Page:Transactions NZ Institute Volume 12.djvu/189

Rh Maunsell, LL.D., a sound Hebrew and Greek scholar, and one whose knowledge of idiomatic Maori is perfect. A few references from his translation of colour-expressions, will assist those unacquainted with the Maori language to verify the statements I have made. The Greek words are from the Septuagint, the English from the Authorized Version, and the Maori from Dr. Maunsell' s translation.

Red—Exd. , 5, = dyed red=whakawhero.

Scarlet—Is. , 18, = scarlet = ngangana.

Crimson—Is. , 18, = crimson = whereo me te mea whakawhero.

Purple—Esth. , 6, = purple = papura (this is only Maoricized English).

Green—Esth. , 6, = green = kirini (Maoricized English).

Greenish—Lev. , 49, = greenish = ma kakariki.

Blue—Ex. , 4, = blue = puuru (Maoricized Enghsh).

Yellow—Lev. , 30, yellow = ma kowhai. Ps., 13, = yellow = whero.

Brown—Gen. , 32, = brown = tongitongi, (really, spotted.) Vide Gen., 8, where , translated "speckled" in English, is rendered whai tongitongi in Maori; and again , rendered "brown" in English, is rendered pakaka (or kaka colour) in Maori.

White—Is. , 18, = white = ma.

Black—Zech. , 6, black = mangu. Job, 5, = darkness = pouri.

Mr. Gladstone says: "Colours were for Homer not facts but images; his words describing them are figurative words, borrowed from natural objects, in truth colours are things illustrated rather than described;" and he supports this opinion by quoting such expressions as rose-colour, wine-colour, bronze-colour, fire-colour, etc. As we find exactly the same method of expressing colour adopted by the Maoris, who spoke of kowhai-flower colour, little-parrot colour, we may conclude that their knowledge of colour was in a state of progression. The evidence afforded by the expressions used to distinguish yellow and green, shows that, at one period of their existence, yellow and green were confounded with the lighter shades of black and white. When the kowhai received its name, it was not on account of its colour, and when the parrakeet was named, it was its size, and not its colour, which attracted attention. It was after becoming acquainted with the kowhai, and little parrot, that they learnt to discriminate the colours. They then ceased to regard objects as merely luminous or nonluminous, but they had not yet realized the existence of colour as a quality apart from the object with which it was associated in the mind. They