1859 - Thomson, A. S. The Story of New Zealand [Vol.I] - Part I. The Country and its Native Inhabitants - CHAPTER IX. LITERATURE.

[Image of page 162]

CHAP. IX.

LITERATURE.

THE missionaries, soon after their arrival in New Zealand, became aware of the existence among the people of a traditional literature, which assumed the form of laments, songs, stories, fables, and proverbs. Portions of this literature are modern, but much of it has been recited and sung for many generations.

As many of the laments, songs, and stories referred to love, war, and superstition, several influential missionaries tried to bury them in oblivion, by describing them as heathenish compositions incompatible with Christianity. Fortunately this was impossible, for although a majority of the songs are sensual and trifling, yet in a philosophical point of view the whole literature is a valuable addition to the history of the race.

Charlemagne collected the songs recited by the Germans, some of which are as old as Tacitus. Sir George Grey, Dr. Shortland, the Rev. Mr. Taylor, Mr. C. 0. Davis, and others, have done the same for the New Zealanders.

On the whole, the natives are more a singing than a poetical people, and none of their songs are epic or dramatic. Much of their poetry is lyrical, and consists

[Image of page 163]

of laboured metaphors and rapturous allusions to striking objects in nature. In it there is no reflection, no nice development of character, and little sustained tenderness or moral emotion. The terminations of the verses do not form rhymes. Each sentence is metrically arranged, and for the sake of preserving the measure words are divided. There are songs applicable to every subject, and many of them are accompanied with action, which is often a pantomimic display suited to the words. Thus in songs about the upsetting of canoes, the bodily accompaniment represents the violent action of the waves, and the means taken to keep the canoe afloat and to bail her out. In war songs the eyes glisten, the clothes are torn off, weapons are grasped, and blows struck at imaginary foes. In songs celebrating cannibal orgies the teeth are fixed in the arm. In jeering songs the tongue is protruded; laments are accompanied with tears, and love songs with sensual attitudes. Even the words of songs are made applicable to the subject, and in them we hear the swaying of trees, the whine of wrongs, the pattering of rain, and the gush of waters. The air of the tune is likewise suited to the song, being harsh in warlike songs, and doleful and plaintive in laments and love songs.

The art of narration is ill understood, and although many songs are full of imperfect hints, none contain a regular account of anything.

Passing events are described by extemporaneous songs, which are preserved, when good, after the incidents they commemorate have lost their interest. Ancient songs are often much mutilated, and the meaning of many allusions and words contained in them is forgotten. Even modern songs are translated with difficulty, from

[Image of page 164]

the metaphorical language of the people. For example, the daily mode of salutation, "the good-day," or the "how do you do" of the New Zealanders is tena ra ko koe, literally, "let the sun shine on thee," or "the day is thine."

The poetry of the people may be divided into laments, love songs, war or jeering songs, and time chants.

Laments contain the highest order of the people's poetry, and the singing of such compositions resembles cathedral chanting. One or two good voices commence, but all join in the chant. Laments aim at expressing overflowing emotion, and awakening similar feelings in listeners. Iwikau's lament for his brother Te Heuheu, who was buried alive; Rangihaeta's lament for Rauparaha his chief's capture; Ruhe's lament for his son, who was hung at Auckland; and the lament for the death of Te Heu Heu, given in other parts of this work, are good specimens of a style of composition which aims at expressing the noblest species of grief. The following lament gives utterance to sorrow of a less elevated but more natural kind:--

LAMENT

COMPOSED BY A YOUNG WOMAN CAPTURED AT THE ISLAND OF TUHUA, AND CARRIED AWAY TO A HIGH HILL NEAR ROTORUA, FROM WHICH SHE COULD SEE HER NATIVE PLACE. 1

[Image of page 165]

LAMENT
OF A BETROTHED WOMAN FOR ANOTHER MAN.

It will be observed from this, and the other laments referred to, which are purposely drawn from various sources, and not from my own collection, how frequently the same idea is produced, and how often men and women are compared to stars, the sun, moon, clouds, mountains, famous landing-places, birds, winds, rocks, fish, seas, tides, ancestors, Hawaiki, trees, gods, canoes, and all the more obvious objects in nature. The metre of laments is simple and short, and without any rule for rhythmical cadence but the poet's ear. The following is the captured woman's song at Tuhua in the native language:--

[Image of page 166]

Love songs were generally sensual in spirit, although several simply beautiful ideas are contained in them; but the singing of all was accompanied with indelicate attitudes. One specimen, with a description of the accompaniment, is given. 7

During the war dance, and on warlike occasions, songs were sung breathing a spirit of defiance and insult. War songs were always sung standing, but jeering songs occasionally in a sitting attitude, and invariably accompanied with the outstretched tongue. As

[Image of page 167]

specimens of both species have been already given, 8 I will only add one verse of a jeering song: --

