeply enamoured of the charms of the beauteous Mist Maid. He succeeded in inducing her to look on him with favour, and so was the Mist Maid taken to wife by Uenuku of the world of light. There was, however,

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one harassing restriction imposed upon his intercourse with his bride, for she would not remain in this world during the day. Every night she descended from the sky and proceeded to the abode of Uenuku, but always left him at early dawn, and returned to her home in the heavens. Ever she was accompanied by her sister Hine-wai, the Rain Maid, who remained outside the abode of Uenuku in order to give warning of the coming of dawn. When the Long Fish of the heavens, the Milky Way, swung round, and the first sign of dawn appeared, Hine-wai would call to her sister: “O Hine! The day cometh.” Then the Mist Maid would emerge from the dwelling of Uenuku, and the sisters would together ascend to their celestial home. The Mist Maid is often so seen ascending in early morn. Her aria (form of incarnation of a deity, visible form) is the white mist seen rising from the body of the Earth Mother when Hine-ata, the Morning Maid, comes to us.

Now Uenuku was extremely proud of his fair bride, so lovely was the celestial Mist Maid, but she would not allow him to show her to his people, or even to speak of her to them. She said: “When our child is born, then you may take me before your people; until then I must not be made known. Should you disobey me, then I will forsake you, never to return.” As time passed Uenuku became so eager to exhibit his bride to the village folk that the desire was too strong to resist. For the Mist Maid possessed a loveliness never seen in the women of this world. Thus was it that he told his people of his mysterious love who nightly came down from the heavens to visit him. Then it was resolved to deceive and detain the Mist Maid, so that all might see her. All crevices in the walls, doorway, and other parts of the house of Uenuku were carefully filled, so that no ray of light might enter the interior when day dawned. Then the coming of the Mist Maid was awaited. She came as usual, and, when dawn approached, her sister, the Rain Maid, called to her: “O Hine! The day cometh.” The Mist Maid was about to depart when Uenuku detained her, saying that dawn was yet distant, as shown by the lack of any ray of light in the house. The Mist bride thought that her sister had been mistaken, and so did not depart. Again the gentle Rain Maid called her, but again Uenuku deceived and detained her. Then the light

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became so strong that the rain sister was compelled to return to the sky, and the broad, clear light of day flashed across the body of the Earth Mother.

The time had now come when Uenuku could exhibit his marvellous bride to the people. The open space before his abode was now occupied by all the village folk, who eagerly awaited the appearance of the Mist Maid. Uenuku opened the door of his house, the light of clear day entered therein, while without Tama-nui-te-ra, the rising sun, banished the gloom of Whiro and greeted the advent of Hine-aotea, the Day Maid.

The betrayed Mist Maid rose. She looked at Uenuku, she saw the gleaming sunlight, the people assenbled on the plaza, and knew that she had been deceived by man, that her sojourn on earth was over. She came forth from the house into the porch; her long hair covered her as a cloak covers the form of the wearer; the assembled people marvelled at the superlative loveliness of the fair Mist Maid. She ascended to the roof of the house, to the ridge thereof, and took her stand on the apex of the gable at the front. All eyes were turned on her as she stood there gazing upward, with upraised arms, her form enveloped in such hair as no mortal had even seen. Silence reigned as she raised her voice and sang a song of farewell to Uenuku, upbraiding him for his deception, and announcing that nevermore would she return to him.

Then a strange thing happened. For the people saw, descending slowly from the heavens, a column of fleecy mist. As the Mist Maid sang her farewell song, so the mist pillar descended, until, just as she concluded her song, the mist enveloped her and concealed her from the view of the people. Then the mist column slowly ascended again, and finally disappeared in the boundless realm of Watea; but there was no sign of the lovely Mist Maid. Gone was she, never to return.

Now the penalty of disobedience was felt by Uenuku, and deeply he mourned for his lost bride. Impelled by grief and desire he set off in search of the Mist Maid. Over far lands and through many regions he wandered long, but never again did he look upon the face of the lost one. But, ever seeking, ever hoping, he fared on, until, in a far land, old

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age, decay and death came to Uenuku the Seeker. Then the gods who live for ever translated Uenuku to the heavens, and when you see the rainbow spanning the sky, you know that it is Uenuku, he who sought his loved bride in far lands.

Never again did the Mist Maid come down to earth in human form, only her aria comes to greet the wise old Earth Mother, and so, when brave Tane springs above the eastern horizon, we often see the white mist rising from vale, and plain, and mountain range, to return to the abode of Hine-pukohu, the Mist Maid.

