Te Toa Takitini 11

 

Te Toa Takitini 11

 

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Te Toa Takitini

(Which grew out of Te Kopara)

Te Kopara followed Te Pipiwharauroa.

Te Pipiwharauroa followed He Kupu Whakamarama

which began in 1898.

 

Registered at the GPO as a Newspaper.

 

(Maori Version at PapersPast.)

 

Number 11, Hastings, June 1, 1922.

 

‘NAME THIS CHILD.’

 

Our child has been crawling around for almost one year. Some of his Godparents gave him the name Te Toa Takitini. Some of his chiefs object to that name because it is thought to be rather narrowly associated with Hawkes Bay only.

 

You child asks you to send in your suggested names for your pet and says that he will fly without charge for five years to the person who finds a name for him. The decision on the name will be put to the vote. In the July edition the suggested names will be published and subscribers can then vote. Suggested names should be sent it by 20th June.

 

These are some of the names we’ve received.

 

‘My suggested name is Maui Tikitiki-a-Taranga. He was the man who fished up this country and therefore has a connection with all parts and all people.’ – From Raniera Pewhairangi, Hikuwai, Tokomaru Bay.

 

     

‘I am very pleased indeed with the discussions and explanations around the possible baptism and giving of a new name to our paper. But, as I understand it, I have seen nothing wrong with the statements that it is appropriate to give the paper a new name now. And so, let us seek a name that the whole country can relate to.

 

In the time before there was inter-tribal fighting, if a hapu lacked food it would send to another hapu. The messenger in those days was known as “He Aorere Tuku Mai”. Therefore I think this is an appropriate name for our paper. This name relates to the whole Maori People.’ – From Tamarehe Waewae, Ruatoki.

 

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‘My name for the paper is Tanenui-a-rangi, the son of Rangi and Papa. He is the person who brought humanity into the world.’ – From Kipa Anaru, Tangoio.

 

‘I have seen your discussion about giving Te Toa Takitini a new name.  You ask, what name? My answer is that three birds sing over Aotearoa and Te Waipounamu. Heremaia Tamaihotua explained this in his writing. The Fern Bird [Matuhi] appears everywhere. [Mutu tonu o a raua.]  The Shining Cuckoo’s [Wharauroa] habit is also to travel everywhere. He it was who proclaimed the coming of God to the capital of this country.

 

What we are occupied with this year is people’s salvation. This gives you the name you are asking for. The song of the Shining Cuckoo is, “Whiti ora! Whitiwhiti ora!” “Let salvation shine! Let salvation shine forth.” It is for you to choose. To my way of thinking this is a good name and it applies to the separate Maori People. If the paper has room I will send you the story of the three birds. But I finish here. Greetings.’ – From your mother, Niniwa I te Rangi, 200 Onepu Road, Lyall Bay, Wellington.

 

p.s. I have written at length but what I wrote has not been published. It was about Wiremu Ratana. As to the cost of the paper I have this to say, I will pay a pound a year but some people will not want to. Pakeha regard their papers as a great treasure.

 

[Greetings, Kui. Do send the story of the birds so that the country can read it. Our wish, that of the young people, is to hear your voices, those of the remaining elders, those who link the old world and the new world. We are very grateful to you, Kui, for the help you give our paper. – The Editor.]

 

‘All the people at the Waitangi Hui asked that the name of Te Toa Takitini be changed to “Te Tiriti o Waitangi” “The Treaty of Waitangi”, to remind us of the Treaty. This is a cause which will bring all the tribes to support the paper.’ – From Paratene Ngata, Waiomatatini.

 

‘I don’t think there is a better name than “Toa Takitini”. It makes it clear that with the help of many warriors the paper will prosper. – From Rotia Hone, Omahu.

 

Send other suggestions for a good name. Make sure they arrive before 20th June so that they can be published in the July paper.

 

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MEMORIAL TO TE PAEA KINGI.

 

By Rev Kenana Pahewa.

 

On 18th May the memorial stone to Te Paea Kingi of Torere, the youngest child of Wiremu Kingi, was unveiled. Many tribes from all parts came on that day though most were from Te Arawa. Taupopoki, Te Kiwi Amohau, Te Keepa, Te Wheoro, and others, along with their ministers, Te Waaka and Paora Temuera, attended. Also present were Henare Piahana, the lay-reader from Tauranga, the Ngaitai Choir, and Hoera Katipo, the Ngaitai elder.

 

This woman stood out among her fellow-leaders for her commitment to promoting the faith of her parents, the Church of England. She held faithfully to the final words of her father, Wiremu Kingi, who said, ‘Be loyal to the government and hold fast to the faith.’ Because her father was so committed to embracing the law of God and the law of men, when she was near death she said to her relations, ‘I give my house at Torere to the Church to serve as a minister’s house for the Parish of Opotiki for ever.’