Whenever men worked together, appropriate airs were sung, and although these compositions have not much meaning, they invariably produced regularity and cheerfulness. Trees were dragged out of the forests, pas were built, food was planted, and paddlers dipped their paddles together, under the influence of spirit-stirring chants. Some of these songs resemble the chants shouted by palanquin bearers in India. Two excellent specimens of this species of poetry have been given. 9

During wet weather, and in long winter nights, the New Zealanders amused themselves with stories. Some were of great length and took days to narrate, from the minute circumstances detailed. In spirit and style these compositions resemble children's tales. The historical legend of Hine Moa is one of the best New Zealand stories, but the following are equally characteristic, although much condensed from the original:--

STORY OF WAIHUKA AND TUTEAMOAMO.

There were two brothers, and they had neither father nor mother, nor tribe nor place.

[Image of page 168]

The younger was named Waihuka, the elder Tuteamoamo. When the former married Hineitekakara, a very beautiful woman, the elder brother the moment he saw her was struck with love, and he made up his mind to destroy Waihuka, to obtain possession of his wife.

One day Tuteamoamo took Waihuka a long distance out to sea to fish, and after catching one hundred fish, the elder brother said to the younger, Haul up the anchor of our canoe; but being unable to do so, he was prevailed on to dive for it. While under the water his brother cut the rope and paddled to a distance. When Waihuka came to the surface he cried to his brother to come and take him on board, but Tuteamoamo sailed away after throwing into the sea Waihuka's mat, fishing line, and paddle, which he told him to use as a canoe.

Waihuka now prayed to the birds to carry him to land, but none came to his assistance; he then called on the fish, and the whale hearing his supplications carried him ashore on its back.

When Tuteamoamo reached the land he rushed home, and told Hineitekakara that her husband was on board his canoe, but she immediately suspected he was drowned, and fell a weeping.

In the evening Tuteamoamo went to Hineitekakara's house and cried, "Draw back the slide of the door," and she replied,

While uttering these words she dug a hole in the

[Image of page 169]

floor of the hut, before Tuteamoamo broke open the door, and escaped to the beach to search for her husband's body. Here she asked various birds, without obtaining any information, but a whale pointed out where Waihuka was to be found alive.

When Waihuka and Hineitekakara had ceased weeping they returned quietly home. In the eventide Tuteamoamo again visited the house and asked Hineitekakara to draw the slide of the door, which she did, and as he entered Waihuka sprang forward and slew him.

LEGEND OF THE KILLING OF THE MONSTER HOTUPUKU.

This is an account of the brave deeds of the men of Rotorua in the olden time.

Travellers between Rotorua and Taupo were frequently lost, and their friends invariably supposed they fell in with a war party, until one traveller escaped and reported that they were slain by a beast armed with scales and spikes, like a sea monster, living in a cave on the road.

This news quickly spread, and 340 Rotorua warriors took up arms to slay the monster. The party first travelled to the plain of Kapenga, where they plaited ropes and made snares with cabbage-palm leaves; and when they had finished, chiefs stood up and recounted tales of their ancestors' bravery, to animate each other's courage for the coming struggle.

It was then arranged the party should not approach too close to the monster, but wait until the wind blew

[Image of page 170]

towards them; "for should it blow from us towards him he will scent us, and then we shall be prevented from making our preparations by his coming upon us before we are ready for him." Parties were told off to be in readiness with the snares, and others to entice him out of the cave.

These arrangements were scarcely completed when the monster, scenting the approach of men, rushed out of his den. Long before he was seen, a rumbling noise like thunder was heard, and the monster flew at the warriors with an open mouth and a flaming tongue. They fled, and in their retreat "cunningly drew him into the snare, where his fore-legs and head were caught." Here he struggled hard for life; but after frequent attacks from the warriors on different parts of his body, he stretched himself out like a dying grub and expired.

Next day the warriors cut open their enemy. He was as large as a black whale, and in shape like a tuatara. In his stomach were found bodies of men, women, and children, some whole, others mutilated, and large quantities of warlike weapons and mats. The dead inside the monster were carefully buried; and after preserving his fat in calabashes and eating portions of his flesh in revenge for his deeds, the warriors returned in triumph to Rotorua.

This story is not unlike that of St. George and the Dragon; but there is nothing European in it, for the dragon is the emblem of the Chinese, and all Malays hold in terror animals resembling dragons.

Fables, like stories, furnished amusement to the people. Every fable possessed a moral, which is, how-

[Image of page 171]

CHAP. IX.]

ever, often obscure. From the following specimens it will be seen that the New Zealand fables are apologues not parables.:--

THE EEL AND THE CODFISH.

"Which is your best part?" said the codfish to the eel. "I am good," replied the eel, "from my tail to my middle. But which is your good part?" The codfish answered, "My tail and fins." Then the codfish asked the eel which was his fattest part; and he replied by looking at his tail and referring a similar question to the cod, who by opening his eyes signified his head was the fattest part of his body.