Uenuku, as personified form of the rainbow, is one of the more important of the third-class Maori deities. He was especially favoured as a war god, and offerings were made to him, placatory gifts. Many omens were drawn from the appearance of rainbows. Uenuku-rangi (rangi=the heavens) is a name often applied to this personification. At one time he visited this world and begat a female child, daughter of one Ihu-parapara, wife of Tamatea-ariki-nui of famous memory. This was a case of immature birth, and the child was supposed to be lifeless, hence its body was taken, away and deposited at the tuahu. Uenuku simulated the form of Tamatea when he visited this world, and so Ihu-parapara was deceived. When he left her, however, she noticed that his feet left the earth as he walked, and so he rose from earth and gradually disappeared in space.

In after days, when the tua rite was about to be performed over Kahu-ngunu, another of the children of Tamatea, a strange visitor reached the village. This unknown visitor was a young maid of fair presence. She walked into the village, approached the house of Tamatea, entered it by way of the window space, and seated herself upon the tapu sleeping place of Tamatea. This bold and unusual act caused astonishment and resentment to be expressed. Ihu-parapara demanded to know who she was. The maid replied: “I am thine. I was abandoned by you at the tuahu. Uenuku came and took me far away across the ocean, to the far region where the tides divide, where I was tended and cherished by the folk who dwell in vast open spaces, they who occupy the great plaza of Hine-moana [the Ocean Maid].” On hearing

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this strange tale Tamatea conducted the sea maid to the sacred tuahu, and there the pure and tohi rites were performed over her, while she was given the name of Uenuku-titi. As these rites were being performed the people saw a vivid rainbow standing over the tuahu, and knew that Uenuku was present. Then the special foods that had been prepared for the ritual feast connected with Kahungunu were utilised for that held in honour of Uenuku-titi, his half-sister of celestial origin.

We are told that the maid Uenuku-titi remained with her mother's people, but that ever and anon she would leave her home on land and sojourn a space with the strange folk who dwell in the vast ocean spaces known as Mahora-nui-atea. Her descendants for some generations showed these strange ways, and would disappear at times, but gradually they grew reconciled to the land-world, and so became entirely land-dwelling creatures. The importance of this line of descent from Uenuku-titi lies in the fact that it is one of the links that connect man with the gods. The lines of descent from Tane, Uru, and Roiho are other such links.

Kahukura is another famous personification of the rainbow, and two names are included in this case. The upper and darker band of the rainbow known by that name is called Kahukura-pango, and the lower one Pou-te-aniwaniwa; the former is viewed as a male, the latter as a female. Weather signs are derived from the appearance of these bows. Kahukura is said to have been a son of Rongomai, a being already alluded to in these pages, and to have come to New Zealand with Rongo-i-amo, when the latter introduced the sweet potato into these isles. Kahukura adopted a novel method of reaching New Zealand. He utilised his mother, Hine-te-wai, as a bridge, placing her in the form of an arch, with her feet planted in Hawaiki and her arms supporting her in New Zealand. Apparently she also represents the rainbow, though Rongomai seems to personify meteors. Rongomai was then placed on Hine-te-wai, presumably to strengthen the arch, when Kahukura and his companion were enabled to cross dry shod to New Zealand over a resplendant bridge some two thousand miles in length.

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The appearance of Kahukura was held to denote the nearness of rain. If such rain were not wanted the Maori would address Kahukura in most insulting terms, which would, naturally, deeply offend him, and cause him to withhold the rain.

In the Cook Group the rainbow is spoken of as being the girdle of Tangaroa. By this path he came down to earth when charmed by the beauty of Hina (personified form of the moon). Fair people are said to be the descendants of Tangaroa, because he married fair Hina-Keha, Pale Hina, and their offspring were fair, light-haired folk, the “whanau kehu a Tangaroa.”

There are a number of personified forms of lightning. Two of the principal ones are Tama-te-uira and Hine-te-uira, the Lightning Man and the Lightning Maid. The former is said to represent forked lightning, and the latter sheet lightning. Mataaho personifies distant lightning.

Tama-te-uira, Tu-matakaka and others were appointed guardians and regulators of the Lightning Children, a body of wayward young folk whose names denote various phases of lightning. Such control is most necessary, otherwise serious injury might be inflicted by them on inoffensive beings and things in this world. Tupai is another personified form of lightning, and the Matatua tribes attribute to Tupai any injury or destruction caused by lightning. Lightning is sometimes called the ahi tupua a Hine-te-uira—the supernatural fire of the Lightning Maid. Tawhaki, a name frequently encountered in Maori traditions, and even in genealogies, seems to represent lightning, and a passage in Mr. White's notes reads: “Tawhaki is the atua of thunder and lightning,” and the Moriori folk direct their invoctions to him when a thunderstorm appears.

