CHAPTER IV. THE DECLINE OF THE MAORI.
[Image of page 13]
CHAPTER IV.
THE DECLINE OF THE MAORI.
The illustrious navigator, Captain James Cook, visited New Zealand five times:--
First: October 8, 1769, to March 31, 1770; 174 days.
Second: March 21, 1773, to June 8, 1773, 75 days.
Third: October 21, 1773, to. November 26, 1773; 36 days.
Fourth: October 17, 1774, to November 11, 1774; 25 days.
Fifth: February 10, 1777, to February 27, 1777; 17 days.
Total, 327 days.
During the above-mentioned visits these Islands were circumnavigated two and a half times, and Captain Cook and his officers estimated that there were two hundred and fifty thousand Maoris residing on the coast line; he having been in close communication with them except when bad weather occasionally drove his ships off shore. He says, "They were in vast numbers" in certain localities, notably in the Bay of Plenty, between Whakatane and Mercury Bay, while he named Okurei or Maketu Point "Town Point" where eleven thousand people were living, yet this is only a small promontory of under 2000 acres.
Judging by the vast numbers of earthworks which exist over most of the interior of the North Island, in the deep moats or ditches of which huge trees are seen growing, the ditches and drains on land were at one time under cultivation but have now reverted into swamps. I do not consider it an exaggeration to estimate the interior population as equalling that of the coast, making a total of half a million.
And now arises the speculation, "What has become of so numerous a people?" The tribe whom Cook found living on Town Point were undoubtedly the Ngatiwhakahinga, a swarm
[Image of page 14]
colony from the warlike tribe, Ngaiterangihouhiri, who, under the renowned chiefs, Rangihouhiri and his fighting general Tamapahore, had come from Whangara about the neighbourhood of Gable End Foreland, and, later dispossessing Tapuika, the descendants of Hei, a chief of the Arawa canoe, they moved northwards, conquering the whole of the Tauranga lands, and leaving the Ngatiwhakahinga aforesaid to hold Maketu; which they succeeded in doing for over a hundred years against the combined efforts of the Arawa tribe. Of this once numerous people not a trace now remains, except perhaps a few individual Tauranga natives, who can trace their descent from them.
Another extraordinarily numerous people were the Panenehu, residing in Opotiki Valley, who disappeared suddenly, leaving nothing but their places of sepulture; at one of which I found a mass of mouldering bones. I counted 397 perfect skulls, but an equal number probably had been trampled to pieces by cattle.
The whole of the Coromandel Peninsula was once occupied by Ngatihuarere, the descendants of Huarere, who was a son of Tuhoromatakaka, Tamatekapua's son. They were the great builders of the pas, which are so numerous in the Thames district. In 1893, I could only find three of their descendants living, Hamiora Mangakahia, Peneamine Tainui, and Hohepa Mataitaua. Old Manihera Ruamano told me that all the lands about Horohoro once belonged to a large tribe named Ngati-waihakari, who were smitten by some epidemic somewhere about 1780-90; that not one was left to tell the tale, and he, about 1840, had found great numbers of their remains about Parekarangi. But I could name fifty other tribes who have passed as a dream in the night, leaving misty traditions that they had died from some terrible visitation. One noted tribe, the Ngaiwi, were the builders of the huge pas on the coast between Maketu and Matata, one of which is half a mile long, subdivided by artificial ditches forty feet deep. Then consider what a vast number of people it must have taken to scarp the numerous volcanic hills about Auckland, to create the serried terraces, and defend the same from covetous foes. These pa builders well merited their name--"Te Waiohua," the waters of abundance.
The first epidemic of which we have fairly reliable evidence was that which spread all over the North Island, ten or fifteen years after Cook's last visit, in 1777, and was known by the name "Te Rewharewha." After it had run its course, many districts lay desolate for a number of years. For instance,
[Image of page 15]
Maketu remained in that state at the beginning of last century, up to 1820. At least about that time another epidemic, known as Kai-Ariki or Kai-Atua, "The Destroying God," started in the North and spread as far as Cook Straits, being particularly fatal on the West Coast and Taranaki. Several minor visitations are also recorded, one named "Te Karawaka," was very severe in the North, in or about 1840. It was a kind of low fever, probably typhoid, and received its name, which signifies a minnow or whitebait, from the following circumstance:--
An old chief, Te Puhipi, of Kaitaia, greatly distressed at the tribe's losses, consulted my uncle, the Rev. Mr. Puckey, and inquired whether the complaint then raging was typhus, and on being told it was not nearly so bad, he asked what was the difference between it and typhus. My uncle replied: "As much as there was between a karawaka (a minnow or whitebait) and a tohora (whale)." Hence the name.
It is significant that all these epidemics came from the North, and rather circumstantial details are given, which show that in at least two instances these contagious diseases were contracted from crews of shipwrecked vessels. Between 1814 and 1820 the Church of England missionaries, who had then acquired considerable knowledge of the North Island, believed that the Maoris numbered from a hundred to a hundred and twenty thousand; a terrible falling off from Captain Cook's estimate, which could only have been caused by epidemics.
It is believed that the ravages of war, mainly caused by Hongi Hika's raids, from the date of his return from England and Sydney in 1821 to 1827, when he was mortally wounded at Hunuhunu, Hokianga (dying on March 6th, 1828), and fighting arising out of his raids, were responsible for forty thousand deaths.
At the conclusion of Sir George Grey's first Governorship, the Maori population was put down at from 55,000 to 60,000, and they have steadily declined ever since, till, in 1901, the census showed under 45,000. Since then it has been taken twice, the numbers being 49,000 and 55,000 respectively.
I am sorry to say that these estimates are, in my opinion, entirely approximate, and of no real value in taking the very necessary measures to ensure the preservation of a noble race.
To make a census accurate it should be taken on one day, as in the case of Europeans, instead of, as heretofore, sometimes extending over several weeks. The Maoris are a nomadic people, constantly on the move, visiting relatives, widely separated, gum
[Image of page 16]
digging, bush falling, shearing, etc., added to which is the pernicious habit of taking new names to perpetuate the memory of a deceased chief. For instance, when Hemana Pokiha, a noted young chief committed suicide by shooting, his tribe, the Ngatipikiao, then numbering over 400, took different names, such as Te Kapu-Ti (he having asked for a cup of tea a moment before), "the trigger," "the rifle," and so on. In the event of a block of land passing through the Court, all these new names would be put into the title, and so the multiplication goes on till I have known a man hold land under eight aliases. An individual is often claimed by four or five hapus or subtribes out of a desire to show the importance of greater numbers.
Our Government will fail lamentably in its duty unless an accurate Maori census is obtained.
