Tiki

“ Hupene, the old Tohunga, squats muttering on the floor beside his carved ancestor Tiki.
Tiki is a god who in the dim long ago helped to build the world, and whose carved image is now supporting the middle pillar of the house. His eyes of pawa-shell, which once commanded in the ten Heavens and were full of fire and wisdom, glisten out of the silent twilight; they stare far, far into the darkness, which Hine-nui-te-po is slowly spreading over the world, Hine-nui-te-po, the Great Mother of Night, who at one time was young and beautiful, and gave life to Nature. ”

“ Tiki, you’re a big fool. You’re like the stupid ones, trying to bring about the time when the Maori cannot hold up his head at all. You’re weak in the knees, and you put those trousers on to hide it. I think your whole backbone would scarcely make one good fishhook.”
“What a contrast,” whispered Crystal, who had understood the chief’s words perfectly. “I like the old fellow, even if he did steal my father and mother and myself. But don’t you think Tiki has had enough?” The poor Maori was trembling beneath the scorn of the aged one. ”

“ Te Makawawa’s attitude and picturesque garb, from the feathers in his white hair to the flowing fringe of his kaitaka, were in themselves a rebuke to Tiki; but his words added a sting to the rebuke, which made my poor faithful Maori look even more ridiculous than I had thought possible.
“Eta! you have not the dignity that belongs to our race. ”

“ Of this he says: “This gigantic tiki stands, together with several others, near the tomb of the daughter of Te Whero-Whero, and, like the monument which it seems to guard, is one of the finest examples of native carving to be found in New Zealand. The precise object of the tiki is uncertain, but the protruding tongue of the upper figure seems to show that it is one of the numerous defiant statues which abound in the islands. The natives say that the lower figure represents Maui the Auti who, according to Maori tradition, fished up the islands from the bottom of the sea.” ”

“ Ah, the silent night sends fear into the hearts of the children of Tiki, and they murmur incantations, for Makutu, the terrible witchcraft, and the host of evil spirits, are wandering upon earth beneath the glittering beauty of Tane-Mahuta’s stars.
Of half-forgotten wisdom the old friend had murmured into the listening ear of the guest, while the people of his tribe had covered their heads and closed their ears; for dangerous it is to listen unto the wisdom:
“Ten are the heavens who are stretching over Papa, and they together are Rangi”—so had spoken the old friend. ”

“ Tiki-pu took a heave and swung himself into the picture, and fairly capered when he found his feet among the flowers of Wio-wani's beautiful garden. Wio-wani had turned, and was ambling gently back to the door of his palace, beckoning to the small [203] one to follow him; and there stood Tiki-pu, opening his mouth like a fish to all the wonders that surrounded him. "Celestiality, may I speak?" ”

“ Why invent an elaborate hypothesis like ours when a simple one like his would account for all the facts?
Some little time later, when our astonishment had worn off a little, and Kahikatea had begun to gather ferns on the other side of the pool, Tiki took advantage of the opportunity to urge me even more strongly to turn back and not venture further into the haunted place. ”

“ And his words to you were, ‘Do not leave the Pakeha Wanaki until the child is found.’ Now, if you run away in the night while we sleep, I shall tell Te Makawawa, and he will turn the whole brood of taniwha loose on you, and they will tear you to pieces, so that the name of Tiki will be forgotten in the land.”
This idea was too much for the Maori, and he gave in.
“O Kahikatea,” he said, “I will go with you, but remember my word: he who goes into the Great Tapu returns not—all that returns is a cry from the dark.” ”

“ In life, and live anew!...
The world awaits you! Good-bye, Tikipu! [Tikipu has turned slowly away, gazing at his hands in a daze of grief and humility. Wiowani vanishes into the picture.
Re-enter Mee-Mee, wearing her bridal crown. Tikipu continues to move away.
Mee. Tiki! Tikipu!
Tiki. Why, Mee-Mee, is that you? What have you come for? It’s ... it’s very early, isn’t it?... Is any one up? Mee-Mee, what’s the matter? You are changed! What has happened since yesterday?
[Pg 88]
Mee. Since yes’day?
Tiki. It was ... it was yesterday, wasn’t it? Mee-Mee,—how long have I been away? ”

