CELTIC / VIKING / SCOTTISH NEW ZEALAND

By Bryan Mitchell

New Zealand

Unbelievable to orthodox historical opinion? Yes! But so were any New Zealand dinosaurs thirty or so years ago. Now there are many books on such creatures and they have been accepted by orthodox institutions in  NZ.

So what is the probability of old pre-Maori , Celtic sites?

If you have an open and inquiring mind there are many facts, artifacts and oral and written histories that confirm the existence of pre-Maori populations in NZ. Our archaeology has yet to be properly investigated by archaeologists that do not have pre-conceived or politically motivated agendas.

Very ancient written records in Europe and the old world confirm knowledge that New Zealand and Australia existed. However getting access to and acknowledgement of these records is difficult. Concocted historical opinion has been based on deliberate intent to discredit and cover up such knowledge. NZ and Australia are not the only countries bound up by such conspiracies. However this article is about a particular NZ example, with some general observations thrown in.

The following is an example of an oral history supported by records held in Scotland. A book about this particular story, with supporting documentation is due for release sometime in the year 2000. ( unfortunately the elderly lady writing the book has died and the manuscript is possibly unlikely to see light of day unless her adopted son living in Australia takes it into his mind to publish. Whether he will, as he was apparently not particularly interested in the history and is not a blood relative, is anyones guess. Researchers here in NZ have no connection or links to this person. The ancient documents in Scotland are also currently untraceable, which is hugely unfortunate.. Somewhere these ancient documents are hopefully lingering in some library or personal repository and will eventually surface.)

For now it is simply an interesting saga with all the intrigue, and bravery of any Icelandic Saga. The heroes in it eventually suffer horrific deaths though this does not prevent their genes from carrying on generation after generation in a new land. In that, perhaps it was a more successful settlement than was the Viking settlement at Brattahild  in Greenland.

(Taine Rory Mhor ) Taine Ruaridh Mhor (the big cattle farmer) was delivered by three seagoing longships (birlinns?) to NZ in the 12th Century, with 95 of his family and kinfolk and followers. And sons Rory and Ruaridh. It was deliberate but not by choice. Banishment was not an uncommon feature of the times and in this case the term was for seven generations after he had been incacerated in a dungeon for three years already by his friend King Alexander I of Scotland (reigned 1107-1124AD). Both Islands of New Zealand were chosen because one of the criteria was that the land for the banishment had to be uninhabited at the time (? this seems strange). After 160 years (7+ I generations), Scots/Vikings (there were three ships,  two  of  whose  captains  were  Johansen and Christiansen – though the names are Nordic Scandinavian they were probably based in the Firth of Forth) were requested by folk in Scotland to call and see if any of Taine’s people had survived. This would have been probably just after the reign of King Alexander Ill of Scotland (reigned 1249-1286) and during the reign of Edward I of England.He invaded Scotland in 1296.This was a turbulent time in Scotland. It was the time of Wallace, of Bruce, the battles of Stirling Bridge and Falkirk. The execution of Wallace and eventually the Coronation of Robert the Bruce and leading up to the battle of Bannockbum in 1314. Times perhaps when no-one had the time or resources to maintain communication with kinfolk a world away. So back to the story.

 Men in Taine’s lineage were often well over 7 foot tall and generally had red hair, blue eyes and fair complexions. They had been provided with a very small number of sheep and cattle, and enough provisions to last three months, but no tools. Why such treatment was metted out remains the knowledge of apparently very few modern descendants. The survival of Taine’s group was initially in their own hands and by the will of God. Their existence was meagre. Eventually some tools were obtained by trade with visiting Portuguese , and the colony grew. It is said Taine was responsible for introducing particular trees and that there may be connection between Taine and “Tane” the name used by Maoris for the God of the forest. Taine in old Gaelic is apparently pronounced the same as Tane in Maori.

(The written Maori language is just an Anglicised/ Germanic spelling of the oral language Maoris were using when the English language oriented settlement started. Early European documents and manuscripts use quite different spellings for many Maori words and it is only through later standardisation that current spellings are used. Modern Te Reo Maori language and spelling is a concocted language developed largely on the Ngapuhi dialect by government decree. There was no standard language ‘Maori’ throughout the country. In early times Maori just meant ‘normal’ as in normal people’. Most of the people identified themselves by family. i.e. lwi and or hapu -belonging to a group with common descent and usually theirs was a separate language or dialect.  Plus their original oral histories of origin are vastly different. Folk in the South Island, now with Te Reo Maori spelling and words forced upon them decry the loss of upwards of 5 more letter characters and ‘their language’. The Ngai Tahu (now the domininant Maori tribal influence in the South Island) dialect is of North island origin and arrived post European 19th settlement. Similar has happened to various North Island Iwi and hapu, who have even post­ Treaty, lost much of their separate origins, dialect and identity. The various hapu and iwi of the Patupaiarehe in the central North Island being a prime example. Such applies to Moriori, Turehu and others as well, eventually nation-wide. This through ‘official’ government denigration in favour of political Maori control. Many of these political Maori folk from the ‘cannibal’ tribes are absolutely of mixed European and Maori descent, including remnant DNA from the enslaved as well as ‘free’ earlier peoples.

