76 Iransactions. — Miscellaneous. 



Several accounts have been given by Maori scholars as to 

 the landing of the Moriori in the Chatham Islands. One tra- 

 dition states that when they arrived they found the counti-y 

 in the possession of aboriginal natives called Hiti, whom they 

 dispossessed. Captain Mair ("Trans.," vol. iii.) writes that 

 they came in five canoes — viz., Eangitane, Eangihoua, Eangi- 

 mata, Euapuke, and Okahu ; that they had set out from the 

 villages of Tahurimanuka and Wharepapa, in Hawaii ; that 

 the iunnigrants were of the tribes of Eongomaitere and Eongo- 

 rnaiwhenua ; and that Kahu was captain of the Okahu. Mr. 

 Travers (" Trans.," vol. ix.) states that the first strangers 

 came in the Eangimata, under jMararoa, and the Eangihoana, 

 under Kawanga-Koneke. The second arrival was the Oro- 

 puke canoe, under Mohi, from Awatea or Arapawa (names 

 of New Zealand). Mr. John White (App. to Jour. H. of 

 E., G.-8, 1880) says that in comparatively modern times 

 the ancestors of the Moriori came from New Zealand in 

 two canoes, the Kimi, under Eangihou, and the Eangimata, 

 under Mihiti, the other canoes being lost at sea. A second 

 migration arrived afterwards, under Moe, in the canoe 

 Eupuke. Moe was the first to introduce cannibalism. 



I wa.s desirous of ascertaining what was the most valuable 

 soui-ce of tradition in regard to this matter, and also of finding 

 out, if possible, the lapse of time which ensued between the 

 different migrations, by acquiring a genealogy of the Moriori. 

 I especially wished to commune with Hirioana Tapu, the last 

 chief of the tribe, and the only reliable source of information 

 now accessible, as he is getting, old, and no one conversant 

 with the old songs, legends, &c., will be in existence when he 

 has left us. He gave me much information in the short time 

 at my disposal, but was unable to recite the perfect genealogy 

 of his forefathers. Fortunately, Mr. A. Shand, of Waitangi, 

 who is an ardent student of Moriori, had acquired the wished- 

 for genealogy from Minarapa Tamahiwaka, an old priest, now 

 dead. This Mr. Shand kindly put at my service. I am unable 

 to give the genealogy at full length, as I wish it to form part 

 of the collection of Mr. Shand (who will shortly publish it), 

 but the general information is as follows : It comj)rises 184 

 generations, which, if we accept it as authentic, is a most 

 extraordinary and valuable record, reaching nearly 3,700 years, 

 if we allow twenty years to a generation. It connnences with 

 Eangi and Papa (Heaven and Earth) as the first parents, and 

 proceeds, through names well known in Polynesian legend, 

 down to Tauira, the thirtieth generation. These thirty genera- 

 tions are called Te Whanau o te Eangi (Children of the 

 Heavens). Thence the pedigree proceeds to the 157th, when 

 Eongopapa was living. At this time came the canoes from 

 Hawaiki — viz., the Eangimata, under Mihiti, the Eangihoua 



