8 Tramsactions. — Miscellaneous. 



throw some unexpected sidelights on the past history of the 

 race. 



A good grinding-slab was a valuable article, and was prized 

 accordingly. They were generally, if not always, tapu (con- 

 secrated), and in order to insure their safe keeping and pre- 

 serve them from desecration they were usually deposited in 

 some tvahi-tajju, or holy place, which no common person 

 would dare to enter, and which the tohunga (priest) would 

 only visit formally and officially. In later times, when the 

 fear of the tapu began to wear off, the stones were sometimes 

 buried underground for additional security in a spot only 

 known to one or two of the tohttngas or chiefs of highest rank. 

 As an instance of the dread of the tapu even within the 

 memory of persons now living, I may mention that as late as 

 forty or fifty years ago one of these slabs was ploughed up on 

 the Mission farm in the Waimate, where some land \vas bein^^ 

 prepared for a crop of potatoes. A young girl who had 

 thoughtlessly handled the stone was warned of the danger 

 she had incurred, and actually died of fright a few days after- 

 wards. In another case a stone which was identified as one 

 formerly used for preparing kokoivai for a chief was accident- 

 ally found in a wooded gully, and the whole place was at once 

 declared Lapic, ajid none of the timber could be used for 

 cooking until an elaborate ceremony of tvhakanoa had been 

 held, when the spot was " made connnon." 



The question has naturally been raised as to the purpose 

 intended by the use of the kokoivai as a cosmetic. Dr. Short- 

 land remarks that " a reason for some persons painting their 

 body and clothes was that they might leave a mark behind 

 them, that people might know where their sacred bodies had 

 rested" ("Traditions of the New-Zealanders," p. 112). There 

 may be something in this, but that it was not the only reason 

 is evident from the fact that the painting of the body\vas not 

 confined to chiefs of particular note, but was practised by 

 men generally of the rangatira class. Kokowai was, like the 

 purple of the Romans, a sign of rank, but not reserved ex- 

 clusively for persons of the highest station. From Polack's 

 account, already quoted, it will be seen that it was in general 

 request among men of fashion at the feast which he describes; 

 and Bidwell observes that in his time it was impossible to be 

 carried by a native without getting one's clothes soiled by 

 the " red dirt " which had saturated their mats (" Rambles iii 

 New Zealand." 1841, p. 35). Though probably certain dis- 

 tinguished individuals kept themselves painted at all times, 

 the minor rangatira appear to have been decorated only on 

 festal and ceremonial occasions, one of which was the startmg 

 on a hostile expedition, when the whole party were arrayed in 

 full " war-paint." There is no doubt that one of tiie prin- 



