Best. — Maori Marriage Customs. 31 



result will be puny offspring." Tuahine = sister ; also used 

 for cousins. 



Tane, Tangotango, and Wai-nui were children of the 

 primal parents, Eangi and Papa (Sky and Earth). Tane 

 married his own daughter, while Tangotango (a male) married 

 his sister Wai-nui, and this, according to Maori myth, was the 

 origin of incest. Marriage also originated in those days of 

 the misty past in the union of the strange beings who pre- 

 ceded man. 



It does not appear that incest was common among the 

 natives. It is given sometimes as an explanation of peculiari- 

 ties in genealogies. To bring upon themselves the contempt 

 of the tribe would be the result, and this would act as a 

 deterrent, more especially among a communistic people such 

 as the Maori. 



Since the arrival of Europeans in this land the old native 

 laws, rules, and customs have become much relaxed, and the 

 change in many cases is for the worse. The social rules of 

 the Maori suited such a people, and they do not grasp or 

 adopt ours in a way for such to be beneficial to them. Inter- 

 marriages with Europeans do not as a rule produce a 

 desirable cross. Half-castes are, physically, a fine people, 

 though not long-lived as a rule. Mentally they are clever, 

 quick, and sometimes attain distinction. But morally they 

 are often below par, their code of ethics in many instances 

 being an uncertain quantity. In one such family at least four 

 members thereof have been guilty of incest, but it does not 

 seem to trouble them in any way. A native couple who com- 

 mitted incest in this district were expelled from the tribe. A 

 native of the Rotorua district cohabited with his own daughter. 

 On it becoming known they fled together, but were pursued 

 and caught. The girl was taken back home and the father 

 was expelled. 



Incest is, in this district, termed iraivaru, moe tuahine, and 

 ngaic ivhiore, the expression kai ivhiore being a variant form 

 of the latter. Three of these terms are connected with dogs. 

 Irawaru is the name of a person in Maori mythology who was 

 turned into a dog by the magic arts of Maui, and who was 

 afterwards looked upon as the origin, or tutelary deity, or 

 parent of dogs. Nga^c ivhiore means "tail-biter." Those 

 who commit incest are compared to a dog which turns and 

 bites its own tail. 



It will thus be seen that the Maori has very sensible 

 notions on the subject of incest and consanguineous mar- 

 riages. His ideas on such thmgs resemble those of the most 

 advanced peoples. He does not bar whole groups of slightly 

 related peoples from intermarrying, as do so many barbarous 

 and semi-civilised races. 



