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at this village and that village, but they were not seen. He then went to 

 the 'pa ol Rakai-hiku-roa (the father of the murderer), and on inquiring was 

 told that they had not seen them. Enough ! The man was disheartened 

 and anxious about his children, and returned to his fa and cried over them 

 (believing them to be dead). Presently he decided on a course of action (by 

 which they might be found) : he weaved two kites, and named them Tara- 

 ki-uta and Tara-ki-tai, after the twins. He then assembled all the priests 

 to say the incantations over them. When they met he flew the kites, and 

 as they ascended the incantations were recited. The kites ascended a great 

 height, and hovered over the fa. . . . When at their extreme height 

 they desc" nded ; then ascended a great height and hovered over the fa — 

 that is, there were two ascents and two descents above the fa. It was 

 sufficient ; the lines were wound up, for it was now known that the people 

 of the fa had killed the children." 



What appears to have been a common and very ancient use of the Maori 

 kite seems to have been its employment as a means for seeking for land for 

 settlement. No less than four instances 

 have come to my knowledge, and doubtless 

 many more might be discovered on inquiry 

 amongst the older Maoris. The first is 

 related in an account, kindly furnished me 

 by the Rev. Matiu Kapa, of Kaikohe, in 

 connection with the spread of the Ngapuhi 

 Tribe, of which he is a member. 



The Ngapuhi claim that their ancestors 

 originally came to New Zealand, together 

 with those of the Rarawa and the Aupouri, 

 in a canoe named " Matawhaorua," about 

 five and a half centuries ago. This was 

 a sacred canoe which had belonged to 

 Kupe the navigator, who had visited and 

 explored the country some time previously. 

 It was sacred because it held the mana of 

 the tribes which was leading them to New 

 Zealand. It was so sacred that it was 

 not proper that any food should be carried 

 in it, and it was therefore accompanied 

 by another canoe, named the " Mamari," 

 which, carried the provisions for the crew. 



On that first trip of Kupe's the women and children did not come to 

 New Zealand, but stayed behind until a land could be found for them, and 

 when Kupe discovered the land he returned to Hawaiki to bring the people. 

 There was, however, a long delay before they were able to start, on account 

 of dissensions among the tribes ; and Kupe, who had grown very old, handed 

 the expedition over to a chief named Nukutawhiti, together with the sacred 

 canoe, at the same time giving him sailing directions which would land him 

 across to Ocean of Kiwa. 



The voyage was accomplished in safety, and the party landed at Hoki- 

 anga — so called because it was the place of returning {hokinga) — i.e., the 

 place whence Kupe had returned to Hawaiki. 



The people settled down near the place where they landed, but after 

 some time the country became too small for them, and after a time a chief 

 named Kaharau determined to go further out and seek land for his 



Fig. 3.—Manuaute: Modern speci- 

 men in the Dominion Museum, 

 Wellington. 