This fable teaches us the best part of these fish.

THE GUANA AND THE ROCK COD.

A guana said to rock cod, "Let us go inland." And he replied, "No; go yourself." But the guana urged the cod to go, lest man should destroy him. The rock cod answered, "It is you, not me, men will destroy." To which insinuation the guana replied, "I will set up my spines, stick out my claws, and men will run from me."

THE RAT AND THE GREEN PARROT.

"Let us climb this tree," said the green parrot to the rat. "What shall we do there?" asked the rat. "Eat fruit," answered the parrot. "My friend," said the rat, "both our tribes are diminishing by the arts of man: he twists your neck and snares me."

This fable inculcates man's power over the lower animals.

[Image of page 172]

THE KAURI TREE AND THE WHALE.

"Come to the sea," said the whale to the kauri. "No," replied the tree, "I prefer the land." "Then," said the whale, "let us change skins, for you are in danger of being cut down by man and made into a canoe."

THE RAT AND THE LIZARD.

"Lizard (in a tree). 0 Rat!
Rat. What.
Lizard. Come up hither to me.
Rat. What are we do there?
Lizard. Gather the fruits of the trees.
Rat. 0 son, our place is here below, we only know how to burrow in the earth."

This fable shows each man has his proper sphere on earth.

Proverbs are numerous among the New Zealanders, and are often the wise or witty sayings of ancestors. Some are pointed and elegant, while others are destitute of wit and sense to a European, although highly relished among themselves.

Proverbs are used to support arguments, to excite men to exertion, and to produce amusement. The introduction of an applicable proverb in a speech often carries more weight than any other sort of argument. Every proverb inculcated some principle. The following instilled into men's minds the necessity of cultivating food:--

Whoever trusts to another man's labour for his food will be disappointed, but he who labours with his own hands will have enough and to spare.

[Image of page 173]

Fuel is only sought for against winter, but food is cultivated the whole year.

A person who has several cultivations is safe, though one should fail.

The man who gets up to work will be satisfied, but he who sits idle will want food.

He who is valiant in fight is apt to stumble, but he who is valiant in cultivating food will die of old age.

Food given tickles the throat, but food gained by one's labour is the food which satisfies.

Idle fellows are taunted with such proverbs as the following:--

Where were you when the fuchsia came into leaf that you did not plant food?

He works little, but his throat is deep.

You are forward to eat, but not to work.

You keep away at planting time, but stick close in harvest.

Potaka was a lazy fellow, who commenced working when others were leaving off.

"Industry," says the proverb, "should be rewarded, lest idleness get the advantage."

"This tribe will become extinct like the moa," is a proverb used to announce the extinction of a race.

The hidden thoughts of men are thus indicated:--

The spider is not seen when hid in his web, so men's real intentions are concealed in their hearts.

The slightest movement of the reed is seen, but not that of the heart.

We can search every corner of a house, but the corner of the heart we cannot.

[Image of page 174]

Passing clouds can be seen, but passing thoughts cannot.

Perseverance is inculcated in the saying, "If a man yawns while fishing he will catch no fish."

Men are urged not to despise insignificant enemies for "small and insignificant as the grub is, yet he eats hard trees."

A diminutive man is not to be despised, because "though small he is like the tough tea-tree."

The story of the mountain in labour, is well brought out by the proverb, "Though long hidden it will be small when it appears."

That sons should step into their fathers' shoes is thus expressed, "When the seine is worn out with age, the new net encircles the fish."

Constant talkers are silenced by the saying, "Bail the water out of your mouth, as from a canoe in a storm."

Ill-bred English guests look at their watches when kept waiting for dinner, but New Zealand guests on similar occasions ask each other, "When will the sound of splitting fire-wood be heard?"

"Go to Kati-kati for cockles" is used in the same sense as the phrase "Don't you wish you may get it?" Kati-kati was then debateable ground.

"When he sees a mealy potato he saves it for his own eating, but when he meets with a fibre of fern root, he throws it aside " is a proverb applied to persons who pick dainty bits of food out of dishes.

Human life is compared to the sun, "rising to its zenith and then declining;" and man is called the "slave of two growths, shooting up and sinking down," in other words, infancy and old age.

[Image of page 175]

There are few proverbs connected with the religious customs of the people, but "In the procession the priest goes before and the multitude follow after."

Prosperity is promised to "those who give as well as take."

People who ask for advice which they do not follow are compared to "dogs, snatching food from their masters' hands and running away."

No man is a prophet in his own country has an equivalent in the proverb, "A mussel at home, a parrot abroad."

Greedy fellows are compared to rats, and the "rat has a double stomach."

The early bird gets the worm, is less pointedly expressed in the proverb, "He who goes before gathers treasures, but he who follows looks for them in vain."