Best. — Maori Marriage Customs. 35 



a social custom, so far as rites and rules are concerned, and 

 not as the result of a national religion or theological system. 

 Marriage among the low-born people, the common people, of 

 the tribe was ever an event unmarked by rite or invocation 

 such as pertained to marriage among the chieftain class. 



When a young girl w^ished to marry a certain man she 

 would possibly have intercourse with him before informing 

 her elders of her wish. But, still, if she was of good family 

 she was thought more of if she went to her elders first and 

 said, " I desire So-and-so." If they considered him an un- 

 desirable person they might say, "He is a tutua (of low birth). 

 Do not have him, but marry So-and-so, who is of good birth, 

 although ill-favoured " ; and the girl would probably do as 

 they bid her. Even now it is a common thing when a mar- 

 riage occurs to hear the remark made, " The tribe married 

 them." The old-tune habits and customs of a communistic 

 people die hard. 



The young unmarried girls of the present time are de- 

 cidedly unchaste, more especially those living in the larger 

 settlements, where the young people are thrown together a 

 good deal. Adultery is of rather frequent occurrence in this 

 district, and generally seems to be detected. For some reason 

 the natives do not seem to be able to keep a secret well In 

 adultery, as in other matters, one of the persons usually men- 

 tions or admits the matter. 



A considerable number of native women have married 

 Europeans, and many of these women, it must be said, lead 

 most exemplary lives, for many are clean, industrious, and 

 evidently desirous of living as Europeans do. They are often 

 prolific to a white man, families of six and seven bemg not 

 infrequently met with. They take a pride in being able to 

 cook European articles of food, such as are not used among 

 the natives, and are a great improvement on the native woman 

 as seen in the Maori villages. 



As observed, the Maori of old had a clear perception of 

 the desirability of arranging marriages in due orthodox form, 

 or, as he terms it. He mea ata lohakarite (a matter carefully 

 arranged), this remark, however, applying principally to the 

 rangatira or chieftain class. 



In the days of yore when a man desired a woman who 

 disliked or was afraid of him he would hie him to the village 

 priest and enlist his services. The priest (tohimga) would 

 take some substance, horil (red ochre) being often used for 

 this purpose, which he would proceed to render efficient as a 

 sort of love philtre. This he did by uttering over it a charm 

 which comes under the generic term of hoa (ka hoaiwj, e ia 

 taua mea). He then hands the article to the man, who takes 

 it away with him. He must not turn aside on his way back. 