Many portents were derived by the Maori from lightning, and the rua koha or rua kanapu was a widespread institution. These names mean a place of flashing, and are applied to places where summer lightning is wont to play, usually high hill peaks, but not always so. In some cases coast dwelling observers see this phenomenon out at sea, as in the Bay of Plenty, where are two rua koha known as the

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Awanui and Awaiti. Omens are derived according to the direction in which the lightning flashes. As a rule the vertical flash is viewed as ominous of evil for the local people. Should it flash in the direction of the lands of another tribe, it is a good omen for the local people, thought trouble is in store for that other tribe. It may be remembered that the three columns or fire seen to blaze upward from the summit of the Alps foretokened the destruction of the Roman Legions under Varus.

With reference to the origin of clouds, mist and rain, three supernormal beings, Te Mamaru, Mawake-nui, and Te Ihorangi were appointed as guardians of the bounds of the heavens. All three were children of the primal parents; the last-mentioned being the personified form of rain. The first two probably represent dark clouds and wind. Their task was to control the clouds of the heavens, that they might act as a screen between Rangi and Papa, and so shade the body of the Earth Mother. The controllers called upon Hine-moana, the Ocean Maid, and Hine-wai (personified form of misty rain) to despatch Hine-Makohu, the Mist Maid,^* to act as a covering for the Sky Parent, and to shelter the Earth Mother. Hence the clouds we see above us. Mist, clouds and rain are all born of the warmth or perspiration of Tuanuku (the earth), Hine-moana (the ocean), and Hine-wai.

The principal personified forms of clouds are Hine-kapua (the Cloud Maid), who was a daughter of Tane, Tu-kapua, Te Ao-tu, Te Ao-hore, etc. The Cloud Children are a numerous folk; they dwell within their house known as the Ahoaho o Tukapua, which is the realm of Watea (personified form of space). They often venture forth to roam athwart the vast breast of Rangi, the Sky Parent, where they are frequently attacked and harried by the Wind Children, a turbulent crew that ever careers around Watea and disturbs the serenity of the Cloud Maid and her young relatives.

To explain the origin of rock, stones and sand, we cannot do better than to present it in Maori form:—

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Here we see that Tane the Fertiliser, Tane the Parent, took to wife the personified form of mountains and ranges, who had issue one Putoto, as also the personified form of water. The latter is seen in the streams one sees issuing from hills and ranges. From the three offspring of Putoto sprang all taniwha (water monsters and mythical dragons), insects, reptiles, as also the beings who produced all forms of rock, stones, gravel and sand. The three female children of Rangahua are the personified forms of sandstone, sand and gravel, viz., the Sandstone Maid, the Sand Maid, and the Gravel Maid. The two last-mentioned, together with Rakahore, are, as we have seen, the protectors of the Earth Mother from the ravages of Hine-moana, the Ocean Maid. Rakahore is a sturdy defender, he takes his stand amid the surging battalions of Hine-moana, and never wearies of withstanding their ceaseless assaults. His name appears in a quaint old-time aphorism: “E kore a Para-whenua e haere ki te kore a Rakahore” (Para-whenua will not move abroad in the absence of Rakahore). The explanation of this cryptic saying is that water would not emerge from the earth, as it does in the form of rivulets and springs, were it not for the rock that lies beneath the surface.

Greenstone (pounamu) is said to have had a different origin, in some of these relations. Thus one story relates that Tangaroa took to wife one Anu-matao, who represents cold

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apparently, who produced Pounamu and Poutini. The latter appears to have been a guardian of the ever-prized greenstone, which is often called the Stone of Poutini. There is a long story about the migration of greenstone, the Pounamu Folk, to New Zealand in mist-laden days of the remote past. It may be mentioned that the native term pounamu, and our name of greenstone, are applied, not only to true nephrite, but also to bowenite, jadeite, serpentine, and malachite. In some far-off region across the ocean is a place or sea named Moana-kura, concerning which a quarrel arose between Poutini and Tutunui. The latter wished to use this sea as an abiding place for his charges and offspring, fish and shellfish. Poutini objected, and so the contest commenced. Tutunui assembled all the Sandstone Folk, represented by Hine-tu-a-hoanga, who attacked the Greenstone People and defeated them. This myth is based on the fact that sandstone was utilised for the purpose of working nephrite, which is of too tough a nature to lend itself to flaking or chipping; thus sandstone is, as it were, the natural enemy of nephrite.

