250 Transactions. 



A reference to the above rites may be found in " Nga Mote- 

 atea," page 105. For the expression " Tane tumuwhenua," see 

 Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xxx, page 52. A Ngati-Awa note in my 

 note-book says that when a canoe was dubbed out in the forest, 

 fronds of the mauku fern were fastened thereon, though the 

 meaning of the act is not explained. In vol. 3 (page 4) of White's 

 " Ancient History of the Maori " a similar custom is mentioned. 

 This occurs in the well-known legend of Rata felling the forest- 

 tree, which the forest elves re-erect on its stump, because their 

 consent to the felling thereof has not been obtained. The 

 forest folk said to Rata, " It is for us to consent to you cutting 

 the throat of your ancestor, Tane-mahuta, and felling him. 

 When you have felled your tree, then fetch some paretao (a 

 forest fern) and cover the butt (or stump) of your tree, and 

 then set to at hewing the trunk." These forest elves were the 

 Tini o Te Hakuturi. These folk were wont to punish persons 

 who did not placate the gods and spirits of the forest, as also 

 Tane, in that manner. They chanted a charm that caused the 

 tree to stand up on its stump again, and the chips to return to 

 their original position. 



Hauling Trees. 

 When engaged in dragging heavy logs from the forest, such 

 .as the ridge-pole of a large house, or a* canoe, the hauling-track 

 was carefully selected and cleared. Skids were laid down, over 

 which the heavy timber was hauled. The puahou (or parapara) 

 furnished these skids, it being used because of the slippery 

 nature of the surface of the wood when the bark is removed. 

 Long forest- creeper stems were attached to the timber or canoe, 

 and used as drag-ropes. Such hanling-work was never done with- 

 out the use of hauling-songs (tau to), of which there were many. 

 These consisted of brief lines sung by a fugleman, and a chorus, 

 generally consisting of but one or two words, to each line. The 

 chorus was given, in deep tones, by the haulers, who all hauled 

 at the drag- ropes as they shouted. People would collect from 

 many hamlets for such a task, which was conducted as a work- 

 ing-bee (tuao). Women accompanied such parties to carry and 

 cook food ; in fact, it was a picnic for the whole subtribe or 

 family group. 



He Tau to Waka (A Canoh-hattling Song). 



('rue italicised words repeated by haulers as a ehorus and Bignal for united 



action in hauling.) 



Ka piki te iw i 



Ivi kake te iwi 



Pikipiki, kakekake J 



Ki te rangi nui au e Bioko ('! a Ue-moko) 



Pouri 



Pouri ! 



