Political: Money or Mana

In the late 1850’s a great political rally of Maori was held in the Wairarapa district, North Island, where it was decided that instruction in the origin and history of their race should be given to the assembled tribes by three priests, whose words were to be taken down by two scribes (educated in the mission schools). One of the two, H. T. Whatahoro, carefully amplified his record subsequently from the dictation of certain learned men, who, in a building erected for the purpose (shown below), taught him the lore of the Whare-wānanga, and subjected him to all the ancient forms and rituals.

These ancient traditions were considered too sacred to be imparted to Europeans; and for fifty years they were jealously guarded, but at length the Tāne-nui-a-rangi (tribal committee) has allowed them to be copied and made known.

The author (original article) had access to the original folio volumes, and was aided in the translation of obsolete words by the scribe himself. The present volume consists of “Things Celestial”: the supreme god Io; the birth of the minor gods, offspring of Rangi the Sky-father and Papa the Earth-mother; the wars of the gods; the creation of man, and similar subjects. It is of interest to note that “many of the Polynesian myths and traditions find their counterpart in those of the Scandinavian, Celtic, Indian, and other branches of the Aryan race,” indeed, as in the case of Icelandic versions, they seem especially well preserved, because of the long isolation of the people in their island homes. The author believes that Polynesians may be traced back to India, he even suggests tentatively that “these Caucasian Polynesians are an early branch of the Proto-Aryan migration into India.” This is, of course, mere hypothesis and will probably remain so; we commend the author's restraint in not pressing his theories as to possible affinities of the Polynesians. Mr. Percy Smith's method of working is an excellent one: he gives first a transcription of the Maori texts, which is followed by careful literal translations of these, with brief explanatory notes and interpolations. Centre and core of the whole religious teaching is the doctrine of Io, “the supreme god, creator of all things, dwelling in the twelfth, or uppermost, Heaven, where no minor god might enter except by command.”

After death, souls go to Hawaiki, the temple situated in the homeland islands, where they are divided, those who showed love for Io ascending after purification to the twelfth Heaven to live in everlasting peace with the god; those who chose Whiro, the evil spirit, to Hades, where Whiro reigns together with the god of eruptions and earthquakes and the Great-lady-of-night, who “drags men down to death.” There is no idea of judgment in the ultimate fate of souls; rather is it a matter of free choice during life. There is abundant evidence that this high god is no modern introduction; the karakias (prayers) to him contain many obsolete terms.

Now, enough, O people! You all know that everything about the Whare-wānanga is extremely tapu—its teachings, its priests, everything about it. In these days of the white man everything has become void of tapu, and hence it is that the learning of old is gradually becoming lost. We never wished that these [sacred] things should fall into the white man's hands, lest our ancestors became a source of pecuniary benefit. All that the white man thinks of is money, and for these reasons this ancient knowledge of ours was never communicated to the Ministers and Bishops.

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One has to remember that many Europeans struggle with the Maori way of thinking, and many Maori struggle with the European ways of thinking. Money, cash, a system by which you trade, buy or sell goods is entirely a European concept. It is true that the 'white man' thinks only of money in his dealings with and resources and people. No Maori of the 1850’s (of which 90% were still pure blood) ever thought in those terms at all. I wonder what they would think of the Waitangi Tribunal and the huge sums of money being asked by those of Maori descent now? Everything... every grievance... all now reduced to a monetary figure. Even land gained under the tribunal is often sold, developed or utilized for profit (sometimes within hours) and for sure, this is good for the tribes involved considering the modern way of commerce in these years we live in now. Maori now live in the world of commerce, not a world of 300 years ago.

But we still wonder what H.T Whataoro would think of the modern day proceedings of the Maori elders?

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There are many illustrations of Maoir in the early 1800's abandoning cultural practice for money/European goods or ways. But here is a wholly modern illustration of Maori ignoring cultural practices for the gain of nothing but money... a wholly European concept.

5th May 2019: A recent dispute arose where they were going to build up (restore they said!) the landscape of Puketutu Island in the Manukau Harbour with human waste. The island's geography had been destroyed by modern man in his need for rock, but this was a way to 'restore' the volcanic cones they said. That is pure fantasy - you can't restore a volcanic cone with rubbish. In fact it was purely to save money from trucking the waste down to the Waikato! But Maori were upset at this proposal of dumping treated waste on land to 'restore' the land. And so they should be.

A - "Sorry but human waste mountains are not the whenua of this country. Cultural issues must not be interfered with, sacred land not sullied in such a way, not..."

B - "How about we pay you $2 a ton...".

A - "Ok, done!"

Yes, and while the above was cynically written, it is an absolute fact none-the-less. Cultural practice, mana or offense are something that can be cured easily with the right amount of money (not all Maori to bne fair... but many of them, and most of the leadership for sure). That right there is why many Pakeha do not trust Maori's insistence that cultural issues are sacred, because they keep seeing Maori compromise those cultural issues when money is involved. Compromise is a dirty word, but does dirty money make it all better? At least in North Dakota the Sioux have had the decency to refuse the compensation offered while they pursue their original request... the return of the black hills - and in that regard the Sioux have true mana. That compensation still sites awaiting uplift and it's now worth a billion dollars... but the Sioux cannot be bought.

Now, in an age where offence is easily taken, and to a people easily offended, we make no apology for that statement. The facts are...

1. Offense

2. Money

3. Chur...

And make no mistake; those three things are common in almost all cultures, even European ones where certain businessmen take offense at something that was said about them, and, as they have money to hire lawyers, they sue due to that 'offence' to gain more money because well, "money heals...".

Yes, another cynical stab at the human condition. But in time even we might have the need to try it ourselves because we too are only human...