Best. — On Maori Games. 65 



object on a stick and " flirting " it off, tc see how far it could 

 thus be cast. 



Bipi (Ducks and Drake). 



Same as with us, the skimming of flat stones along the 

 surface of water. The name is also applied to the throwing of 

 flat, rounded pieces of bark upwards. This would be done 

 near a tree, to enable the children to see which player flung 

 the highest. 



Boiv and Arrow. 



The Maori of New Zealand are true Polynesians in their 

 non-use of the bow and arrow. It was never used by the 

 Maori in war. Some natives here assert that the bow and 

 arrow were used as toys in olden days, but I have met with 

 nothing in tradition or song to support the assertion. The 

 word given me for " arrow " is " kopere," a term applied to 

 the sling or whip by which spears are thrown.* The term 

 given me for " bow " is " zvhana," which would be applied to 

 anything curved or bow-shaped. I am told that a bow of 

 supplejack was used by children, with an arrow made of a 

 ferustalk, the rear end of which was bound with string, and 

 the head was furnished with a point of katote, the hard 

 black fibres of the kaponga, or fern-tree. It is said to have 

 been used for killing birds. Personally I have no faith in the 

 bow and arrow being used in ^xe-pakeha days. 



In the first place, the games and toys, implements, 

 weapons, &c, that were used in ancient times are mentioned 

 in many historical traditions, legends, stories, songs, &c. In 

 none of these have I ever noted any allusion to the bow and 

 arrow. Certainly the term " pere," meaning " a dart," is met 

 with, but it refers to the spear thrown with a whip. Other 

 tribes may have had some knowledge of the implement in 

 former times, but I do not believe that Tuhoe had. In the 

 second place, many European words, implements, foods, and 

 arts reached the remote inland tribes long before such peoples 

 were brought into contact with white men. Hence they 

 often assert that some art, or vegetable, or English expres- 

 sion was known before the arrival of Europeans, whereas it 

 was not, but filtered through other tribes before Europeans 

 were known in the interior. 



Taupunipuni was a game like our " hide and seek," 

 played by children. 



Poro-teteke was a boy's amusement of walking on the 

 hands with feet in the air. 



It is most amusing to note small children playing — the 

 peculiar things they do and say. You may see two mites 



* Probably also to the spear so thrown. 



