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The House of Israel 87

The House of Israel

Ancient Celtic/Scottish Sites in they were probably based in the Firth of Forth) were re-
New Zealand? quested by folk in Scotland to call and see if any of Taine’s
people had survived. This would have been probably just
If you have an open and inquiring mind there are after the reign of King Alexander III of Scotland (reigned
many facts, artifacts and oral and written histories that 1249-1286) and during the reign of Edward I of England.
confirm the existence of pre-Maori populations in New He invaded Scotland in 1296. This was a turbulent time in
Zealand. The archaeology of the country has yet to be Scotland. It was the time of Wallace, of Bruce, the battles
properly investigated by archaeologists that do not have of Stirling Bridge and Falkirk. The execution of Wallace
preconceived or politically motivated agendas. and eventually the Coronation of Robert the Bruce and
leading up to the battle of Bannockburn in 1314. Times
Very ancient written records in Europe and the perhaps when no one had the time or resources to maintain
old world confirm knowledge that New Zealand and Aus- communication with kinfolk a world away.”
tralia existed. The following is an example of an oral his-
tory supported by records held in Scotland It is an “Men in Taine’s lineage were often well over 7
interesting saga with all the intrigue and bravery of any feet tall and generally had red hair, blue eyes and fair com-
Icelandic Saga. The heroes in it eventually suffer horrific plexions. They had been provided with a very small num-
deaths -- though this does not prevent their genes from car- ber of sheep and cattle, and enough provisions to last three
rying on generation after generation in a new land. In that, months, but no tools. Why such treatment was meted out
perhaps it was a more successful settlement than was the remains the knowledge of modern descendants. The sur-
Viking settlement at Brattahild in Greenland. vival of Taine’s group was initially in their own hands and
by the will of God. Their existence was meager. Even-
“(Taine Rory Mhor) Taine Ruaridh Mhor (the big tually some tools were obtained by trade with visiting Por-
cattle farmer) was delivered by three seagoing long ships tuguese, and the colony grew. It is said Taine was
(birlinns?) to New Zealand in the 12th Century, with 95 of responsible for introducing particular trees and that there
his family and kinsfolk and followers. And sons Rory and may be connection between Taine and “Tane” the name
Ruaridh. It was deliberate but not by choice. Banishment used by Maoris for the god of the forest. Taine in old
was not an uncommon feature of the times and in this case Gaelic is apparently pronounced the same as Tane in
the term was for seven generations after he had been incar- Maori.”
cerated in a dungeon for three years already by his friend
King Alexander I of Scotland (reigned 1107-1124 A.D.). “The story goes that after sailing from some-
Both islands of New Zealand were chosen because one of where on the east coast of Scotland (probably Fifeshire)
the criteria was that the land for the banishment had to be the fleet of three ships sailed north of Orkney. They then
uninhabited at the time (? This seems strange). After 160 sailed the length of the Atlantic and around the south of
years (7 + 1 generations), Scots/Vikings (there were three Africa. The voyagers passed by the Australian coast indi-
ships, two of whose captains were Johansen and cated by a large land with a lack of fresh water and the
Christiansen -- though the names are Nordic Scandinavian presence of black people. The aim of the voyage was to de-

The Berean Voice July-August 2002