Best. — Maori and Maruiwi. 441 



disappeared from Tawhiti-nui, leaving only the earthworks. When, some 

 years ago, these earthworks were being levelled in order to facilitate 

 farming operations, the workmen found remains of the butts of the main 

 posts of the old stockade within the ramparts. At the base of each of 

 these post-butts were the remains of a human skeleton. 



Now, this is the only case in which such remains have been discovered, 

 BO far as we are aware ; but it must be borne in mind that such earthworks 

 are not often removed. Most of such fortified places are situated on hill- 

 tops ; such earthworks are not likely to be removed for any purpose. 

 Tawhiti-nui is situated on the brink of a ploughable terrace. Maori tradition 

 tells us nothing of this wholesale sacrifice of human life at the building 

 of a new fort. It was evidently a ceremonial practice, connected with 

 some idea of securing good luck for the fort and its inhabitants. Such 

 an offering to gods or demons is quite a different thing from the slaying 

 of a single person in order to give eclat to a function, as not infrequently 

 occurred among the Ma(»ri. It is most improbable that Tawhiti-nui represents 

 an isolated example of such a singular ritual performance ; such offerings 

 must have been a customary procedure among former inhabitants of New 

 Zealand. Were the folk who made such a wholesale sacrifice of human 

 beings Maori or Maruiwi ? If Maori, then presumably he did not bring 

 the custom with him from eastern Polynesia, for he did not employ 

 stockades there. Again, if this custom was universal at one time in New 

 Zealand, it certainly was not practised in late generations, not even in the 

 Opotiki district. Why was it discontinued ? The following account of 

 Fijian human sacrifice at the building of a new house is taken from " At 

 Home in Fiji," by C. F. Gordon Gumming : " A series of large holes was 

 dug to receive the main posts of the house ; and as soon as these were reared 

 a number of wretched men v.'ere led to the spot, and one was compelled 

 to descend into each hole, and therein stand upright with his arms clasped 

 round it. The earth was then filled in, and the miserable victims were 

 thus buried alive, deriving what comfort they might from the belief that 

 the task thus assigned to them was one of much honour, as ensuring 

 stability to the chief's house. The same idea prevailed with respect to 

 launching a chief's canoe, when the bodies of living men were substituted 

 for ordinary rollers." (For " rollers " read " skids.") 



On the death of a Fijian chief his wives were strangled and buried with 

 him. Something similar obtained among the Maori, though here it seems 

 t6 have been voluntary on the part of the Avidows — in fact, suicide. Was 

 this a general Polynesian custom, or was it practised in eastern Polynesia ? 



The Maori adopts certain Maruiw^i Weapons. 



While engaged in discussing matters pertaining to war, let us inquire 

 into the origin of three Maori weapons not employed by him in his former 

 home in eastern Polynesia. It is distinctly stated in Maori tradition that 

 the Jiuata, the hoeroa, and the hirutai were Maruiwi weapons, and that they 

 were adopted by the Maori. The first of these is a very long spear, in some 

 cases 20 ft. in length, pointed at one end and having a knob at the other. 

 It was used principally in defending and attacking fortified places. The 

 Jioeroa is the curiously curved weapon made from whale's bone that is said 

 to have been sometimes thrown at an adversary and recovered by means 

 of a cord. It is also known as a tatu paraoa and paraoa-roa. The hirutai 

 is a short striking- weapon of stone, in form something like a wahaika, and 

 of which specimens are seen in the Dominion Museum. These weapons 



