Page 88 - BV16

88 The House of Israel

posit the people being banished in unpopulated land. The tlement was established in the North Island and it is quite
voyagers then reached what is now New Zealand and possible a place somewhere near Kawhia or Raglan was
passed through what is now Cook Strait. This determined chosen (or even further north near the Hokianga Harbour).
there were two separate pieces of land. The voyage then The journal of the voyage indicates Mt. Egmont (or Tara-
continued south and around the southern reaches of the naki -- it is possible Tara naki has Gaelic roots, “tara”
South Island until the land that was similar to Thule (i.e. meaning a high place in Gaelic) had smoke coming from
Norway and also land west of Greenland and north of it. Being aware what volcanoes could do, the voyagers
Baffin Island). This is New Zealand’s region of fjords now with the second group of 45 proceeded further north for
known as Fiordland and it was passed as they again sailed safety. There is sufficient evidence in the Kawhia Raglan
north. They came to a region that had recently been sub- region to suggest the probability of initial settlement in
jected to earthquakes, such that much rock had fallen from this area, but only the opportunity and execution of open
high mountains.” archaeological investigation can confirm this.”

“The outward voyage had taken many weeks. On “With both groups provided with a dwelling and
passing the worst of the earthquake damage they came to a their animals, plus some plants and seeds, they were now
narrow coastal plain from which the mountains rose abandoned to the will of God and their ability to survive.
steeply, but which permitted sufficient room between The delivery ships sailed off to return to Scotland. The
mountains and sea to set up a settlement. The cattle were plants were the Orkney Beech (now extinct in Orkney and
able to be there without being able to wander away -- the on the Scottish mainland -- was this the tree called “iron
mountains behind, the sea in front and streams to north and wood” that Cumberland’s men so effectively eliminated
south prevented wandering. There was plentiful loose rock from Scotland?), the Rowan tree and the linen flax plant.
suitable for building a dwelling in the style of a Scottish There were also rye, oats, barley and probably the grain
black house capable of housing 45 people plus animals. (In called beer in Scotland, as well as some grasses (seed) that
a black house the cattle occupied one end of the dwelling would help nourish the cattle. Some grass seeds were also
and the people the other which had a hearth usually no used for medicinal purposes and nettle would have been
chimney or windows. The roof of such dwellings were included (nettle grows in the New Zealand scrub and bush-
vegetation over beams covered by turf -- often quite thick. lands to this day).”
Smoke from the fire was often just left to filter out through
the roof rather than having a full open chimney. This “The first settlement suffered immensely from
smoky environment provides inhabitants some protection incessant rains and was ultimately abandoned for better
from sandflies/biting midges as would definitely be re- conditions further north. But it was a long time before
quired in South Westland). An alternate temporary dwell- communication between the two separate groups was
ing may have been made by the typical method of achieved as the lack of tools meant conditions and any sea
overturning one of the Viking ships and supporting it on craft were very primitive until the opportunity for trade oc-
two rows of rocks which follow the lines of the ship’s curred -- which it did with other voyagers (Portuguese?).”
strakes thus leaving the outline of a boat. This style is com-
mon wherever Vikings or seafarers of the time had stop “So began possibly the first European settlement
overs.” of New Zealand. Genetic traces of these Scots folk are still
evident in the Maori -- those of tall stature, red hair and
“As there were 90 people to be settled in two sep- fairer skin, even blue eyes. Often thought to be of modern
arate places in the new land, when the initial dwelling was European Maori interbreeding, old Maori well know of
complete, it was time to leave 45 behind with their share of this older genetic trait that predates modern European set-
the animals and to take the other 45 north to the other sepa- tlement by many generations.”
rate piece of land (now known as the North Island). The
two troublesome sons Rory and Ruaridh were to be sepa- “New Zealand apparently had at least four differ-
rated and not to have any means of communication. A set- ent peoples living in peace (Waitaha constituent peoples),

The Berean Voice July-August 2002