The early maori greatly valued iron tools - but frequently chose to use the European tools in their own Polynesian ways - for example they saw iron as replacing stone - and as they did not use stone to work the soil - were reluctant at first to waste iron on such work.
- But it was not only the use of flint-locks for shooting food or each other that was impressive - equally it was the pasty-faced whalers technology of using flint and steel for making fire that also got their attention and made any piece of scrap iron worth trading or stealing from the ships, when they grew to value its utility..
Pre-European Maori didn't have iron - they made beautiful tools and very effective weapons painstakingly slowly from hard stone and wood.
- And they made fire in the same way as the rest of Polynesia did - by the 'fire-plough'.
- A hard plough stick was rubbed to and fro while pressed firmly onto a flat piece of wood creating a groove. - Nobody failed to notice that the cylindrical plough rhythmically moving in the groove until the needed climax of smoke and fire arrived in the charring dust - had a connection to another human need shared by man and woman.
Tiring work but often shared with a long term partner for mutual satisfaction!
So valued were the right male & female parts made from hard dry reddish coloured woods that the fire maker would hang his tools around his neck - at the back - safely warm and dry under his cloak. They picked red coloured woods as having fire in their substance and the words "Hika ahi" used for making fire were also used for 'making babies'.
Ray Mears rightly has a passion for fire-making the native or 'primitive' way - fire often being the key for survival and comfort in the wilds of every continent and island:
Although Maori used drills for cutting holes in hard 'Greenstone' tools they didn't use the 'fire-drill' until after contact with whalers/sealers.
- Hikaia he ahi - to kindle a fire - was heart of many traditional stories and remained unchanged through time. - It's not too much of a coincidence that we pakeha used our fire-making word 'kindle' also for the making of children.
Maori would also carry fire with them when on the trail - a 'wick' made from flax could be kept smouldering for days when held protected by a 'nest' of tinder.
- There is a dodgy way of using a cartridge for fire making - supposedly you pull the bullet - empty-out most of the powder - stuff some loosely packed fabric in the muzzle and fire it into the air - then catch the smouldering rag to place in your nest of tinder and gently blow into flame. I've not tried it - as it sounds like a good way to burst a barrel - but maybe in an extreme emergency?
- Look after that Bic lighter eh - it's much easier to use than a fire-plough - and even if empty, the sparking wheel can still make the sparks to ignite dry kindling, bringing the magic flame.
Marty K
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