Poutini now resolved to migrate with the Greenstone People, and so brought them across the ocean to these isles. Another version has it that one Ngahue brought them hither, or that he followed them to these isles. Anyhow they came, fleeing from the wrath of the Sandstone Maid. But they were at once pursued, and so found great difficulty in finding a resting place here. On reaching Mayor Island, in the Bay of Plenty, they proposed to land and settle thereon, but encountered Mata and Tuhua (flint or quartz, and obsidian). So the fleeing Greenstone People fled southward. Near East Cape they strove to settle, but saw Waiapu (a form of flint) and Tu-a-hoanga already in occupation; so they fled again, unable to face the rending flint and sandstone. At many other places they sought to land, but ever found the Sandstone Folk, or flint, or quartzite, in possession, and so were forced to move on. At length they found a refuge at Arahura, on the west coast of the South Island, and there they abode. But still the Sandstone Folk and Ngahue pursued them and delivered an attack. Then was slain the wife of Poutini, one Pungapunga (the name of a light variety of greenstone). Many chiefs of the Greenstone People were slain and carried off, others fled

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to a cascade in the Arahura river and there concealed themselves. The guardian of that cascade was a moa,^* which was slain by Ngahue.

This singular myth is a decided puzzle. Possibly it is a confused mixture of several stories, of the discovery of greenstone at Arahura by Ngahue and his companions, and an expedition for the purpose of obtaining the prized stone, which was found only in the Westland district. The expedition led by one Tama-ahua, from Taranaki to Arahura, in order to secure greenstone, has become much encrusted with myth. The peculiar aspect of tangiwai (bowenite) is said to be the result of the weeping of Hine-ahua, wife of Tama-ahua, for her far-distant home in Polynesia. Her tears permeated the stone, hence the peculiar markings in it as seen to-day, also its name. When Ngahue returned to Hawaiki (Polynesia) he informed the people that greenstone and the huge moa bird were the most remarkable products of the land of Aotea.

Hine-tu-a-hoanga, the personified form of sandstone, is said in one version of these quaint stories to have been the mother of Rata of tree-felling fame, a story known in many regions of Polynesia. Hine is spoken of as representing all hoanga or grinding stones employed in sharpening tools and in fashioning objects. Rata applied to her to sharpen his stone adze, and the word rata, in vernacular speech, carries the meaning of “sharp.” Rata wished to hew out a canoe in order that he might sail to a distant land and punish a people who had slain his father. Hence he entered the forest and felled a suitable tree. On returning to the spot next day he found to his amazement that the tree was again standing upright, and as vigorous as ever; apparently it had never been felled. However, he felled it again, and returned home. The next morning saw the tree once more upright and flourishing. This was so mysterious and vexatious that Rata decided to consult his mother, who sent him to an old relative, a wise man of many years. He explained to that wise man that unseen hands kept re-erecting the tree he had felled, and, moreover, the forest seemed to be full of mysterious creatures. The old man said: “Those strange folk are your own ancestors. Fear not. They haunt the forest shades; they dwell

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at the bounds of Hine-moana, on the summits of far mountains, in strange tapu places, in the lower world they ever roam by day and night. Go; fell your tree once more, then cover the stump with paretao [a plant, a small fern]. When evening falls, take the paretao to the tuahu [sacred place of a village], and await my arrival.” Rata obeyed his elder, and, when the latter received the herbage, he waved it toward the heavens, and recited a long formula, such as is repeated when a superior tree is about to be felled for an important purpose. This rite had the desired effect and the forest elves interfered no more with Rata. In another version of the story Rata is told to sharpen his axe on the back of Hine-tu-a-hoanga ere he fells the tree. The story is a long one, and apparently describes an expedition from some isle of Polynesia to a Western Pacific land, but it has become encrusted with myth.

In times long past away, times exceedingly remote, there dwelt in this world of life a man named Mataora, a man of fair presence and goodly standing. As Mataora lay asleep one day, a party of young women came upon him, and paused to look at him, and to marvel as to who and what he might be. These young folk were not people of this world, the upper world, but were denizens of Rarohenga, the subterranean spirit world. Thus they were not ordinary folk, mortals, as are people of this world, but of a supernatural nature, and hence they are alluded to as Turehu. The leader of the party was a maid of wondrous charms named Niwareka, and she is said to have been a descendant of Ruaumoko and Hine-nui-te-po. The former represents earthquakes, all volcanic phenomena, and he took to wife Hine, the erst Dawn Maid, who dwells in the underworld.