The story continues, that after sailing from somewhere on the east coast of Scotland (probably Perth/Fifeshire or a port in that region) the fleet of three ships sailed north to Orkney. They then sailed the length of the Atlantic and around the south of Africa. The voyagers passed by the Australian coast indicated by a large land with a lack of fresh water and the presence of black people. The aim of the voyage was to deposit the people being banished in unpopulated land. The voyagers then reached what is now New Zealand and passed through what is now Cook Strait. This determined there were two separate pieces of land. The voyage then continued south and around the southern  reaches  of the South island until the land that was similar to Thule (ie Norway and also land west of Greenland and North of Baffin island). This is New Zealands region of fjords now known as Fiordland and it was passed as they again sailed north. They came to a region that had recently been subjected to earthquakes, such that much  rock had fallen from high mountains. The outward journey had taken many weeks. On passing the worst of the earthquake damage they came to a narrow coastal plain from which the mountains rose steeply, but which permitted sufficient room between mountains and sea to set up a settlement. The cattle were able to be there without being able to wander away – the mountains behind, the sea in front and streams to north and south prevented wandering. There was plentiful loose rock suitable for building a dwelling in the style of a Scottish black house capable of housing 45 people plus animals. (In a black house the cattle occupied one end of the dwelling and the people the other which had a hearth usually no chimney or windows. The roof of such dwellings was vegetation over beams covered by turf – often quite thick. Smoke from the fire was often just left to filter out through the roof rather than having a full open chimney. This smoky environment provides inhabitants some protection from sandflies/biting midges as would definitely be required in South Westland. An alternative temporary dwelling may have made by the typical method of overturning one of the Viking  ships and  supporting  it on two rows  of rocks which follow the lines of the ships strakes thus leaving the outline of a boat. This style is common wherever Vikings or seafarers of the time had stop overs. As there were 95 people to be settled in two separate places in the new land, when the initial dwelling was complete, it was time to leave 45 behind with their share of the animals and to take the other 45 north to the other separate piece of land (now known as the North Island). The two troublesome sons Rory and Ruaridh were to be separated and not to have any means of communication . A settlement was established in the North Island and it is quite possible a place somewhere near Kawhia or Raglan was chosen (or even further north near the Hokianga Harbour). The journal of the voyage indicates Mt Taranaki – it is possible Tara naki has gaelic roots, “tara” meaning a high place in gaelic) had smoke coming from it. Being aware what volcanoes could do, the voyagers with the second group of 45 proceeded further north for safety. There is sufficient evidence in the Kawhia Raglan region to suggest the probability of initial settlement in this area, but only the opportunity and execution of open archaeological investigation can confirm this.

(On suggesting lingual remnants within the Maori language of Gaelic/Celtic influences – such as “Tara”, it could be mentioned that places such as Manaia peak at Whangarei Heads could also have an element of Gaelic linguistics. Possibly from the later Gaelic settlers from Nova Scotia, but who knows? We could add Portuguese and Spanish to such a query, and go even further back to Phonecian/Egyptian and early Hebrew pre-the Jewish label. It is now basically confirmed that in Ptolemaic times the New Zealand  isles were known and mapped) .

With both groups provided with a dwelling and their animals, plus some plants and seeds, they were now abandoned to the will of God and their ability to survive. The delivery ships sailed off to return to Scotland. The plants were the Orkney Beech* (now extinct in Orkney and on the Scottish mainland – was this the tree called “iron wood” that Cumberlands men so effectively eliminated from Scotland?), the Rowan tree and the linen flax plant. There were also rye, oats, barley and probably the grain called beer in Scotland, as well a some grasses (seed) that would help nourish the cattle. Some grass seeds were also used for medicinal purposes and nettle would have been included (nettle grows in the NZ scrub and bushlands to this day). {* Curiously on a visit to Iceland the author noticed Iceland has a tree that is the same as the NZ Beech tree that grows in the colder mountain and alpine regions of NZ. Differences being only the size. Leaves on the trees in Iceland are larger, though exactly the same in pattern and form. Obviously due to the need to catch more sunlight. The height of the tree is significantly smaller in Iceland. The bark, trunk growth patterns, texture and colour are identical.)