 

People were delighted at the singing of the Ngaitai Choir and at the absence of drunkenness or disorder on the marae.

 

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RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES AS SOMETHING WE MAORI CAN LAY HOLD OF.

 

Discussions on recreational activities began with Rugby. An important meeting was held at Levin, Horowhenua, between Mr Slade, Mr Dean, Mr Howe, some of the officials of the ‘New Zealand Rugby Union’, on the one side, and Parata (Rotorua), Takarangi, Pita Makitonore (Wanganui), Wehipeihana (Foxton),  Pewana, M Winiata (Horowhenua), T W Parata (Waikanae), W H Nikera and P H Tomoana (Hawkes Bay). The object of the meeting was to find ways of furthering the growth of rugby. It was observed that one thing that achieved this was arranging for teams to travel overseas. The visit of the Maori team to New South Wales was strongly supported.

 

There were 24 in the party. The organiser was Parata from Rotorua. A contribution to the costs was the remaining money from the ‘Pioneers’ - £70. The members of the Union expressed their gratitude to Parata and his Maori friends for their loyalty to rugby. There was praise for the great improvement in play following the introduction of new rules. Pleasure was expressed at the setting up of a Union within Ngati Porou. This area has separated from Gisborne. At last we will be able to see the strength of that area. Previously it was overshadowed by Gisborne.

 

These are the players chosen for the overseas trip: J Blake (HB), S Gemmell (HB),  Akuira (HB), Matiu (Wairoa), J Mills (Tolaga Bay), Phillips (Marlborough), Barclay (Dannevirke), (Wi Hapi (BP), Tate (Thames), Peina (Wanganui), Potaka (Rangitikei), Tapsell (BP), N Stead (Southland), Trezis (Auckland (Auckland), Kororiko (BP),  R Edwards (Rotorua), M Love (Wellington), Jacobs (Horowhenua), Broughton (Horowhenua), P Taiapa (Ngati Porou),  Tangitu (Tauranga), Bannister (Southland), Garlick (Opotiki), T Bevan (Horowhenua). Nepia and J Smith are being assessed. These are the fixtures: They assemble in Napier at the beginning of June. On 10th June they play Hawkes Bay at Napier. On Wednesday they play against Wellington. The following day they sail to Australia, arriving on 19th. On 24th they play New South Wales; on 28th, Metropolitan; on 1st July, New South Wales; on 5th, Metropolitan; on 8th, New South Wales; on 12th, New South Wales are to [whakatite ?whakarite - arrange] the game. On 13th they set out for home arriving in Auckland on 17th. On 18th they travel to Whangarei.

 

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THE TREATY OF WAITANGI

 

A T Ngata BA, LLB.

 

Article the Second

 

[This translation by M R Jones is reproduced, with minor alterations, from The Treaty of Waitangi, An Explanation, by the Hon Sir Apirana Ngata MA, LlB, LitD, first published in 1922 for The Maori Purposes Fund Board. – Barry Olsen]

 

This is the second article of the Treaty of Waitangi.

 

The Second:

‘The Queen of England confirms and guarantees to the Chiefs and Tribes and to all the people of New Zealand the full possession of their lands, their homes and all their possessions, but the chiefs assembled and all othr shiefs yield to the Queen the right to alienate such lands which the owners desire to dispose of at a price agreed upon between the owners and person or persons appointed by the Queen to purchase on her behalf.’

 

I said at the beginning of my explanation that the Maori version was not a good translation of the English terms in the Treaty. There were small parts left out. Young students among you can see for yourselves the English version of the second article of the Treaty as follows:

 

‘Article the Second’

 

‘Her Majesty the Queen of England confirms and guarantees to the Chiefs and Tribes of New Zealand, and to the respective families and individuals thereof, the full, exclusive, and undisturbed possession of their Lands and Estates, Forests, Fisheries, and other properties which they m,ay collectively or individually possess, so long as it is their wish and desire to retain the same in their possession; but the Chiefs of the United Tribes and the Individual Chiefs yield to Her Majesty the exclusive right of Pre-emption over such lands as the proprietors thereof may be disposed to alienate, at such prices as may be agreed upon between the respective Proprietors and persons appointed by Her Majesty to treat with them in that behalf.’

 

Now it will be seen that there are several words in the English version which were not adequately rendered into the Maori language. This is my translation:

‘Ko te Kuini o Ingarangi ka whakapumau, ka whakaoati kia whakatuturutia ki nga Rangatira, ki nga Hapu o Nui Tireni, a ki ia whanau, ki ia tangata ranei o ratou, te mana te rangatiratanga o o ratou whenua, o o

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ratou ngahere, o o ratou taunga-ika, o era atu taonga ranei a ratou, a ia tangata ranei o ratou mo te wa e hiahia ai ratou ki te pupuri i aua mea : Otiia e whakaae ana nga Rangatira o te Whakaminenga, me era atu rangatira katoa ki te tuku atu ki te Kuini i te mana motuhake ki te hoko i nga wahi whenua e hiahiatia ana e nga tangata no ratou aua whenua kia hokona, mo nga utu e whakaritea i waenganui i nga tangata no ratou aua whenua me nga tangata e whakaritea e te Kuini hei kai hoko mana.’