The Turehu folk gazed upon Mataora, and wondered as to who he was. Some thought that he was a supernatural being. When he awoke he looked upon the Turehu folk, and enquired: “Are you females?” while they enquired: “Are you a male?” Then Mataora asked the spirit folk to enter his house, but they declined either to enter the house or to eat of the cooked food he offered them. They exclaimed that the food was putrid, for those strange folk were quite ignorant of the art of cooking food. So Mataora was compelled to provide raw food for their entertainment.

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When his Turehu guests had partaken of their raw food Mataora rose, grasped his maipi (a staff-like weapon) and entertained them with an exhibition of tuone, in which the performer shows his agility and command of his weapon. When he had concluded his performance, then the Turehu folk rose and performed a posture dance before Mataora. As they danced, one came forward to the front and acted as leader, while all kept calling out “Niwareka! Niwareka!” which was the name of the leader of the party. A maid of many charms was she. The dance was a singular one, for the performers held each other's hands, and skipped about; sometimes they trooped after each other and passed between two, who held each other's hands. A very fair-skinned folk were these Turehu, having light-coloured hair, also slender but well-formed bodies. So abundant was their hair, that it covered them to the waist, below which they wore aprons made of seaweed.

Now Mataora became deeply enamoured of the leader of the Turehu folk, the one named Niwareka, for truly was she a beautiful and charming creature. She was the daughter of one Uetonga, who dwelt in Rarohenga, the underworld. So it came about that Mataora took to wife Niwareka, a being of the spirit world. For some time they dwelt happily together, until some strange fancy affected the mind of Mataora; he became jealous and angry with his wife, and finally he struck her. This treatment was a dread shock to Niwareka, for, as we shall see anon, such actions are unknown to Rarohenga. Thus she at once fled from Mataora to return to her own home, and so passed away from his ken.

Mataora became disconsolate after the flight of his wife; grief and dejection afflicted him. At last he resolved to go forth in search of her. He went to Tahuaroa, at far Irihia, where great Hikurangi looks down on the old homeland of the Maori. He came to Poutere-rangi, where Te Kuwatawata, the Guardian, holds the entrance to the underworld of spirits, and enquired of him: “Have you not seen a woman passing this way?” The Guardian enquired: “What is the token?” Replied Mataora: “Her fair hair.” Said the Guardian: “She has passed here weeping as she went.” He then allowed Mataora to pass down to the underworld in search of his lost bride.

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As he fared on he came to one Tiwaiwaka, and enquired as to the doings of the folk of the underworld. The answer was: “They are busy in attending to the kumara crops; some are building houses, some are fishing, some are tattooing, some are kite-flying, some are top-spinning. Mataora enquired for his wife, and the answer was: “She has passed on with swollen eyes and hanging lips.”

Mataora went on his way until he came to the home of Uetonga, father of Niwareka, where Uetonga was engaged in exercising the art of tattooing. Mataora noticed that the blood of the person being tattooed was flowing freely, which surprised him, because, at that period, tattooing by punctuation was unknown in the upper world, where designs were merely painted on the human body. Hence he said to Uetonga: “Your mode of tattooing is wrong; it is not done so in the upper world.” But Uetonga, the tohunga ta moko (tattooing expert) of Rarohenga replied: “Not so. It is your method that is wrong; this is true tattooing; your mode of decoration is merely for the adornment of houses, and is known as hopara makaurangi, but when applied to persons it is styled tuhi.” Then Uetonga stretched forth his hand and rubbed the face of Mataora, thus effacing the designs that had been painted thereon. Now all the people laughed to see the designs so easily destroyed, while Uetonga remarked: “O the upper world! Ever is its adornment a farce. Behold how easily it is effaced; it is merely a marking. Know then, ye of the upper world, that there are several kinds of adornment [whakairo]. There is the woman's art of adorning cloaks, and the men's art of wood carving, while that on your face is merely a painted pattern.” Thus Mataora learned of the art of true tattooing by punctuation. He said to Uetonga: “You have spoilt my adornment and now you must tattoo me properly.” Even so Uetonga called upon those who traced the designs for tattooing to prepare Mataora for the ordeal, and, when this was done, he took his tattooing implement and began to operate on him. As Mataora lay there suffering the pain of being tattooed with the lacerating chisel of the artist, he sang the following song:—

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“O Niwareka, the lost one, where art thou?
Come thou to me, O Niwareka! Niwareka!
’Twas thou who lured me here below
O Niwareka! Niwareka!
And my love consumes me, O Niwareka! Niwareka!

