POLYNESIA. 33 



probably to this that the man belonged, and his assertion was true as 

 regarded the particular clan of which he was a member. The names 

 of some of the tribes begin with wanau, meaning " offspring :" as the 

 Wanau-a-Ruataupare, offspring of Ruataupare, at Tokarnaru Bay, 

 the Wanau-a-Rongokata, at Turanga, or Poverty Bay. 



At present, the various tribes or clans are entirely independent of 

 one another, nor does any peculiar connexion appear to exist between 

 those which constitute the principal divisions, though this may formerly 

 have been the case. It is possible the arikis once had a civil power 

 united with their religious rank, and that in some cases this authority 

 may have extended over a large territory, though we find no positive 

 indications of such a state of things beyond the general designations 

 applied to a number of tribes, and the fact that the reverence paid to 

 the ariki, as a sacred personage, extends frequently beyond the limits 

 of the tribe to which he belongs. 



Not only is every tribe independent of all the others, but every 

 freeman or rangatira in a tribe considers himself equal in rank to the 

 rest. The class of chiefs, properly speaking, does not exist. But as, 

 in every society, there will be some one who, for his superior wisdom, 

 eloquence, prowess, wealth, or family connexions, will be acknow- 

 ledged as the head and director, and as the representative of the rest 

 in their public transactions, we find, in New Zealand, that every tribe 

 has its rangatira rahi, a title which is sometimes rendered " high 

 chief," but of which the more exact translation would be " chief 

 citizen," or "head freeman." The office is not hereditary, though it 

 will be easily understood that many circumstances will usually com- 

 bine to retain it in a particular family. Besides the rangatiras, the 

 only class is that of slaves (taurekareka). These are persons taken 

 captive in war, or the descendants of such. They are considered to 

 be the property of their masters, who may dispose of them at will, 

 and put them to death without interference. This is frequently done, 

 not merely in auger, but often from pure wantonness, or to indulge 

 their cannibal propensities. On the other hand, the rangatiras do all 

 the fighting, the slaves merely accompanying them in their expedi- 

 tions, to carry their arms and prepare their food. 



The effect of this form of society on the character of the New Zea- 

 landers requires to be noted. It has already been said that their 

 division into numerous tribes, and the continual wars which result 

 from it, have tended to render them ferocious and bloodthirsty. The 

 general equality of rank among the freemen, and the absence of a 



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