This is the Article from which stem the matters which are discussed throughout the maraes in regard to the Treaty of Waitangi. When a bad law is made it is said to contravene the Treaty of Waitangi. The Government confiscates the land, it is said that this is wrong because it contravenes the guarantee of the Queen under this article of the Treaty. This has given rise to wishful thinking on the part of many Maori groups, for the formation of Absolute Maori Authorities [mana motuhake], variously called Kotahitanga(Unite Group), Kauhanganui (Open Forum), Maori Parliament or other designations. All this wishful thinking goes back to this article in the Treaty. Indeed these ideas were due to confusion as the authority of the Maori was set aside for ever by the first article of the Treaty.

What is this authority, this sovereignty that is referred to in the second article? It is quite clear, the right of a Maori to his land, to his property, to his individual right to his possessions whereby he could declare, ‘This is my land, there are the boundaries, descended from my ancestor so and so, or conquered by him, or as the first occupier, or so and so gave it to him, or it had been occupied by his descendants down to me. These properties are mine, this canoe, that taiaha (combination spear and club), that greenstone patu (club), that kumara (sweet potato) pit, that cultivation. These things are mine and do not belong to anyone else.’

At the time of the Treaty both islands were widely inhabited by Maori tribes. They had partitioned all the land and had named all the parts. At the time of the Treaty the chiefs and tribes were disputing among themselves the titles and the boundaries between their lands. They fought with guns and with patu (clubs), to take by conquest the lands of the others, or to bar the way of others intent on conquest.

The Queen did not do anything to take away the rights of the Maori over his lands, instead she made the ownership permanent and truly established. This is the reason, dear old lady, you appear before the Maori Land Court to show your rights, whether of land not yet clothed with title, or by long occupation, when you related the trails, the fern root hills, the tawhara (young shoots of kiekie) swamps or other token and relics of your ancestors.

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There are two main provisions in this article of the Treaty, they are:

(1) The permanent establishment to the Maori of title to his land and his property.

(2) The giving of the right to the Queen to acquire Maori land.

I shall first explain the provision affecting Maori land. You are all aware of our rights to land. It is not just now that disputes have arisen between Maori and Maori over land. ‘Is it mine or is it yours?’ and claims would go back to the realms of darkness and to ancient ancestral rights.

This is what Sir William Martin, Chief Judge of the Supreme Court, said some time ago in regard to the rights over Maori land:

‘From what I have seen the rights of the Maori affected the whole face of the land, there is not a part unaffected by the claims of the Maori people except those parts which have been sold by them. I have never seen or heard of any part which is not affected by the claims of the Maori people. There have been many disputes among themselves as to their rights, but no one would be mistaken that the matter under dispute would be in regard to land.’

Now having established under this article of the Treaty the rights of the Maori, the law poses a question to the Maori, ‘Now to whom does this land belong?’ The reply would be noisy, there would be calls from this one, calls from that one. Blood would be spilt, that was Waitara, the repercussions spread to Waikato, and the fire spread to the far ends of Aotearoa (North Island). The chiefs arose and began selling the lands, whether it was their own or someone else’s. This was selling without proper title, the Court had not enquired into the ownership of the land that had been sold. There was Heretaunga (Hawkes Bay), Wairarapa, Otaki and many other lands sold before the Maori Land Court sat in any part of these islands. Owing to the many problems which arose it was considered necessary to appoint an authoritative body to enquire and to decide the rights of Maori claimants to their lands. Parliament then enacted the Maori Land Act of the year 1862. This is what was stated by Section 5 of that Act:

‘The Governor shall have the right from time to time to set up a court to enquire and to decide who are the Maori people entitled under Maori custom to the Maori lands,

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to apportion their interest in such land, and issue certificates of Title to them for such lands.’

This was the beginning of the Maori Land Court as it is today. [When it has adjudicated upon lands not clothed with title, and has completed its task, it has carried] out the provisions of the second article of the Treaty if Waitangi, which established to us our Maori right to our lands.

The part that is not clear of this portion of the second article to the Treaty is in regard to fishing grounds. This part should include the lakes, mud flats, pipi (cockle) beds and oyster rocks. As to fishing grounds they are out in the open sea or at the mouths of rivers. Parliament and the Courts have been side stepping these matters. In some cases the Courts have given judgement, that is, in regard to oyster rocks and the Maori people have been judged to be in the wrong. The case for the fresh water lakes is at present being considered. I shall hold up my explanations of these matters until the third article of the Treaty.