Now the younger sister of Niwareka chanced to hear Mataora singing this song, hence she ran off to Taranaki, where Niwareka was engaged in weaving a cloak. She reported: “A certain person yonder, a handsome man, is being tattooed, and he sings a song in which your name is mentioned.” So all those present went off to see this man, and Niwareka told them to conduct him to her. As the women led him to the house, Niwareka said: “He walks as Mataora did, and his cloak looks like one of my own weaving.” Then she and her companions welcomed Mataora, for they pitied him on account of his suffering the pain of being tattooed. He was for the time quite blind, so swollen was his lacerated face. As he sat down, Niwareka enquired: “Are you Mataora?” He nodded his head, and his hands clutched at her. Then she knew that it was truly Mataora, and that he had come to seek her; even so she greeted him with tears.

When the scarred face of Mataora was healed then the tattooed devices thereon looked very fine. He then proposed that they should return together to the upper world, but Niwareka said: “The ways of the upper world are ways of evil; both realms have heard of our trouble; I must consult my people.” Came Uetonga to Mataora, saying: “Maybe you think of returning to the upper world; if so, return, but let Niwareka remain here. Is it a custom of the upper world to beat women?” And Mataora was overcome with shame.

Said Tauwehe, brother of Niwareka: “Mataora! Abandon the ao turoa [upper world], the home of evil. Observe how all denizens of the upper world are ever compelled by violence and other evils to descend to the under world. Let us all dwell here below, in the realm of harmony. Abandon the upper world and its evil deeds; leave it as a realm apart from the lower world with its peace and harmony.” Then Uetonga added: “Mataora! Let us not hear tidings of a second evil act of thine in the upper world.

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For mark you, the upper world and its deeds of darkness is widely sundered from the underworld, which is a realm of light and peace.”

Now observe well and study the words of Uetonga. Here in the upper world alone are evil deeds known; this is truly the realm of darkness. As to the underworld of Rarohenga, no evil is there known, neither does darkness obtain; it is a realm of light and righteousness. This is the reason why, of all spirits of the dead from the time of Hine-ahu-one even unto ourselves, not a single one of those spirits has ever returned hither to dwell in the upper world.

When at last Mataora was allowed to take Niwareka back to the upper world, Uetonga said to him: “Mataora! Farewell! Return to Taiao [this world, the upper world], but have a care lest we are again afflicted by the evil works of that realm.” Mataora replied: “Not so. By the token of the punctured tattoo you have embellished me with, the ways of the underworld shall be my ways.” So the reconciled twain turned to ascend to the upper world.

As a parting gift Uetonga gave to Mataora the famous cloak called the Rangi-haupapa, which was the original after which were fashioned all the cloaks of this world. The belt that was intended to confine it was the originating pattern of all belts of this world. On their way to the ascent to this world the twain were stopped by Tiwaiwaka, the guardian of the base of that ascent, who detained them, refusing to allow them to ascend until the month of Tatau-uruora (November). At the proper time Tiwaiwaka (a bird name, the fantail) sent his young folk, Popoia (owl), and Peka (the bat); also Patatai (land rail) sent his, all to act as guides for Mataora. The latter feared that they would be slain, but Patatai told him to locate them in darkling haunts and gloomy places, hence the owl and bat are never seen in daytime, but move abroad only in the darkness. To see these birds at the haunts of man is a sign of bad luck to come. It is a token of ill-luck if a fantail enters a house. The patatai also brings misfortune in its train. These two birds, as also the whitehead were the birds that accompanied Maui when he assailed Hine of Rarohenga in order to gain eternal life for man.

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When our wayfarers from Rarohenga arrived at the exit from the underworld, Te Kuwatawata, the guardian of that gateway, asked them what they were bearing away from the lower world. Mataora replied that they were taking only the birds and the art of tattooing. The guardian said to Niwareka: “What is the bundle on your back?” She replied that it merely contained some old garments. Said the Guardian: “Mataora! Never again shall the entrance to the underworld be free to living beings of the upper world; these shall pass downwards only as spirits; spiritual beings alone shall traverse both realms.” Mataora enquired: “For what reason?”

The guardian replied: “You have the Rangi-haupapa (cloak) with you. Why were you evasive?”

So it is that never again has living man passed those barriers; only spirits can do so.

After the return of Mataora to the upper world the art of tattooing by puncture became known, and the fame thereof spread to Awarau, to Tonga-nui, to Rangiatea, and to Hui-te-rangiora, these being islands in the region of Tawhiti. A messenger from Irihia arrived asking Mataora to go to that land, the home of Nuku-wahi-rangi.