“ When we had finished our evening meal, Te Makawawa took me aside round the clump of trees, and pointing to the mountain wall looming gigantic in the twilight, said: “The full moon is rising behind the brow of Ruatapu, as it has ever risen since that sunset long ago, when Hinauri said, ‘Here will I wait!’ Ngaraki will curse the Vile Tohungas of the Pit to-night, as they have ever been cursed since the day when the mighty city stood upon this rolling plain. When he has done that, I know not how soon he will leave the mountain. Therefore Tiki and I will go forward and watch for his going.” ”

“ Henare Tawha, a Maori chief whose remarks on the working of pounamu are quoted in Chapter II., once told Canon Stack that very few people know how to make hei-tiki, the natives of the North Island being more skilful in their manufacture than those of the South. It did not require, he said, very great skill to make weapons and tools and the simpler ornaments, but only very clever workers could make tiki. ”

“ Tiki and I still directed our attention to the opening, as those already inside were mostly in the darkness. Presently I heard sounds as of men climbing on their fellows’ backs to mount the wall near me, and realised that very soon it would be a hand to hand fight in the dark on narrow and slippery places.
While destroying several of these formations by mere guess work, I was suddenly startled by a light on the other side of the lake. I turned my head and saw Hinauri walking round the margin bearing a torch in each hand. ”

“ On the very edge of the bush, however, she hesitated. She had been born in the bush, and was used only to its cool green shade, and the glare of the sun on the outside world rather scared her. So after hanging about for a time to see what the Piccaninnies intended doing, she flitted away after a large blue fly, and while she was busy Tiki and Swanki gave her the slip. They, too, had been rather dismayed at the glare of the sun and the shelterless look of the outside world, but Tiki said that the Pickled Cabbage trees were not far away ”

“ Tee. Tikipu, don’t you still sleep here? Who was that?
Tiki. [With confusion.] That was Mr. Olangtsi. He’s very busy getting his new picture finished.
Lil. At night!
Tiki. Yes!—but—but he doesn’t want any one to know.... O honourable young Masters, he would be very angry were you to say I told you!
Tee. Does Mare’s-nest-Invention mean to tell me that superannuated Capacity goes painting at night?
Tiki. Oh, yes ... I know it.... Broken-slumber is kept awake by it.
Josi. And all dat trouble over putting a bit of paint and paper togedder!
Tee. Painting is a wonderful art, Mr. Josi-Mosi. ”

“ The same authority considers that all tiki, whether of wood or stone, were purposely made grotesque, because the artist wished to show that these objects of his skill were not representations of living human beings but symbolical memorials of the dead. The Maori never attempted to copy the human form and features exactly ”

“ This is the source whence men learnt them. Their knowledge is not from modern times. Papa, Rangi, Tiki were the first to give rules to men for work of all kinds, for killing, for man-eating, for karakia. In former days the knowledge of the Maori was great, in all matters, from this teaching, and so men learnt how to set rules for this thing and for that thing. Hence came the ceremony of Pure for the dead, the karakia for the new-born infant, for grown men, for battle, for storming a Pa, for eels, for birds, for makutu, and a multitude of other karakia. ”

“ How can you hope to help Tikipu?
Mee. Ugh! Dat velly easy t’ing, if he really want me.... Me say here to myself sometimes, ‘Now, t’ink, Mee-Mee, t’ink Tiki come all back again! T’ink dat you am his wife!... Den he sit like dis, and he paint: an’ you—just sit-an’-wait! Plesently he paint—all wrong: got to be closs with somebody—of course! Den he closs wid you! an’ you—jus’ sit-an’-wait! Den he paint ’bominable: got to beat somebody—beat you, eh? Den de picture come—all right!... Say, isn’t dat de way? ”

“ Ngawai commences her narrative while the sun paints a blue halo in the black hair around her head. The light plays in the sunburnt face, the lips quiver, and the large eyes, full of light, see in the distance what the lips utter.
“Oh, Hinemoa was full of gladness and was smiling at her image for joy, for over the sea sweetly sounds the music of the flute and the horn played by Tutanekai and his friend Tiki, far off in the middle of the lake on the island of Mokoia, Tutanekai’s home.” ”

“ She is hiding herself in the house. [Meanwhile Tikipu and Mee-Mee have been trying to steal to the street door: as each attempt fails they retreat precipitately. Immediately on exit of Students, Mee-Mee runs across to the door, reverses the key, and locks it from the outside.
[Pg 94]
Mee. Now, Tiki, quick, quick, quick!
[She throws off bride-dress on to floor.
Tiki. They are coming back, Mee-Mee!
Mee. No—not yet! Silly man—make me do it all! How you able to run and hide in all dis? [She pulls off his robe, uncovering the certificate which hangs down his back.] Oh! Tiki, dat what you stole? ”

