Human sacrifice for a new home

Here we have a barbarous custom as old as the days of human superstition and human folly. The custom of sacrificing a human being for the erection of a new house or fortress is very old; Much information on this subject is accessible in Tylor's Primitive Culture, and the works of Andrew Lang and other writers. Foundation stones and beams have been laid in human blood throughout the world, and this abominable custom was only practiced a few centuries ago in Europe. 

We still know of its survivals, as when we place coins or other objects under a foundation stone. As such savage customs became distasteful, substitutes for a human sacrifice were used, until we were reduced to the coins mentioned. Among the Takitumu of the eastern coast of our North Island the practice of killing human beings was perhaps less obvious than among other tribes. 

In the well-known tradition of Taraia, we are told that he had his own child buried at the foot of a post in his new house; but in one version we are informed that the condemned child was saved, and a substitute in the form of a child of a slave woman was put in his place.

The general belief associated with this practice seems to have been that such sacrifice was necessary to ensure the stability and durability of the building, whether a house, a fort, or a bridge. The victim was buried under a main post or foundation stone so that it could support him. 

In some cases, they were buried alive, or the living person was walled in a stone wall; in others, a person was placed in a hole or foundation and killed by having a huge pole or foundation stones placed on them. Truly, man's inhumanity to man has been marked by ingenious devilry.

Apparently human sacrifice for a new home was by no means a common custom in New Zealand. It was certainly not universal and was linked only to the higher type of house, houses carefully framed with ornate wood, usually decorated with carvings and painted decorative designs, such as those belonging only to important chiefs. No such function has ever marked the construction of ordinary dwelling houses. 

Again, it is often difficult to distinguish between ceremonial human sacrifice, with respect only to ritual observances, such as burying the victim at the base of a stake, and the simple killing of a slave to add prestige to the event, or to serve as the most important part of a feast. In many cases we are simply told that a person was killed for the new house of a certain chief, the tattoo of a certain young woman, or the baptism of a child of a person of rank. 

Such a point might be made regarding the formal sacrifice of a human being in order to influence the gods, or the killing of a person in order to give luster to an office, or the simple killing of a slave to serve of main course at a housewarming party.

The term raukakai, applied to a human sacrifice, is found in ancient stories. Thus, on p. 38 of vol. 7 of the Journal of the Polynesian Society we find this sentence, He raukakai ka tukua hei tohi i te whare me ka oti; of which a translation is given – “A living sacrifice is given to dedicate a building of importance to its completion.” » The importance of the house is implied but not stated in the original.

The ceremony performed on such a new house is usually called kawanga, while the word tohi is used to refer to ceremonies performed on people. Some additional notes on this subject can be found on p. 153 of vol. 5 of the Journal of the Polynesian Society.

Tutakangahau, of the Tuhoe tribe, informed me that members of his tribe occasionally sacrificed a human being when building a major new house. The body of the unfortunate victim was buried at the base of the central post supporting the ridge; there is no evidence that he was buried alive. A victim eliminated in this manner was called a whatu. 

Even if a stone was thus buried at the base of the post, or a bird, or a lizard, it was called a whatu, a word used in this connection apparently in its sense of "core"; it acted as a kind of talisman that preserved the well-being of the people who owned the house. This human, lizard, bird, or stone body represented the vitality and general well-being of the house, lands, and people, as preserved and guarded by the gods. They were manea, or ika purapura, that is to say mauri, and all protected against the formidable effects of black magic. 

Among some tribes, these talismanic objects were buried at the base of the back post, at the back wall of the house, as was the case among the Takitumu.

In the published account of Sir G. Grey's visit to Taupo in 1850, we are told that two Ngati-Awa natives had been killed there about two years previously during the opening ceremony of a new house. In this case, however, the killing appears to have been at least partially motivated by a desire for revenge.

Human sacrifice was also known among the relatives of the Maoris living on the islands of Polynesia. HAS Mangaia, they were made to Rongo and other gods, as the Rev. W. Gill tells us. Such offerings were made in connection with both war and peace. Some families had to provide the human sacrifices necessary for the interest of the community.