The patterns of tattoo acquired by Mataora were the poniania, pihere, ngu and tiwhana. (The first and third are designs marked on the nose, the second at the side of the mouth, the fourth over the eyebrows). The tattooing of Niwareka was confined to a cross on each cheek, and one on the forehead, and the poniania. The pukauae and ngutu (tattooing on chin and lips) patterns are modern. Prior to the visit of Mataora to the underworld people marked devices on their faces with red ochre, white clay, and blue earth.

Such is the myth of Mataora and his fair Turehu bride Niwareka, given here in an abbreviated form. It is a story of considerable interest, and it is possible that it represents a remembrance of a genuine event that has, in the course of centuries, become embellished with myths and quaint fancies. The acquisition of the arts of tattooing by puncture, and of weaving, together with the account of a mode of dancing quite unknown to the Maori, seem to point to a voyage or journey during which was encountered a people practising

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such arts. Apart from such basic facts we have many contradictory, and even puerile, statements, or embellishments. The Turehu folk are generally described as forest dwelling elves of this upper world, but in the above story the name is applied to spiritual or supernatural beings of the underworld, the denizens of which are supposed to be spirits of the dead. The forest dwelling Turehu are said to have been a fairskinned, light-haired folk, and these peculiarities are transferred to maids from Rarohenga who visited the upper world and encountered Mataora. The custom assigned to them of eating only raw food is one referred to in many old Maori stories of voyagers who encountered, in far lands, people who were ignorant of the use of fire and ate their food raw.

These mixtures of popular myths and fancies with the spiritual and other concepts of the Maori people, contain many confusing and even absurd statements. The Maori tells us that the souls of the dead descend to the spirit world, that these wairua (soul, spirit) can be seen by seers only, not by ordinary persons. They dwell in the underworld under the care of Hine, the ex-Dawn Maid. Yet the maids who visited this world are spoken of as creatures of flesh and blood, and their relatives of the underworld were found by Mataora building houses, cultivating food products, weaving garments, tattooing, and so on. These are scarcely occupations for spirits, one would suppose. The Maori seems to calmly accept all these inconsistencies, and makes no effort to explain them. There are two views that may be taken of this peculiar condition. In the first place we find, in studying Maori lore, that the subterranean spirit world has become confused with the old homeland of the race in the far west. This was probably the result of the belief that spirits of the dead accompanied the setting sun in its descent to the underworld. Any far distant land is, in Maori story, liable to be so confused with the spirit world. Here is another point: Niwareka, daughter of Uetonga, of Rarohenga, is said to have been a descendant of Hine-titama, erst the Dawn Maid, and Ruaumoko, the youngest child of the Earth Mother. So it appears that, in the underworld, there dwells a folk who are not spirits of the dead, but descendants of the Sky Father and Earth Mother through Tane, Hine-titama, and Ruaumoko.

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Truly he who seeks to unravel the mythopoetic concepts of the Polynesian undertakes a puzzling task.

In the story Mataora is asked to visit Irihia, the old homeland, in order to exhibit his tattooing, apparently going from eastern Polynesia. But the Maori tells us that the entrance to the spirit world is at Irihia, so that Mataora must have just come from there. Evidently these additions have been made to some old-time story without any attempt at explanation.

An interesting feature of the myth is the stress laid on the statement that the underworld is a realm wherein peace and harmony prevail, where the evils of the upper world are unknown. There is nothing to show that it is a region of darkness or gloom; certainly it is not one of suffering. However, on the arrival of our Christian missionaries, that lack was very soon attended to, and the dreadful horrors of a priestinvented hell were fully disclosed to the astonished Maori.

There is another version of this myth concerning the acquisition of the art of tattooing in the underworld. It was collected from natives of the South Island of New Zealand by the Rev. J. Wohlers (see Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, Vol. 8, p. 112). It appears as a part of the legend of Rukutia and Tu-te-koropanga, a story known also to the natives of the Hawaiian Isles, over four thousand miles distant from our South Island.

Perhaps no aspect of Maori lore is more attractive than that illustrating his poetic mentality in connection with natural phenomena and origin myths. This is a subject well worthy of study, and of being recorded. In order to present some proof of the Maori genius for personification the following list of personified forms is given, a list that might be much extended. It extends into many departments of Nature, and includes in a few cases personified forms of abstractions, a somewhat rare occurrence in the myths of neolithic man.

