Best. — Maort Marriage Customs. 29 



Polygamy and Monogamy. 



Generally speaking, the Maori people were monogamous — 

 that is to say, the bulk of the people married but one wife. 

 But. among the chieftain class polygamy obtained, and, indeed, 

 may still be met with among the Tuhoe people. Polygamy 

 does not appear to have obtained among the common people, 

 but seems to have been a privilege of rank. In many cases 

 a chief would take a slave wife in addition to his principal 

 wife, who would be of his own people, and probably his equal 

 jn rank. Again, the taking of a second wife would sometimes 

 be caused by the sterility of the first wife, and a desire to 

 have children. I know of a case in which a half-caste, a 

 successful business man, and liying as a European, took a 

 second wife for the above reason. This, of course, was a 

 marriage a la Maori, and not an act of bigamy, as no marriage 

 ceremony was performed. 



At the present time one native here at Rua-tahuna has 

 three wives, and several others have two each. In two of 

 these cases the parties live together, with others, in large 

 communal sleeping-houses, and appear to get on well 

 together. In the third case the two wives live at different 

 villages, and are not friendly with each other. The husband 

 lives sometimes with one and sometimes with the other. 

 Te Ika-poto, Tama-rehe, and Te Purewa, famous chiefs of 

 this district in the last century, had each four wives. 



The different wives of polygamous marriages appear to be 

 kind to each other's children, but such kindness, albeit of a 

 somewhat negative nature, is common among the natives. 



Consanguineous polygamy obtained here. A man would 

 sometimes marry two sisters, and sometimes a mother and 

 daughter. The latter was a rare occurrence, but the former 

 frequently occurred. The marriage of the deceased wife's 

 sister was, and is still, common, while the marriage of a 

 widow to the deceased husband's brother was an established, 

 and, indeed, an ancient, custom. Two sisters would sometimes 

 marry two brothers. 



The first or bead wife of a polygamous marriage is termed 

 the wahine matua. WaJiine = woman, female, wife; matua = 

 first, important. Among the Ngati-Hau Tribe the remaining 

 wives are termed muri-manu. Muri = after, subsequent time, 

 behind ; manu = bird. The wives in polygamous marriages 

 term each other hoahoa. Cf. hoa = friend, companion, mate ; 

 ivhakahoa = to associate with. The xvahine matua, or head 

 wife, was not exempt from labour. 



In polygamous marriages the first-born child would rank 

 first and have the greatest authority of any of the children in 

 matters connected with the land, &c., as well as in all other 