“ You don’t like Yunglangtsi?
Tiki. [Yawning.] Do you?
Mee. Mm-yah! When he sleep he seem velly nice. Me not like him, plaps, if he wake too much!... Tiki! you ’sleep, too?... Say?—you sittin’ up all las’ night?
Tiki. Sitting up?
Mee. [Nods.] M’m ... she know: she lie awake an’ watch de light, den she go to sleep—plaps: den she wake.... De light still dere.... Tiki! what de matter wid you? [Shakes him.] Is you in love?
Tiki. [Rousing himself.] In lo.... Oh! it’s no use telling you, Mee-Mee; you wouldn’t understand. You are only a woman.
[Pg 27]
Mee. H’m.... Onl’.... Dat velly big only! ... ”

“ E hoa, O friend
e mau ana ki te taringa a te tangata,
which is fixed to the ear of a man.
Hei, neck.
hei-tiki, neck ornaments of grotesque human form.
heoi te mihi, that is all the greeting.
hoanga, stone for cutting and polishing greenstone. ”

“ Kahotea, dark spotted greenstone.
kahurangi, translucent greenstone.
kaka, the large russet parrot.
kapeu, see tautau.
kara, hard stone other than greenstone.
karakia, spells.
kakariki, the colour green, also a small green parrot and a green lizard.
karanga, welcome!
kaui, the neck cord of the hei-tiki.
kauri, a New Zealand pine.
kawakawa, dark jade without spots.
kia ora koe, may you be well!
kiripaka, flint.
kohuwai, jade with moss-like marks.
kuru, a greenstone hammer, also a cylindrical ear-pendant. ”

“ It is an unusually large figure of the A type, having eyes of irridescent shell, and is quite 8 inches high with a width of nearly 5 inches from knee to knee. This ornament shows signs of a great age. Its surface is in parts worn almost smooth by constant wear, and it has had no less than three suspension holes bored through the upper part of the head, two of which are broken through.
Nowadays old and good specimens of tiki and other ornaments and implements of the native greenstone are rare in New Zealand. Very many have left the country ”

“ Put it round the neck of your wife's slave girl and offer both as payment; and your wish that your kinsman may be restored will be granted." And so it fell out. But some time afterwards one of Rauparaha’s relations became ill, and the priest was accused of having bewitched the man. Purewa maintained that the patient was ill because he had broken tapu in wearing the sacred tiki, and would surely die if it were not returned to its rightful owner; which being done the sick man was restored to health. ”

“ It is morning: six or seven students squat painting. Between every two of them is a small stand for paint-pots, brushes, etc. All are very lazy and desultory at their work: the only industrious one is Tikipu, who, in shabby menial attire, grinds colours with weary persistence. The students yawn, stretch, and whine; and resume work in a perfunctory way at intervals upon shop-signs, lanterns, etc. On the dais sits Yunglangtsi, a mountain of indolent fat: sunk [Pg 2] in profound slumber he squats before his easel. Street-criers are heard without calling their wares. ”

“ Best,„ Elsdon,„ remarks by 10, 23, 48, 69
bird-spear, greenstone, legend of 30
bird-„spear,„ greenstone,„ illustrated 30
boxes for weapons 34
British Museum, adze-blades in 72
British„ Museum,„ barbs in 29
British„ Museum,„ greenstone in 72
British„ Museum,„ Maori works of art exhibited by the King in 78
British„ Museum,„ head of manaia in 42
British„ Museum,„ matau in, illustrated 46
British„ Museum,„ matau„ in, described 47
British„ Museum,„ mere in 32, 36
British„ Museum,„ tiki in 56, 58 note, 70, 72
Buffalo, H.M.S. 36, 37
Burr, tiki belonging to Midshipman 60
C ”

“ The tikis are worn on the breast, suspended by a cord round the neck; and almost every person of rank, whether man or woman, possesses one. They are popularly supposed to be idols, and are labelled as such in many museums; but there is not the least reason for believing them to fulfil any office except that of personal decoration. The Maories are fond of carving the human figure upon everything that can be carved. ”