The sun is personified in Tane, Tama-nui-te-ra, and Tama-uawhiti, the moon in Rongo and Hina. Hine-korako seems to personify a lunar bow or halo. The sky is personified in Rangi, and the earth in Papa. The latter is also sometimes alluded to as Tuanuku and Nuku. Watea personifies space, and Raro seems to represent the underworld. The

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ocean is personified in Hine-moana, the Ocean Maid, and in Wainui, water in Para-whenuamea, and rain in Te Ihorangi and Hine-wai. Mahuika personifies fire, while cold is represented by Maeke, Kunawiri, Wero, etc., and ice, snow and hail by Tioroa and Tonga-nui-kaea. Whiro personifies darkness and evil, Hine-titama the dawn; Hine-ata is the Morning Maid, Hine-awatea the Day or Daylight Maid, Hine-ahiahi the Evening Maid. Hine-raumati, the Summer Maid, personifies summer; Hine-takurua, the Winter Maid, represents winter. Whakaahu and Pipiri also represent summer and winter, while Mahuru personifies spring. Thunder appears as Hine-whaitiri, the Thunder Maid, whose abode is Raparapa-te-uira (an allusion to the flashing of lightning), and whose advance courier is one Makere-whatu (heavy rain). Each kind of thunder has also its personified form, thus Whaitiri-papa, whose abode is Ao-kapua-rangi, that is in the clouds of heaven, represents explosive thunder. Tane-matau personifies thunder unaccompanied by rain, Aputahi-a-Pawa a single peal, whilst Whaitiri-pakapaka, Rautupu, Ku and Ea represent other forms. Lightning is personified in Hine-te-uira, the Lightning Maid, Tama-te-uira, Mataaho and others; there are many Lightning Children, who are under the care of their elder Tama-te-uira and others, who control them, lest they abuse their powers of destruction. Clouds are personified in Hine-kapua, the Cloud Maid, in Tu-kapua, Aoao-nui, Uhirangi, and others. The winds are represented by Tawhiri-matea, Tawhiri-rangi, Raka-maomao, Parawera-nui, and a host of others. These are the Whanau puhi, the Wind Children, a numerous folk who roam throughout the realm of Watea and harry the Cloud Children, and troop forth to gambol on the far-spread Maraeroa, the plaza of Hine-moana, the Ocean Maid. Uenuku, Kahukura, and the three Haere brothers personify the rainbow; Tamarau and Rongomai represent meteors, while comets are personified in Upoko-roa, Auahituroa, Wahie-roa, Meto, and Taketake-hikuroa. Earthquakes and volcanic phenomena are represented by Ruaumoko, Hine-i-tapeka, Hine-tuoi, Ioio-whenua, Te Kuku, Te Wawau, and Tawaro-nui.

Pare-arohi personifies the quivering appearance of heated air as seen in summer. Mountains and ranges are personified

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in Hine-maunga, the Mountain Maid, she who was taken to wife by Tane and brought forth Para-whenuamea (personified form of water). From this twain also sprang the personified forms Rakahore (of rock), Hine-one (of sand), Hine-tu-a-hoanga (of sandstone), Hine-tu-a-kirikiri (of gravel), and many others, truly a numerous progeny. The different kinds of greenstone, as nephrite, bowenite, serpentie, etc., are personified in Hine-kahurangi, Hine-tangiwai, Hine-kawakawa, and many others, a bevy of female personifications.

Land birds are personified in one Punaweko, sea birds in Hurumanu, though Tane, under his name of Tane-mataahi, represents birds generally. Then, again, many species have distinct personified forms; thus Tu-mataika personifies the brown parrot, Rupe the pigeon, Parauri the parson bird, Koururu the owl, Hine-karoro the seagull, Hine-tara the tern, Noho-tumutumu the cormorant, Moe-tahuna the duck, and so on.

Tane represents the forest, also all trees and birds. Forests are alluded to as Te Wao tapu nui a Tane, the very sacred forest of Tane. Rehua is also connected with forests, and when Tane visited Rehua, the latter is said to have regaled him with a repast of birds caught in his own hair, that hair being really the branches of trees. As in the case of birds we find that certain species of trees have special personified forms. Thus Hine-waoriki personifies the white pine, Momuhanga the totara, Hine-kaikomako the fire tree (Pennantia corymbosa), Tauwhare-kiokio all tree ferns, and so on. Te Rara-taunga-rere represents the fruitfulness of trees, and Hine-rau-wharangi personifies growth. Then we have Te Pu-whakahara as representing the maire (Olea) and puriri (Vitex), Ruru-tangi-akau the ake (Dodonaea), Rerenoa the rata (Metrosideros), Mangonui the hinau (Eloecarpus), Puahou the parapara (Nothopanax), Poananga the clematis, Toro-i-waho all climbing and creeping plants; and so on, a brave array of the Children of Tane.

All food supplies of man are personified in one Tahu, as illustrated in an old saying quoted when one declines a proffered meal: “Kei takahia a Tahu,” which is equivalent to saying: “Do not slight Tahu.”

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Tang