The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-10-12
A Peculiar Custom Among the Maorls.

Peculiar Custom Among the Maoris.
Hon. G. w. Griffin, United States
consul at Auckland, New Zealand.
recently read very interesting and
valuable paper before the st. Louis
Historical society in relation to one of
the peculiar customs of the Maoris, or
aboriginal inhabitants of New Zealand.
1t is of interest, from the fact that il
illustrated very forcibly u singular
phase of savagery which is fast disap-
pearing before the march of civilza-
tion, just as the early customs of the
red men of America are now little more
than traditions among the Indians
themselves.
"The law of muru is so complicated
in its nature, and subject to so many
relinements and so varied in its appli-
cations, that it would be about as diff
cult to tell what it is as to tell what it
is not.
"The word muru, in it's literal sense,
means to rob or to plunder and for
this reason Europeans have come to
regard the term as a sort of legaliZed
system of robbery. This view of the
subject is, however, very far from
being a just one. The law of muru
is so broad and general in its applica-
tion that no human being, whatever
may be his rank or condition in life, is
exempt from its penalties or benefits.
But in order to understand the practi-
cal workings of the law, it must be
borne in mind that the Maoris are
communists, both in theory and prac-
tice. They do not think it right for
one person to own more property
than another. For instance, if
Il chief owns six pigs and another
four, one must be taken from
the former and given to the latter,
that each may have the same number
Indeed property changes hands so
often that man can't tell a week or
a month beforehand who will be the
owner of his canoe, blanket or mat or
even the house in which he lives. The
great principle is to keep property in
circulation. The oftener it changes
hands the better. a mans relations
have the first claim to it. His friends
and neighbors come next. No one,
however, would dare think of asserting
Il claim to the property of another
except in accordance with the strictest
principles of the law of muru, which
alone can determine the right of owner
ship. Should great misfortune
overtake a man, such as the death
of Il favorite child, his relatives
are allowed, according to the law
of muru, to dispossess him of
all his personal property, and if
need be, of the house in which he
lives. He must suffer for his misfor-
tune, but strictly speaking he does not
regard the loss of all his earthly pos
sessions as Il punishment. Indeed, on
the contrary, he looks upon it as a
great honor. lie is blessed both by
men and gods; the greater the loss the
greater the honor. If everything he
has in the world is taken from him, he
is treated with the profoundest respect
and he becomes a man of some i'm
pOrtance in the community in which
he lives. If a mans child should he
burnt to death and the accident prove
to be unavoidable, the father is at
once plundered to an extent highly
gratifying. Everything is taken from
him-his goods, clothing, spears, fish
ing nets, mats, canvas, indeed, all
his earthly provisions and in order to
favor him still further he is severely
dubbed besides. lie is usually left
upon the ground in terribly bruised
and bleeding condition. 1t is, how
ever, against the law of muru to kill
him. He is also duly warned of the
process of the law. 1t would never do
to take him by surprise. a messenger
is dispatched to inform him of the near
approach of the officers of the law.
Sometimes heprepares to receive them
and great feast is given in honor Of
their arrival. lie is always anxious to
know whether it is a great or little
muru. If he is told that it is a
great muru he is beside himself
with joy. lie is expected to defend
himself with spear or club until he is
overpowered, but it is against the law
for him to strike the officers too hard.
AS soon as the first blood is drawn he
must stop. Sometimes he makes a de-
termined resistance, and is terribly in
earnest, and the contest is exciting in
the extreme. One often admireS his
courage. The contest is unequal. He
is battling with fate. Like Macbeth,
he knows that he is doOmed; but un-
like Macbeth, he does not wish it
otherwise, for to be victorious would
be against the law Of muru.