NZ History

[Aromagician]

I am currently researching ancient religions and was wanting to find any information on Human sacrifice within the Maori. Ancient Canaanites ,Semitics, egyptians, Mayan, etc all practiced this.

I am aware that slaves were often killed, as were prisoners of war- and the subject of cannibalism is well documented. But is there any information on ceremonial type sacrifice to gain the favour of the Gods, in war for instance? If so to which God. Tu?

I have read that when an Maori chief died, often his wife and family, and slaves would kill themselves to join him, similar to Indian beleifs.

Many early cultures would sacrifice their first born child in times of hardship. Was this a practice in ancient Maori?
Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

[Mike Subritzky]

Kia ora Aromagician,

Two of the most "intense" spots of Human Sacrifice that I know of or have been to here in Aotearoa, are the Uenuku pau (Rainbow god standing post), which is currently held in the Te Awamutu museum, and the execution rock on the "Red Hill" pa site at Papakura.

The Uenuku "Rainbow god" is that very distinctive carving, which appears on TV, has three blades above it and has an 'open hollow' centre.
In ancient times this taonga held the heart of human sacrifice.

Make no mistake, this toanga has a very real and strong presence about it, which if you have an open mind, you will feel "immediately" the moment you walk through the doors of the Te Awamutu Museum.

The execution stone at the "Red Hill" pa site is very well documented, and is easy to find once you are on the summit of this ancient pa site.

These two sites are the very best recorded of any that I am aware of.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Mike

[kathleen]

Kia ora Aromagician,

Re: Human Sacrifice

until recently there was a recognised black spot on NZ roads where ritualistic killings occurred very regularly in our modern history. This was the Meremere SH1 section.

As soon as cars hit the straight the ritual was that the drivers foot would depress on a piece of metal, which made the waka increase in speed. A waka that wanted to pass them would have to go even faster to get by, and before you knew it the car attempting to pass would smack head on to an oncoming car or run out of straight and overshoot the corner. Death and mayhem was a common occurrence there. Bodies would be strewn all over the place. Limbs torn from torsos, small children would be sacrificed by their parents in this way. Women would often be pinned down by metal and bled to death and men would often be decapitated. The tools of this destruction were several hundred and many are now on display at the nearby wrecking yards.

This common ritual is an accepted, sociological practice in NZ, all over the place, in every town and inlet. The weopons which cause this death, vehicle waka, are revered. They are continually produced in large numbers, and are so sought after that they are imported into this country. People pride themselves in being seen with their ritualistic weopon.

No one questions their use. The sociological practice of killing, maiming, murdering and torturing that occurs on our roads, where daily one or several people are killed, and several dozen severely injured, is an accepted practice.

Hundreds of innocent people are killed here in this way every year. Tens of thousands are injured every year, many permanently. Yet life goes on, we ignore the weopons mass destructive ability. People even wash these weopons of death and spend huge amounts of money to personalise them and fix them up to make sure they are at their killing best. Tens of thousands of THESE WEOPONS ARE ON DISPLAY AT THE NUMEROUS CAR SALES YARDS that proliferate in every town and city.

But because this is a SOCIOLOGICALLY accepted practice in NZ, mainly enjoyed by middle class New Zealanders, the weopons that are the instruments of so many peoples deaths and horror are encouraged to be used. There are now millions of these terifying instruments of death stalking innocent women and children even as we communicate.

Gee Aromagician if I may, you could even compare this horrifying practice that we condone today with an ancient sociological practice of our forebears.

These weopons of death and murder to so many hundreds of our innocent citizens annually are essential to our existence and without them society as we know it would cease to exist.

"Automobilism" is ritualistic Human Sacrifice at its best! pursued and encouraged with unabated religious fervour in every highway and byway of our pristine country.

[Aromagician]

Thank you Mike, and kathleen for your replies.
I am comparing practices of ancient religions, the similarities of rituals between cultures.

In the book I am reading at present it has an excerpt written by Maraea Morete,
" After two or three psalms had been sung and several prayers said Te Kooti stood up to preach a sermon to his people. He said "the secret" that is God had told him in the night that a man and a child must be killed, and offered as a sacrifice to God"

She escaped, so the sacrifice which she beleived was to be her and her child wad not carried out

I am interested in Te Kooti as his followers felt a strong connection with the first testament, Comparing themselves with the ancient culture of the early Canannites. As such I am looking for parrallels within the existing pre colonisation Maori beleifs, that would have led to them identifying most strongly with them.

"Ringatu stood for "The Upraised Hand". This referred to Te Kooti and his followers practice of raising their right hands after prayers. Ringatu was also born of a mixture of Old Testament beliefs. The Ringatu followers identified themselves with the Israelites escaping from Pharaoh, and returning to their promised land."

I will look up the information that you gave thank you Mike.

Regards

[Matiu Rikihana]

Tena koutou,
Brevity is the by word for this side of the forum and so...
1, Whangai Hau- where the heart of the first slain in battle is burnt with a flame in order to gain insights into the fight taking place. Occured up until Te Kooti's time. Check Best's The Art Of War for details.
2, The boy Kowhitinui was killed for being a little greedy so and so and ended up sliking the skids to allow Tainui waka leave its site of construction. Check LG Kelly's Tainui for details.
These two come to mind but are not spacifically sacrifice. However, I've heard of bodies being found at the base of post holes during archiological digs- thought to be sacrifices. If I can recall a reference to such practices I'll post it.
Heoi ano
n� Matiu

[Mike Subritzky]

Kia ora tatou,

Whangai Hau- where the heart of the first slain in battle is burnt with a flame in order to gain insights into the fight taking place. Occured up until Te Kooti's time. Check Best's The Art Of War for details.

Matiu, you are very correct and this practice has been widely recorded, usually the heart was torn from the first slain enemy and a flame lit beneath it. If the smoke drifted in the direction of the enemy...this was not a good omen. If it drift towards the Tohunga, the battle continued with all thrust and focus.

I have heard of sacrifice on the four corner posts of whare nui, but the only time I have read of it is in a recently published novel.

Ka kite,

Mike