Purakau: A Maori Story

Kia ora all, I was reading the Needs Analysis report written in 1991 for the establishment of the Te Whiuwhiu o te Hau Counselling programme and was re-inspired by the purakau (story) that was shared by the late Reverend Werewere Maaka. Werewere to me was an inspirational elder who taught me many things but also encouraged the sharing of knowledge and information with others. I thought it would be timely to share this story with others. Like many stories there is often wisdom, lessons and inspiration within them. Taima



Purakau as told by Werewere Maaka to Taima Moeke-Pickering (1991)

One day two Maori men were arrested for stealing kereru (wood pigeons). They rang a Kaumatua (elder) for advice and to see if he would represent them in Court. A Minister of Agricultural Affairs (MAF) officer heard about the Kaumatua representing the two men and decided to make an appointment to see the Kaumatua. At the meeting, the MAF officer told the Kaumatua that it was a waste of the old man's time to represent the two men as they were guilty of stealing the protected kereru and that there was no way that this unlawful act could be defended in a Court of law. He advised the old man that if he did win, then all those past cases of successful prosecutions against other Maori who had stolen kereru for food over the years, would be questionable. The Kaumatua listened and pondered. As he pondered, the MAF officer chipped in and baited the old man along by asking what would be his strategy for defending the two men in Court. With a smile, the old man replied humbly, "E hoa (friend), how high could you jump when you were young"? The officer replied "About two feet". The Kaumatua then asked "Now, how high can you jump now that you're a man of 60". The officer replied "Not very high at all". The Kaumatua then said, "That's how I will beat you in Court".

Court day arrived. In Court the Judge asked the Kaumatua to speak on behalf of the two Maori men. The Kaumatua spoke. He told of the Miro tree and its fruit and how it was a delicacy for the kereru. When the tree bore its fruit, the Maori knew that the kereru would flock around the tree to pick the berries. The younger kereru were stronger and could fly to the top of the Miro tree to pick berries, whilst the older kereru could only feast on the berries toward the bottom of the tree. Because of their age, the older kereru would gorge themselves on the lower berries, some of them exploding from over-indulgence. Some would overeat and become too weak to fly and hit the lower branches, and others would just fly straight into the trunks of the trees and explode. It was then, that the Maori would wait and pick these kereru from the ground for eating. The Kaumatua told the Judge, that if they were to look at the kereru that the two men had taken, they would find no bullets or pellets in them. His prediction was correct. Na, Werewere Maaka (1991).