Visit to the Reinga...
[Image of page 166]
Visit to the Reinga, the reputed Dwelling of Departed Spirits.
Having long felt a desire to visit the poor benighted natives who are living at the very extremity of the island, and who are a remnant of the vanquished tribe, the "Aupouri," I set out on Dec. 4th, 1834, taking with me six of my natives, and Pacrata, an old chief, as a guide. This once bloodthirsty warrior and superstitious heathen, who was partly the means of annihilating this once powerful tribe, is, we hope, through the grace of God, becoming as gentle as a lamb, and bids fair to become as bold and useful in the cause of the Redeemer, as he has been in the cause of Satan. The first day we walked over about eight miles of land, till we arrived at the western coast, where we took a repast, and commenced our march along the beach, which is remarkably fine, reaching, at low water, 150 yards from the bank, and extends in length, with the exception of rivers, from Cape Maria Van Dieman's nearly to Cook's Straits. We brought up at night at Hukatere, an old fortified place, where our guide (Pacrata) once fought, and was wounded. After prayers with my party, we retired to rest, but were much annoyed by the musquitoes. At five o'clock we were on our way across the island, to Houhora, on Mount Camel, as we intended to spend the Sabbath at this place. At this place we were cordially received by Witi, an old venerable chief, one of the principal heads of the Rarawa tribes. This old man, on learning where we were going, said, "Of what use is your going there, for the people of that place are very few, and they have nothing for you to eat?" We replied, that
[Image of page 167]
it was not for food that we were going; that our object was to declare to the natives of that place the glad tidings of salvation.
Dec. 6, 1834.--Witi, on learning that we intended, on this our route, to explore the Reinga, communicated the news to a chief of another village, who immediately came and said to Pacrata, "I am come to send you and your white companion back again; for if you cut away the 'aka,' or roots of the Reinga, the whole island will be destroyed; but your white friend will not." He moreover said to Pacrata, "Do not suffer your friend to cut away the ladder by which the souls of our forefathers were conveyed to the other world." The whole body of New Zealanders, although composed of numerous tribes, who, for the greater part, are living in malice, hateful, and hating one another, yet firmly believe in the Reinga (which is at the North Cape), as the one only place for their departed spirits. It is their belief, that as soon as the soul leaves the body, it makes its way with all speed to the western coast; if it be the spirit of a person who resided in the interior, it takes with it a small bundle of the branches of the palm-tree, as a token of the place where it resided; if one who lived on the coast, the spirit takes with it a kind of grass which grows by the sea-side, which it leaves at different resting-places on its road to the Reinga.
Dec. 7.--At night, we brought up at a place called Waimahuru, a small creek, where there are a few houses, which are considered sacred. One or two of my lads, in collecting fire-wood, took some wood which was near to those houses; and no sooner was the fire kindled, than the long grass, which was in great abundance, took fire, and one of our packages was burnt, which called forth a remark from our guide, that, had he not begun to believe
[Image of page 168]
in the true God, he should have said this accident befel us because we made a fire of some of the sacred wood.
Dec. 8.--At break of day we proceeded on our way about three miles, when we came to one of the resting-places of the spirits, where we were told we should know if any native had lately died, as there would be a green "wakaau," or token, of his spirit having rested there, on its way to the Reinga; but we found none. Here we took breakfast, and departed. About three o'clock we arrived at the end of the beach, where I pitched my tent for the night. At this place, called "Kahokawa," resided all the natives of the North Cape, not exceeding in number twenty-five. I had service with them, and talked with them, till late at night, of the things of God. After I had done speaking, one of them observed to another sitting by him, "It will be well for us to pay attention to these things; we can keep the Sabbath, if we can do nothing else."
