Things Maori

There has been a lot of Maori activity through Herbert Forest, perhaps I should say, 'North Otago'. Some of this is what old Russell told me, some is my understanding and some is what I have actually seen.
In the center of this picture you can see the clear hill with a flat top and the 'spoil' to the right of it. It looks like it could have been a Pa site.

Then there is this other area overlooking the Mill House, many suspect that this was in fact the Pa site. I have an old black & white photo of the same area, from a distance which may give a better view.

The story goes that there was a Maori warrior chief, who traveled down the West Coast with his band of marauding followers.

When he attacked the Riverton Maori, (no doubt they would have had a tribal name of their own), one man 'swam to an island, then travelled inland to bypass the marauders. He warned the other tribal groups of a pending attack, but none of them acted upon the warning.'

The Waianakarua Maori did prepare (or was that the Moeraki? Though I was told the Waianakarua). They prepared a Pa to fight the marauders off; on either of the above sites. In fact there was a battle but not at either Pa site - it was in the Otepopo Bush and many artifacts have been found there.

The Waianakarua Maori 'fought the marauders into the sea', but a man, a woman and a child became separated and they fled into the area that is not Herbert Forest. They were said to have lived in a cave somewhere in Hoods Creek. Personally I have searched Hoods Creek and doubt that there was a cave there - it is schist rock. More likely, they lived in the cave at the head of Swallows Creek, just below Nat Stevenson's house. There is a distinct drawing there of a dog and eroded other drawings that can only be seen using a mister. After about a year, the three joined with the Waianakarua Maori - peacefully. It is said that the Waianakarua Maori hid a cache of greenstone in the boggy pond on Bluff Hill which is surrounded by Ngaio trees - the cache was never recovered.

There has been other activity by Maori in the North Block, and seemingly not so much in the Southern Blocks. But there are rock drawings in the outcrop not far inside the the southern boundary of the South Block; and the extensive caves in Nicholson's property must have housed some at some time. Also there was Native Bush just South of the boundary which was vested to the Moeraki Maori (as a fuel supply) during land 'settlements'.

Road 12, Pa Road is called that because of a Pa site there. When Bob Frame worked the paddocks there he recovered (I think) 3 sacks of artifacts which apparently have been lost. I have looked to locate this site unsuccessfully, but there is a line of basalt rock that must have come from Government Hill which is not far away. I found also some of the red sandstone which is from the Southern side of Hoods Creek, but the conclusion was it came as weights on Bob Frame's discs (probably horse drawn).

But there are umu, Maori ovens scattered through the North Block, seldom on the South Block and one massive one across Shepherd's Creek. Again I have looked at these and carried out research, never finding an artifact or bone. These were used in the harvest of cabbage trees Cordyline australis for the production of food starch and perhaps sugars.

These umu were all carefully recorded and mapped for the Otago Museum. Logging in the forest, and subsequent clearing has probably damaged a lot of them. The umu were lost to visibility with thick weed growth, but after a clean burn, or when the trees are mature and beneath them it is clear, then the umu are visible.

There is a line of basalt rocks on the top of Government Hill, similar to the one by the Pa site, and we assume it was a boundary mark of some kind.

Before gorse colonised the area, Herbert Forest - both North and South Blocks must have provided spectacular vantage points, and the forest would have been home to much birdlife as there is today. Moa and Weka are the most notable birds that no longer live there. But even in my time, when pig hunting, I could not hear the barking of the dogs because of the evening chorus of the Bellbirds!

Just an addition about Moa. Moa is an extinct bird - probably the largest bird that has walked this planet.

Newspaper reporters often rang the forest to pick up news snippets. Albert had overheard a conversation between myself and the then Officer in Charge, Jack Williamson. On the bottom flat, I had found some pieces of an old mower that is the machine to cut grass, to make hay. Just previously we had all been talking about Moa in the district.

So when the newspaper reporter rang, Albert was by himself in the office. When pressed 'Is there any news?' His reply was, 'No, there is nothing,' but after a pause he added, 'We have found Moa bones on the bottom flat.'

The report was in the paper the next day!