 The   first   settlement   suffered   immensely from incessant rains and was ultimately abandoned for better conditions further north. But it was a long time before communication between the two separate groups was achieved as the lack of tools meant conditions and any seacraft were very primitive until the opportunity for trade occurred – which it did with other voyagers (Portuguese?) .

So began possibly the first European  settlement of  NZ . Genetic traces of these Scots folk are still evident in Maori – those of tall stature, red hair and fairer skin, even blue eyes. Often thought to be of modern European  Maori interbreeding. Old Maori well know of this older genetic trait that predates modern European  settlement by many  generations.

As for voyagers across the Indian  Ocean  reaching the shores of NZ? The west coast of NZ is littered with ancient boat timbers. Those of Spanish or Portuguese caravels, possibly even Phonecian and Egyptian  craft and even others. Even helmets, breast plates, and a tamil bell have been found. It appears that these early Scots eventually traded with Portuguese. So what is the honest and real history of our land? We haven’t looked closely or intelligently enough and it seems if it is left to the Government and Official historians we’ll all be left in the dark for ever.

NZ apparently had at least 4 different peoples living  in peace (Waitaha constituent peoples),  until the arrival of the later incoming aggressors and cannibals. Even so after 8 generations the returning ships commanded by captains with Viking names found Taine’s people. They had survived and even prospered . The ships eventually returned to Scotland with some of the young men, descendants of Taine and his exiles. Some returned  to  NZ with wives they had taken in Scotland (dates around 1283-92AD). Some remained in Scotland with the written records. These records still exist and were carefully preserved. (Due to folk passing on and lack of contact with descendants,  the elderly  lady  who has  since died, lost knowledge of who has or where the documents ended up.) The incoming aggressors and cannibals seem to have eventually succeeded in driving just about all larger forms of life on the islands to extinction. Birds such as the Moa and Huia and even the four varieties of the original human inhabitants in a combination of cannibalism, enslavement and interbreeding / rapine. Will Maoritanga be considered such a benign institution and worthy social form when the time comes to reveal the the truths? The time grows near. (More recently it has been exposed through DNA tests that some pre-Maori tribes have European and even Persian DNA as part of their pre-Maori DNA structure – refer to the Monica Matamua history, now published in a book, ‘Forbidden History ‘, by author John Aldworth, as well as in the E-­local online magazine published in NZ. Stories are emerging about links via Easter Island (Rapanui) and to the South American Chakapoya peoples and links from South America to the North African ‘Celtic and Phoenecian/Egyptian  peoples  – those  who were fair skinned and russet/red haired. Just as history here in NZ has been ‘faked‘ so too in Europe, North Africa and Egypt and the Middle East. This ‘revision of truth’ has happened ever since ROME and the Roman Church gained supremacy.)

 

Remains of 12th Century NZ Scottish/Celtic Homestead

A modern native NZ Scottish/Celt surveys the ruins. Drystone walls have been pushed out and over. The typical hearthstone , the rock for the family’s patron saint, the rock on which the dwellings protective God would have sat, and others are all still in traditional and recogniseable positions . Other such remains abound. This site is now difficult to reach by sea and little known. The original boat access is much changed and boat access is best achieved from an adjacent bay. It is also in the vicinity of a town, possibly of underground Scara­-brae style dwellings, ancient Scottish/Celtic graves and sites of  genocide  and  other atrocities.

Town of typical Scara-Brae dwellings, but in NZ

Houses were constructed from stone walls and stone roofs. Over these an overburden of rock, soil and grass was placed . This provided protection from the weather, grazing for stock, and camouflage from the cannibals  that grew to power at a much later stage after establishment of the community.

According to one source, this is possibly a site where some of Taine’s descendants may have lived before being enslaved and devoured by cannibals. Atrocities perpetrated at this site seem to have included the stealing of women. Insight at one grave (pit) indicated small children between the ages of 2 and 6 or so had been buried alive. Children were known to be a delicacy and it is conjectured they may have been deliberately hidden within stone beehive huts that subsequently collapsed and no survivors left to free them. It appears possible their  mothers  were  taken,  their  fathers and brothers probably killed, and eaten. It has been recorded that the perpetrators of such atrocities often staked women to the ground through their feet so they could not run away. They were then apparently forced to watch horrific cannibal feasting on their kin (usually while the person being eaten was still alive – the more usual situation while pieces were cut off and then cooked or consumed raw) while being subjected to repeated rape. May God have mercy on all their souls, perpetrator and victim alike, and may we thank God that such times in this country have long since passed. (When one actually considers how long ago, it is only since the mid 1800’s that cannibalism really ceased.(Cannibalism was known to have continued into the 1860s and was not restricted to ritual practice. Stories and writings abound that it was a breakfast, lunch and dinner habit.) Some quarters consider generational curses associated with human consumption are not cleared until the 7th generation later. So from some perspectives many people in NZ society descended from folk who indulged in cannibalism, possibly still suffer from such curses).

