TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION Q. 367 



nised as a national literature, in which lie embedded the 

 thoughts of the wisest and best of the race for centuries past, 

 especially when we consider the method adopted to secm-e 

 their correct transmission from generation to generation, which 

 involved a systematic course of instruction extending over 

 several years, and conducted by teachers whose knowledge of 

 the subjects they taught was beyond question. 



In every tribe there existed classes for instruction in the 

 various subjects of knowledge cultivated by the people. These 

 classes were opened with great ceremony at the beginning of 

 winter, the date being fixed by the rising of Puaka (Eigel), a 

 star in the constellation of Orion, which took place between May 

 and June. The classes were held in a building specially set 

 apart for the purpose, called the Whare-kura, or Eed-house ; or 

 Whare-pu-rakau, the Spear Armoury (those weapons being 

 stored there). The classes were kept open for about three 

 months. The hours of instruction were from sunset till mid- 

 night. The pupils consisted of a picked number of boys chosen 

 from the best families in the tribe. Instruction was imparted 

 by a band of iohungas, or skilled persons, the object of having 

 several of them to teach at once being that they might correct 

 one another's mistakes, and so prevent erroneous instruction 

 being given. Tlie subjects taught comprised the myths relat- 

 ing to the origin of all things, and to the gods and demi-gods ; 

 the religious belief of the race, charms, incantations ; the rules 

 of ta/pn ; legends and fables ; history, national and tribal ; laws, 

 genealogies, treatment of diseases, astronomy, agriculture, &c. 

 The most proficient of the pupils trained in this way after- 

 wards became in their turn the instructors of others, and formed 

 the toliunga, or learned class. 



Besides this method of instructing, the tohungas' instruction 

 was given on winter evenings in every chief's house to all mem- 

 bers of the tribe who chose to attend, and in this way the 

 whole population became well informed in tribal history, social 

 laws, mythology, legends, and other subjects of general in- 

 terest. 



What helped to insure correctness and exactness in impart- 

 ing the traditional knowledge of the Maoris was the belief that 

 a serious mistake made while teaching was an ouien of dis- 

 aster or death. The Maoris were a highly sensitive people, 

 and preferred death to being the subject of ridicule, and a pro- 

 fessor or history or mythology who publicly exposed his ignor- 

 ance on any point would probably either commit suicide or die 

 of vexation. Only those who were quite confident of the cor- 

 rectness of their knowledge of the subjects they taught ever 

 ventured to act as public instructors. 



One of the precautions taken to prevent the transmission 

 •of incorrect statements was the practice of publicly rehearing at 