A curious incident relating to the custom of human sacrifice on the island of Mangaia, Cook group, was related to the writer by Colonel Gudgeon. When a land court was held on this island a few years ago, a certain native came forward and claimed ownership rights to some land. This complaint was received in dead silence; no one spoke, until an old man came forward and said to the applicant: 

" You are dead. Neither you nor your children can claim land. You've been dead for generations. He then explained to the Court that the plaintiff's grandfather had long ago been chosen as a human sacrifice to the gods, but had refused to be so sacrificed, and so his brother had willingly taken his place. The first tried to find refuge with another tribe, but these people refused to receive him, whereupon he retired to a remote or wild part of the island, and there lived out the remainder of his days. 

He was banished and also considered dead. Neither he nor his descendants could own land or possess any rights, while the brother's descendants possessed all tribal rights.

TO Rarotonga, a human being was sacrificed at the birth of a child of the main leader. Rev. Mr. Gill tells us that “at the birth of the firstborn son of the reigning king Makea, a previously fixed human victim was killed. The royal baby was placed on the corpse in an attempt to cut the navel chain. , thus indicating the absolute control he would exercise over the lives of his subjects upon succeeding to his father's throne. »

Ellis states that Tahiti, a human sacrifice was made during the erection of a temple. He adds: “I have been informed by several inhabitants of Maeva that the foundations of some of the buildings intended for the abode of their gods were in reality laid as human sacrifices; that at least the central pillar supporting the roof of one of the sacred places of Maeva's houses was planted on the body of a man... 

The unfortunates selected were either captives taken in war, or individuals who had made themselves odious to the chief or the priests. When they were sought, a stone was, at the request of the priest, sent by the king to the head of the district from which the victims were required. If the stone was received, it was an indication of an intention to comply with the requisition.

The same writer tells us that a similar offering was made to the gods in times of war. These victims, considered tapu offerings, were called amo'a tapu, just as an offering to the gods was called Amonga tapu in New Zealand. In both places, too, human beings dedicated to this purpose were referred to as “fish.” 

Cook wrote at some length about this custom in Tahiti, but the material given can hardly be considered satisfactory considering that his knowledge of the native language must have been very poor.

Human sacrifices to the gods were also made in the Hawaiian Islands and other Polynesian groups and islands. In Fiji we have evidence of living humans being buried at the base of house posts. 

Thus, Sir E. Im Thurn stated that "when a Fijian chief built a house, some of his dependents, whom the great man reprimanded for this purpose, voluntarily went down into the holes which had been dug for the poles of the house, and remained there while the earth was filled upon them, and continued thereafter as permanent supports of the house. »

Mr. Coleman Wall, writing in 1916, remarked of this custom of the Fijians: “They buried men standing under the post of temples and houses of chiefs. Later, the victims appear to have been bludgeoned first. »

In Gordon Cumming's At Home in Fiji we find the following account: "A series of large holes were dug to accommodate the main posts of the house, and as soon as they were raised a number of miserable men were taken to the spot, and one was obliged to go down into each hole, and to stand there with his arms crossed around him. 

The earth was then filled up, and the miserable victims were thus buried alive, drawing what comfort they could from the belief that the task thus assigned to them was one of great honor, as it ensured the stability of the chief's house .

We can now see that this barbaric custom was ancient in the Pacific region. It may have been introduced here, in a modified form, from Fiji, or it may have been brought from Polynesia. We find among the customs, arts, etc. Maoris, curious resemblances with similars in Melanesia, while in certain cases one does not find parallels in Polynesia where one would naturally look for them.

A note in vol. 23 of the Journal of the Polynesian Society states that in Sarawak, Borneo, "the custom of driving the main pole of a new building through the body of a slave girl was widespread among the natives of Sarawak until recent years" . In H. Ling Roth's work The Natives of Sarawak is an account of this custom, showing that the girl was placed in the hole and the huge pole fell on her body. 

In the past, human sacrifices were made during ceremonies related to burials and peacemaking. Thus, we find that this ancient custom of human sacrifice for a new house has become established in many countries.