36 Tramactions. — Miscellaneous. 



That the kumara must have been known to the Maoris from very 

 ancient times (from their historical traditionary beginnings, or even earher 

 times), may be also logically inferred, — (1) from their ancient common 

 belief, that their deceased ancestors (chiefs) fed on it in the nether world, 

 the Maori Hades (Reinga); and (2) from their strange stories of persons 

 who had been ill and had died, and had gone thither, and came back agam 

 to life, bringing kumara with them (though generally losing them by the 

 way !) ; and (3) from their state during dreams, when they firmly believed 

 that the spirit left the body and wandered at will, sometimes even visiting 

 the nether world, when, of course, it saw goodly visions of kumara ; and 

 (4) from the marvellous exploits of their pre-historic hero, Tawhaki, who, 

 among other things, having climbed up into the sky, visited his ancestress, 

 Whaitiri, who was blind from age, and on his arriving at her place of 

 abode, he found her engaged in carefully counting her seed-kumara 

 roots.* 



Another quaint old ancient legend concerning the kumara, which 

 partakes a little more of the historical element, runs thus ; — 

 The Story of the fighting of Tumatauenga with his elder Brother Rongomaraeroa. 



(Literally translated.) 



Theii" angry contention arose about their kumara plantation ; the name 

 of that plantation was Pohutukawa. Then Tumatauenga went to see Euru- 

 tangiakau, to fetch weapons for himself; and Eurutangiakau gave to him 

 his own child Te Akerautangi ; it had two mouths, four eyes, four ears, 

 and four nostrils to its two noses. Then their fighting began in earnest, 

 and Eongomaraeroa with his people were killed, all slain by Tumatauenga. 

 The name given to that battle was Moenga-toto (sleeping-in-blood, or 

 bloody sleep). Tumatauenga also baked in an oven and ate his elder brother 

 Eongomaraeroa, so that he was wholly devoured as food. Now the plain 

 interpretation, or meaning, of these names in common words, is, that 

 Eongomaraeroa is the kumara (root), and that Tumatauenga is man. 



A remnant, however, of the Kumara (tribe) escaped destruction, and 

 fled into a great lady named Pani to dwell ; her stomach (picku) was wholly 

 the storehouse for the kumara, and the kumara plantation was also the 

 stomach of Pani. When the people of her town were greatly in want of 

 vegetable food, Pani lit the firewood of her cooking-oven, as if for cooking 

 largely, and it burnt well, and the oven was getting ready. The men (of 

 the place) looking on, said, one to another, " Where can the vegetable food 



* See Grey's "Polynesian Mythology," p. 70: there, however, it is stated that they 

 were " taro roots " which the old lady was counting ; who, also, there bears a different 

 name, or nick-name, Matakerepo — Totally bHnd, from her blindness. This is the only 

 instance I have ever heard of taro being used for kumara-xoois. 



