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Hepanaia wurde zwar bald abgekühlt, als er das Fort Sentry-Hill belagerte und von den Europäern
vernichtend geschlagen wurde. Aber Patara und insbesondere Keriopa [sic] schwelgten in
Blutorgien. (150)
One such incident which proved both disturbing and relevant for German-speaking visitors to the
country was the murder of Rev. Völkner in Opotiki by Kereopa, the “Eye-swallower” or “Eye-
eater”. 263 Völkner, who was well-respected “wegen seiner Güte und Gerechtigkeit” (150), was
hanged and later decapitated following his return from Auckland after Kereopa convinced the
missionary’s followers that he was betraying them to the military:
Der Leichnam wurde wieder herabgelassen und in die Kirche geschleift. Hier hieb ihm Keriopa
[sic] den Kopf ab und befahl den Hauhau, das Blut zu trinken, auf daß sie fest im Glauben würden.
Keriopa [sic] selbst stach Völkner mit einem Instrument aus Nephrit die Augen aus und
verschluckte sie. Die Maori tranken, wie ihnen geheißen, das Blut und bemalten sich damit das
Gesicht. (151)
Thus, Reischek’s version of New Zealand history illustrates where his sympathies truly lay and
how he viewed himself in light of his actions, as there can be no denying his sincerity when it
came time to leave these people who had left a lasting impression on him: “Schwer war es mir,
als ich von diesem so hochinteressanten Volke, das ich lieb gewonnen hatte, scheiden musste, bei
dem ich mir viele treue Freunde erworben hatte und dem ich immer die beste Erinnerung
bewahren werde.” 264
Conclusion
No matter how excessive Reischek’s shooting of rare birds and how underhanded and deceitful
his collecting habits of sacred Maori objects may seem to today’s reader, it is important to look
beyond the bare facts as they appear in Sterbende Welt. In this work there is often a fine line
between reality and Romanticism when it comes to the description of many aspects of the
narrative, especially in view of Reischek junior’s penchant for bending the truth and creating a
mythic image around his father, leading to many more inaccuracies and exaggerations than
appear in Reischek senior’s own sometimes embellished unpublished manuscript, in addition to
his many papers and articles that were published over a period of two decades. What is clear in
the majority of Reischek’s own writings, particularly his ornithological contributions, is that,
while he also noted such common themes as the universal hospitality and generosity of New
263
Cowan, NZ Wars, I:357, II:18; Steven Oliver, “Te Rau, Kereopa ? – 1872: Ngati Rangiwewehi warrior, Pai Marire
leader” in: DNZB 1, 503f.
264
Reischek, “Ueber Neu-Seeland und seine Bewohner”, 99.
288