4: Nothing weird

Although some will see the pictures of the tattooed rocks in previous post and this one and think 'oh, here's another weird Celtic origin website', you are very wrong. Whilst that theory has merit it cannot be proved yet. But who did carve those rocks?

Our concern is not so much where the carvers of these stones came from - but that they existed. Nothing will be presented here as theory unless stated as such. The purpose of this blog is only to present evidence that is irrefutable, clear and obvious.

The rocks are very real, they show something Maori can't explain nor want to acknowledge. They were first discovered in 1862 in Raglan by a Mr Richard Todd; a government surveyor. There were originally about 27 of them. Some have been destroyed or are missing. The markings are man-made and of a time long before Maori. The symbols are not Maori, and Maori did not carve rocks or have a written language (they only used pictures painted on rock surfaces and open cave walls such as in Otago and a rare carved canoe site near Rotorua). Beside the largest of the rocks in question was found two stone chisels and a stone pummel.

The rock designs are somewhat similar to petroglyphs found in a cave in Irian Jaya but we won't speculate - we just want to present the evidence as it is. The exact origins of these symbols is irrelevant to us as we have said - just the fact they exist is enough...and they are not Maori. They could be a genealogy whereby the symbols represented their whakapapa, even as Maori did.

Now there is something else related to one of these rocks (since destroyed) for it revealed a large wet cave closeby that penetrates into Mount Karuni (now called Karioi). Inside are a number of calcified skeletons, 87 in total. According to the reports of the eighteen hundreds, those that found this cave and these skeletons, were surprised to learn that the local Maori did not know of their existence...but there was a story of a very great leader who lived in the area long ago. He was here alright, and long before Maori arrived in the Tainui Canoe at Kawhia Harbour and began to roam the area before dominating and chasing the locals away.

The major find however, was under the shadow of the mountain, (not the rock still in Manu Bay). It was among a group of very large boulders. In 1899 an American keen to get one had a local try to take the front off and thus destroyed the best of these rock specimens in the process. That is one story, the other is that it was done deliberately. Given the date I believe the first account but the latter could easily be true. The only reason to destroy them would be if you didn't want them revealed, and the only ones that would want this are Maori it was assumed. Notwithstanding who did it, the one destroyed was in fact the one that revealed the cave. Nowadays the rocks are left to decay, and in one case acid has been poured over and another defaced with deep scratches. It could just be vandals or kids, or someone who wants these archaeological items of importance to simply 'disappear'!

However, regardless of the speculation as to their gradual deterioration or partial destruction - the fact remain that from the date of discovery until now, no government protection is afforded these rocks, yet they are of immense historical significance. Ask yourself why no protection is afforded.

There were also tattooed rocks at Te Kaha Point on the northern side of Raglan Harbour. This is where a large sea arch one existed in 1910 but has since fallen down, one assumes by the action of the sea.

And there are the chiselled rocks from Matira Valley mentioned below already. All these finds were within a 50 to sixty mile length of coastline, the normal range for a small group of original occupants of whatever they called the north. Aoteraroa, by the way, was 'originally' the name of the South Island, not the whole land.

There is absolutely no doubt these carved rocks exist. You can see them for yourself. You should rightly ask why there is no government protection for them. So it seems that even when we expose the large skeletons at the sites, maybe the government will not protect those either? Check out post No.7 'Petroglyphs' (16th Jan) above.

Social media however, has proven to be an effective tool is spreading news fast. This is what we will use to ensure the evidence is fully presented, it is done quickly, and reaction is swift enough that no cover up can be executed in time.

Meantime, go and look at these rocks along the coastline of Raglan for yourself. But rest assured, there is nothing weird going to be presented here other than small amounts of speculation (noted as such) and clear and irrefutable documented evidence.