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Ranolf and Amohia

II.—Waiata, or Native Songs

II.—Waiata, or Native Songs.

  • Page 97.—"Death, degrading," &c. This dealh-aong is an amplification of one given, in his collection of Perns, Traditions, and Chaunn of ihe Maoriey in the native tongue, by Sir Geo. Grey, late Governor of New Zealand, lo whom alone the preservation of what may now be culled the "literature" of a savage race, including, besides the above forms of it, their proverbs, &c, is to be attributed.
  • Page 153.—"Leave me! yes!" &C. A free paraphrase of a song in the same collection.
  • Page 155.—"Now should he come," &c. No Maori original of this song.
  • Page 158.—"Tcare, tears!" &C. A tolerably close paraphrase of a sang in Sir G, Grey's collection.
  • Page 168.—" The freshet is flowing," &c. The idea of the flooded stream and fair wind assisting the maiden's flight while she sits idly twirling the paddle of her canoe, form part of a Maori song in the same collection. Also the appeal to the father at the end.
  • Page 176.—"As well upbraid," &c. No authority for the song alluded to.
  • Page 223.—"Praise her—bless her." No Maori original of this song, except that the idea of a girl's decorating herself with flax-work, feathers! ano greenstone ornaments, to attract admirtrs) occurs iriorc than once in the same collection.page 502
  • Page 245.—"Alas, and well-a-day!" &c A very free paraphrase of 3. song in Sir G. Grey's collection. "Ropa is a declaration of love by pinching the fingers. "—Rev. R. Taylor's New Zealand and Us Inhabitants, p. 164.
  • Page 354.—"The clashing of tempests." A free amplification of a song in the same collection.
  • Page 374.—"How long, how long," &c. A paraphrase of a war-song given in Traditions and Superstitions of the New Zelanders, by Ed. Shortland, M.A.
  • Page 379.—"Hit out, hit out," &t Paraphrase of a, song in Sir G. Grey's collection.
  • Page 407.—"Be wakeful," &c Ditto.
  • Page 412.—" Stars are Beeting." Ditto.
  • Of the songs shove specified, those invented are, it is believed, sufficiently in accordance with the ordinary tone of native feeling and thought; while those paraphrased or amplified will perhaps in their English dress have much the same appearance to an English reader as the originals to a native hearer. In songs or other compositions orally transmitlcd it should he remembered thai the hearer receives them in most cases from a source which can itself supply the associations, details, or explanations, which so often render paraphrases necessary to gible to others. The reciter is a liuing book, ready to answer every query, and amplify to any extent desirable; adapt itself, in short, to the greater or less degree of imaginativeness in the hearer. Perhaps this may partly account for the exceeding simplicity and terseness of most early and oral poetry, quite as much as any presumed severity of taste in the composers. Poetry so communicated always had, besides, the expressive looks, tones and gestures of the person communicating it—to facilitate brevity.