Activities such as the above are not unique to Maoris. It should be pointed out that atrocities of similar kind were also recorded as having been perpetrated by Celts during invasions of other lands such as Asia Minor (now Turkey) . Head hunting of opponents and cannibalism of young children etc having been mentioned by classical historians. There remains archaeological evidence of such and we have much to be pleased about that these things are reviled today. It is also an activity that was once reported to be widespread in the Pacific. We cannot conceal such did occur, there and here in NZ.

Should descendants of the perpetrators of such heinous crimes as mentioned above, have been displaced from lands acquired by such barbaric methods? Should such people cry foul over land they “sold” to European settlers, or perhaps had confiscated, yet suffered little more than a perceived loss of dignity and access to land they never husbanded or owned? What recompense for their victims? The people removed by murder, rapine and desolation of the worst kind? Dubious land claims recognised by the Waitangi Tribunal have not addressed the situation that will arise when descendants of the early Scottish and pre-Maori settlers make their legitimate claims as the original indigenous population. Their documented history of possession starting in the 11th Century when the land had NO inhabitants (or few other isolated inhabitants) will be revealed! Similar claims could no doubt be made against Maori by descendants of Waitaha, Moriori, by Portuguese settlers, even by the Patu-paiarehe or Turehu if any still remain alive (and they do).

 How far back do we go to make restitutions? Is the Waitangi tribunal acting out of fairness or has it become rampant revenge on the part of some Maori? Or a means to entrench a Maori aristocracy to overlord it’s graft and corruption into a society already labouring under other inequities? Not all the inhabitants of the lands we   know as New Zealand were even given the oportunity to view, negotiate or sign the Treaty. Where are the Moriori, Turehu, Patupaiarehe and Waitaha signatories? Unfortunately utu begets utu and ultimately all Maori may lose face and mana as more damming reasons for revenge are found on behalf of the earlier Celtic settlers. Forgiveness is much more appropriate, but some Maori entities, fully aware of the past are seriously endeavouring to destroy all evidence in artifact, land and access, that could re-establish common knowledge of the earlier groups of ‘indigenous’ peoples – the real Tangata Whenua!. It is interesting to learn that the term Maori only gained recognition during the 1800’s and that prior to the expansion of European settlement, the term Tangata Whenua was used by Maori to refer to peoples here before  they arrived!

There is much to be resolved, and much much more to be uncovered in New Zealand. Government agencies and Maori alike may think they have gained control but God has ways and means of correcting injustices. Patience, though it wears thin, has it rewards. To lost souls the wait may seem to take forever, but they are always soothed and welcomed by God when redeemed by love and blessings and kinfolk with forgiveness and reconciliation on their hearts, in Jesus name. God is the Judge and His judgement is final. Who will suffer most from loss of mana in this world when the truth is revealed? If the truth is handled openly the past can be let go through understanding and forgiveness.

We can add much in general has been exposed in NZ since this article was first penned by writing down the oral story given by ‘Annie’ a Scottish lady who came to NZ to trace her history. She was deterred from following through and possibly ‘rocking the boat’, by her husband and her brother who married a Maori. It was not until her latter years, and too late, that this history ever made it into the public arena. Even then she was circumspect as, as she put it, ‘Royalty was involved’ and she gave the inference that if the full story was to be released, it would have to be with royal consent. Which royals, the Scottish, the English, Irish? There were certainly Irish kings with the title or name Ruaridh Mhor – which makes us wonder if the story as told by Annie is slightly out with her dates as the Irish names seem to be from slightly earlier. The Scots of Dalriada, settlements in Argyll, Dunadd and so on show almost a continuous link and exchange of people and culture between Ireland and what is known as Scotland today. Somehow the Picts fit into this as well.There are standing stones all over New Zealand, many deliberately or ignorantly destroyed (moreso deliberately today). This is a continuing story which grows in breadth and involvement almost day by day. Our history is not as we have been taught by the ‘Roman’ system that has obscured truth throughout the world. Boudicca ‘s (Boadicea) (and the Druid’s) war cry against the Romans, ‘TRUTH AGAINST THE WORLD’, when the world system was Roman, is just as relevant now as ever, for the lies of the Roman psyche pervade everywhere. We are ruled by the same system.