Sidestep: The Patupaiarehe

We don't go much for these legends. But that doesn't mean these people, or a form of them, didn't exist, we are more sceptical for the reason they hated the light and humans need the sun. It could also be true they were pure Albino's? After all, the Melanesians have a albino hair gene that is unlike the regular albino worldwide. These people may have had a genetic disposition unlike anything seen on the earth before or since? The true story is likely they were secretive private timid people and this freaked Maori out who make up some stories about them to make them more magical than they really were. Why did Maori both fear and respect these mythical people so much?

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The below transcript comes from John White. All of this came from discussion with the old Maori's at a time when the folk-lore of the people had not yet been influenced by European ideas (as no doubt such was the case later on).

George Graham said in 1924 that he visited the ridges of the Moehau Ranges 30+ years prior... that being early 1890. His Maori guide, old Hapi Te Pataka, pointed out to him numerous traces of ancient human habitations in the form of earthworks, pits, stone walls, etc. These were generally attributed to the Ngati-Huarere, (descendants of Huarere, the son of Tamati-Kapua, of the Arawa canoe). But no doubt, as Hapi asserted, these people were really the very ancient aboriginals of the Maruiwi stock, who in later times came under the dominance of the later Arawa immigrants of 1350 A.D. These habitations were, therefore, from very ancient times, before the era of Toi-Kai-Rakau (1150 A.D.).

Now think about that for a moment - that alone proves the canoes holding who we now call Maori, were actual immigrants in the same way Europeans were.

The people of Toi-Kai-Rakau found these old people living on the more fertile areas, and drove them into these forest depths and hill country. There they survived for many generations, living a secluded and precarious life, living on birds and forest productions, and occasionally visiting the coast to obtain sea foods. No doubt, the legends connected with the Patu-paiarehe are Polynesian myths localised, and made applicable to these ancient refugees of the Maruiwi race. Whilst on these ranges we saw a number of the small native frogs (which old Hapi called “Kuri-peke”), and said they were the “mokai” or pets of the Patu-pai-arehe, and acted as sentries for their masters. Hapi sang for me several of the watch songs, alleged to have been sung by the Patu-paiarehe, as also several of the songs they sung on the putorino (flute). This instrument, he insisted, the Patu-paiarehe taught the Maori people how to play.

Hapi also showed me a large kauri tree which had marks on its trunk evidently made by man. These marks, he said, were where a ladder had been attached to the trunk, and that on this tree had lived a Patu-paiarehe chief, Makawe-roa and his family. Hence the name of that tree “Te Ara-piki-a-Makawe-roa” (the ladder path of Makawe-roa). Makawe was an expert weaver of the taniko pattern, and taught the art to the Ngati-Huarere people and he received his name from the remarkable long and bushy hair of him and his family. Such were the relics of traditionary lore in respect of the Patu-paiarehe, which were current in those days, I regret not then having noted the details thereof.

It is said the Patu-paiarehe were beings who could be seen in the form of men, women and children. They generally congregated in great numbers on the tops of the mountains, and on old pas on the peaks of hills. They had houses like men, and occupied most of their time in singing and dancing and playing on the Putorino, a short Maori flute, with but three holes in it. Though seen, when they were visited by men they would disappear, and not leave a sign where they had been. If ever they had been seen to dance, or be in any great numbers on the kumara crop when growing, even that delicate plant would not be harmed after they had performed a dance on them. On the Hokianga River there are two old pas near the Horeke, which stand about a thousand yards from each other. These pas were each on the top of a hill, like a sugar loaf. In olden times these two pas were the most frequented by the Patu-paiarehe, who were seen by all who might pass up or down the river. The pas were about a quarter of a mile from the river bank, and even at that distance the songs and music could be heard.

It was on the foggy mornings when these people seemed to enjoy themselves most, and make the most noise. In mid-day they could not be seen. At Moehau (Cape Colville), on the Coromandel, there is an old pa, now covered with dense forest, where these people had a residence. The pa, as seen by the old Maoris, was surrounded with a wickerwork of the Kareao (supple jack), through which no man could get.

Soon after the Europeans came to New Zealand these people disappeared. It is said in olden times the West Coast and all the way into the interior to Taupo was occupied by these people, who also lived on the tops of the mountains. They wore white garments and soft flowing hair, were not tattooed like the Maori, and carried their children in their arms, like Europeans, and not like the Maori on the back. (Melanesians carried their children in their arms, or occasionally a baby in a shoulder sling...!) At times they would take a Maori woman and make her the wife of some one of their people, the children of such were called “Konako.” These children had very light, soft, straight hair, with light blue eyes. They could not see or look in the full blaze of the sun.

Anyway, this is all interesting but unprovable stuff at this stage.