H. T. Whatahoro

The Lore of the Whare-wananga H. T. Whatahoro

The old priest Te Matorohanga died in 1884, and Nepia Pohuhu in 1882, both being at the time of their deaths about eighty years old. It will thus be seen that they had been taught in the Maori College long before the influences of Christianity reached their tribe?indeed, it was not till about the end of the thirties of last century, that the tribes of Wairarapa had Christian teachers amongst them, though Christianity had been introduced in the north in 1814, but little of its doctrines understood till many years afterwards. The matter written down by H. T. Whatahoro during those years has remained in his possession for over fifty years; it is contained in several volumes of folio size, much of which has recently been copied under the auspices of the tribal Committee known as 'Tane-nui-a-rangi,' and the copies deposited in the Dominion Museum, Wellington. The matter in this volume, however, was copied by myself from the original documents which were lent me for the purpose, and the whole of them bear the seal of the 'Tane-nui-a-rangi' Committee, and therefore shew that the matter contained therein has the approval of that body, consisting