The following is an excerpt from Chapter 26 of the book Southern Cook Islands Customary Law, History, and Society, Akapapa‘anga, Kōrero Tupuna, e te Ᾱkono‘anga Ture ‘Enua o te Pā ‘Enua Tonga i te Kūki ‘Airani by Ron Crocombe and Ross Holmes: Introduction by Ross Holmes The Mission era had seven major impacts upon the Southern Cook Islands. Firstly, as detailed in Volume 3 Chapter 25, apart from Mau‘ke and Mitiaro which had slight population increases, there was a substantial decline in the population of the other Southern Cook Islands. Secondly, as detailed in Volume 3 Chapter 25 and this Chapter, the LMS destroyed of much of the old social structure, Māori custom, and Māori customary law. The LMS denigrated and suppressed many of the customs and institutions; the old religion was suppressed, the marae located in each tapere were desecrated, burned, and abandoned; and aping of the Europeans was pursued on all levels of Māori society. Thirdly, as detailed in Volume 2 Chapter 18 and this Chapter, as a result of the policy of the LMS the custom of appointing only males to the office of ariki or mata‘iapo changed and those favoured by the LMS only were elected as chiefs (in a manner not in accordance with customary law). LMS membership came to be a virtual necessity for individuals who wished to wield influence in the community. Fourthly, as detailed in Volume 3 Chapter 25, in Rarotonga, the ariki’ positions were strengthened accompanied by the strict separation of their districts. Fifthly, as detailed in Volume 3 Chapter 25, a climate of fear of, and subservience to, the ariki, and the LMS, was created by the Ariki Courts, and their police (who in Rarotonga comprised up to one-tenth of the whole population, for every church member was ex officio also a policeman). The punishments inflicted by the police, the Judges, and the LMS, was brutal. Men and women were flogged with ropes. Tattoos were holystoned out (scrubbed out with coral) so that the skin was entirely torn away. People were placed in wells. Women who refused to live with men selected by the mission were locked in fearsome leg-iron shackles, until they consented. In addition fines and imprisonment were imposed. The police incessantly spied upon, and harassed the people. Sixthly, as detailed in this Chapter, in Rarotonga, the ariki of Rarotonga, other than Pa ariki, acquired land and titles, which they had no customary law right to. Seventhly, as detailed in this Chapter, the Mission era changed the settlement patterns of the survivors,many of whom moved into the Mission settlements away from their land. It is necessary to understand what happened during the Mission era in order to understand why the ariki and others were able to take land and titles away from other Māori in the Mission era and in the Colonial era. It also enables an understanding of why the lack of apparent opposition to such actions did not amount to consent.
Posted on: Fri, 10 Oct 2014 06:48:56 +0000
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