Full Description
Stephenson Percy Smith (1840-1922) arrived in New Zealand as a boy, and soon became fascinated by Maori culture. After retiring in 1900 from his career as a government surveyor, Smith devoted himself to the study of the Maori and co-founded the Polynesian Society, which published this two-volume study in 1913-15. The book contains the Maori text of an important body of beliefs and traditions which had been committed to writing over fifty years earlier, when the young W. H. Whatahoro had acted as scribe for a group of senior elders concerned to preserve this ancient and sacred knowledge. Only long afterwards was Whatahoro willing to divulge it to Europeans, and he personally assisted Smith with the translation provided here. Volume 2 focuses on traditions relating to the history and migrations of the Maori people and their arrival in New Zealand in the 'Great Fleet'.
Contents
1. The Fatherland Irihia. Migration from there to Tawhiti-roa. The Uruao canoe. Was Tama-rereti identical with Hawaii-loa? Ancient Indian vessels; 2. The migration to Tawhiti-nui. Te Irapanga-nui sails across the North Pacific to Oahu. Migration to Tahiti; 3. The discovery of New Zealand by Kupe as related by Te Matorohanga; 4. The Tangata-whenua of New Zealand; 5. The migration of Toi-te-huatahi to New Zealand; 6. The coming of Manaia to New Zealand; 7. Kāhu goes to the Chatham Islands. Te Uru-o-Manono. The canoes of the migration from Hawaiki. Kāhu-koka returns to Hawaiki; 8. Doings in Tahiti shortly before the fleet left for New Zealand, circa, 1350; 9. The coming of 'Takitimu' canoe to New Zealand; 10. The coming of 'Takitimu' canoe to New Zealand continued; 11. The reason why details of the other canoes are not here given. Of Toi-te-hautahi. 'Tainui' and 'Te Arawa' canoes. The Migration of Tara-pounamu. The Ngati-Awa tribe; 12. Turanga-i-mua and Tane-roa. Ngati-Awa migrate to the West Coast. Ngati-Mamoe migrate to the South Island; 13. The expedition of Turanga-i-mua to the North; 14. The heavenly Whare-wānanga. The Whare-kura at O-akura. Tama-ahua and Raumati. The burning of 'Te Arawa' canoe. Tara, of Ngai-Tara and Timuaki; Index.
