Corzxso.—On the Maori Races of New Zealand. 391 
46. Like other rude martial unlettered nations, the New Zealanders had 
many traditions, legends, and myths. These were on all subjects, from the 
gravest and most sublime to the most puerile and ridiculous, not unfrequently 
the same myth containing both. Some of them are, no doubt, of very ancient 
date; others, while still old, are more modern, and have modern interpola- 
tions. The language in all is modern, much more so than in several of their 
songs. With most if not all nations their early religion and early history is 
blended with fable; but there is this difference with the New Zealander, that 
the large proportion of his traditions and myths are neither religious nor 
historical, and were not believed to be such by the intelligent among them. 
Their common myths vary a little; a few considerably in the various districts, 
especially those relating to the arrival in New Zealand of their immigrant 
ancestors; but not more than might be reasonably expected from such a 
people. They all show their common New Zealand source ; and, as far as is 
known, vary very much indeed from anything similar among the Polynesian 
race. To understand them, they should be read and studied in their original 
New Zealand language, in their roughness and originality ; not in either the 
meagre or the polished semi-classical dress which some of them have been 
made to assume in translations. The celebrated myths of dry land and sky ; 
of Maui fishing up the North Island of New Zealand; of his obtaining fire 
for man; of his seizing and beating the sun, to have longer daylight ; and of 
the untimely death of the hero through the laughing of the little New 
Zealand flycatcher ; of the ascent to heaven of Rupe and Tawhake ; of the 
arrival of the first New Zealanders in this country, and many others,* are all 
so many indications of the mind of man groping after truth in ages long 
past. In the writer’s opinion many of those myths will be found to be 
allegorical. 
“ The intelligible is food to that which understands. 
— For the paternal intellect, which understands 
Intelligibles, and adorns things ineffable, has sowed 
Symbols through the world.” 
—ZOROASTER. 
47. A few words must be said about their oratory, or rather oratorical 
language. Some-of the New Zealanders were truly natural orators, and 
consequently possessed in their large assemblies great power and influence. 
This was mainly owing, next to their tenacious memories, to their proper 
selection from their copious expressive language, skilfully choosing the very 
word, sentence, theme, or natural image best fitted to make an impression on 
the lively impulsive minds of their countrymen. Possessing a tenacious 
memory, the orators knowledge of their traditions and myths, songs, 
* Posterity will be greatly indebted to Sir George Grey for the exertions made by him 
to-obtain and record many of these myths, the recollection of which is fast dying out. 