Dec. 9.--We proceeded to explore the Reinga. After walking about half an hour, we came to another and the last resting-place of the spirits, which is on a hill, called "Haumu;" from whence they can look back on the country where their friends are still living; and the thought of this causes them to cry, and cut themselves. Here we saw many dry "wakaau;" which, as a native, whom we took as a guide for the last place, said, were the tokens of the spirits who had rested at this place. I asked him, if it were not possible for strangers, who passed this way, to do as my natives were then doing; namely, twisting green branches, and depositing them there, as a sign that they had stopped at that notable place,--a general custom with the natives, whenever they pass any remarkable place. After this, we went on our way, over sandy hills and
[Image of page 169]
sandy beaches, till we came to a fresh-water river. Here we took breakfast; after which we ascended a very high hill, composed of craggy rocks, on which were growing patches of slippery grass, over which it was very difficult to walk; and the precipice, over which the road lay, hanging over the sea, made the travelling very dangerous. When we arrived on the summit of this high hill, we gradually descended, by a much better road, till we came to the water edge. Here there is a hole through a rock, into which the spirits are said to go: after this, they ascend again, and then descend by the aka, which is a branch of a tree (projecting out of the rock), inclining downwards, with part of it broken off by the violence of the wind; but said to have been broken off by a number of spirits, which went down by the aka to the Reinga some years ago, when great numbers were killed in a fight. After we had looked awhile at the aka of the Reinga, our new guide took us about 100 yards further along: when he directed our attention to a large lump of sea-weed, washed to and fro by the waves of the sea, which he said was the door which closed in the spirits of the Reinga. This latter place is called Motatau; where, our guide remarked, they caught fish, which always are quite red, from the Kokowai, or red ochre, with which the natives bedaub their bodies and mats: the natives believe, that painted garments go with the departed spirits.
The scenery around the place where I stood was most uninviting; and not only so, but calculated to inspire the soul with horror. The place has a most barren appearance; while the screaming of the numerous sea-fowls, and the sea roaring in the pride of its might, dashing against the dismal black rocks, would suggest to the reflecting mind, that it must have been the dreary aspect of the
[Image of page 170]
place, that led the New Zealanders to choose such a situation as this for their hell.
We now returned to Kahokawa, and remained there for the night: the following day we began to retrace our steps; and arrived in safety at our station, on Saturday the 12th.
During the time I was absent, great rumours were spread among the tribes, that I had gone to cut away the aka of the Reinga. Many angry speeches were made; and some said they would go and waylay us, as we were returning. It in fact roused all the affections of those who had any for their old Dagon; while numbers, who began to feel a little enlightened, would say, "And what of it, if the ladder be cut away? it is a thing of lies: the spirits never went there." On being asked, "What, are you afraid of having no place of torment to go to?" some of the old men would touchingly say, "It is very well for you to go to the Rangi (or heaven), but leave us our old road to the Reinga, and let us have something to hold on by, as we descend, or we shall break our necks over the precipice." Many, moreover, threatened to take a fight to Pacrata, as they laid all the blame on him; so accordingly, on Monday, the 14th of January, a body of about forty men came, the distance of ten miles, to inquire into the truth of the matter. A notable chief, also, whose name is Huhu, came the distance of twenty miles, in order to see if it were true; and to stop the fights, if there were any. When about 100 natives had assembled, speeches on the occasion of the visit to the Reinga were made; this was done in a running posture. After two old chiefs had spoken their minds on the subject, and had declared it was "a very wicked thing to cut away their ladder to the Reinga, and nothing but right that Pacrata's property
[Image of page 171]
should be taken as a payment," Pacrata then rose, and made an animated speech in defence of his new belief, which lasted two hours. His audience formed a circle around him, and the attention was profound. His speech commenced with the setting out; and took in every little incident, and every conversation which passed among ourselves, and the natives with whom we met. He also gave his own ideas at large, on the absurdity of their believing in such a place as the Reinga for their departed souls. He moreover said, with great feeling, "There is another hell, which I am afraid of-- the one which burns with fire and brimstone;" and with regard to the spirits walking along the beach, and leaving tokens at the different resting-places, he asked, sarcastically, which way the soul of the man went who died while we were on the road, as we saw none of his wakaas and blood. They replied, "He must have gone the other road" (that is, to Heaven). "No," said one; "how could that be? for the man was not a believer." Pacrata gave great satisfaction to his hearers, by assuring them that their old Reinga had not been disturbed by us, and that the road still lay straight before them. The natives were so unarmed by Pacrata's celebrated speech, that they all dispersed to their homes in great tranquillity, not one being able to speak an angry word against him.
THE END.
GILBERT & RIVINGTON, Printers, St. John's Square, London.