In regard to that part of the Treaty affecting the acquisition by the Queen, its main purpose is to confine to the Crown only the right to acquire Maori lands subject to the price being properly arranged between the Maori owners of the land and the Crown Purchase Officer. This has been a matter which successive Governments have greatly disputed in the past an up to the present. [When a] Government is elected it is mooted that purchases of Maori land should be curtailed, and for all purchases to be confined to the Crown. Another Government is elected and it is mooted that purchases of Maori land should be permitted to enable any Europeans or anybody else to purchase. This was the law from 1862 down to 1892. In the year 1892 acquisitions were confine to the Crown only. When the Government wanted to acquire a block of land, a prohibition was placed on the land, it was gazetted in the same way as is being done by the present Government. In the year 1900 there was complete prohibition of purchases by the Crown. In the year 1905 purchases by the Crown began again in various parts of the island and in 1909 purchases by the Crown and Europeans greatly increased. In the year 1913 the present Government enacted the present law which now directs sales to the Crown and confines the sales of land to the Crown only. This takes it back to the position in the year 1892. That was [what was laid down in] the Treaty of Waitangi.

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We object to such purchases as it restricts the Maori owner to the low price offered by the Crown, and it also restricts the land owner in doing what he wishes to do with his land, as he has to wait for very long periods until the Crown has fully bought up the interests of all the willing sellers before it applied for partition of the interests it had acquired. The objections to these oppressive measures are fully justified, but the blame cannot be placed on the Treaty of Waitangi which laid down this basis.

These, dear old lady, are the main features of this part of the Treaty of Waitangi setting forth the conditions affecting these islands, the Maori Land Court and its activities, the purchases by the Crown which are biting into the land.

These are the words of Hopera Panakareao, a Chief of the Rarawa when a copy of the Treaty reached Kaitaia for Te Rarawa and Aupouri Tribes to sign:

‘It is the shadow of the land which has been given to the Queen while the soil remains.’

These are very wise words, a old time saying. The saying of this elderly chief has combined the words of the first article with those of the second article of the Treaty. It is the shadow, that is, the main authority covering the land; it is the power to make laws, the power to say this group shall adjudicate, that authority should see that the purchase is right, while that one leads the individual through the many intricacies of the law, that was the shadow ceded to the Queen by the first article of the Treaty. As for the soil, it is yours, it is mine inherited from our ancestors. It was the second article which firmly established this to to the Maori people.

(To be continued.)

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THE LOVE OF RANGI-NUI FOR PAPATUANUKU.

For the month of June, that is the first of Pipiri, the first lunar month of the Maori year, 1922.

Matariki, the Pleiades, is the constellation of the old year, which leads in Puangarua, Rigel, the star of the new year. Matariki Fthen spends seven nights at Papa-whakatangitangi then moves on to [Tītore-] Māhu-Tū. This brings it to the nights of Tangaroa when it emerges from the tail of Te Mangōroa (the Milky Way). From 1st to 16th observe where Matariki is for this indicates what the coming autumn harvest will be like. [Rigel], the star of the north, [a sign of a good year], becomes clearly visible. This is the time of the separation of the years and it is appropriate that we reinstate the Feast of the parting of the years on the 17th. Rigel, the star of the New Year also appears.

The predictions for the month of the good and bad times during these 30 days.

New Moon                3.5.40 a.m.  Rain until the 10th day.

Full Moon                  10.2.28 a.m. Storms and snow until the 17th day.

Third Quarter           17.11.33 p.m.  Bad weather until the 25th day.

Fourth Quarter         25.3.50 p.m.  Good weather until 2nd July.

[For the dates of the days of the Maori Calendar see Te Toa Takitini 9 and 10 and the letter from Elsdon Best in this issue.]

1  Thursday  Tamatea Ngana  The sea currents are strong.

2 Friday   Tamatea Kai Ariki  A fine day.

3  Saturday  Huna  Food is difficult to find.

4  Sunday Ariroa   A good day for spearing eels.

5  Monday  Maure  Good weather all day.

6  Tuesday  Mawharu  Gather crayfish until nightfall.

7  Wednesday  Ohua  A very good day for working.

8  Thursday  Hotu  A bad day with rough seas.

9  Friday  Atua  An inauspicious day.

10  Saturday  Turu  The moon shines on the water. Work at gathering seafood.

11  Sunday  Rakau-nui  The moon is full. . Gather seafood.

12  Monday  Rakau-ma-tohi  A good day. The moon is waning.

13  Tuesday  Takirau  Godd from morning until noon.

14  Wednesday  Oike  Good weather for work from noon until sunset.

15  Thursday  Korekore-Hahani  A pleasant day.

16  Friday  Korekore-piri-ki-Tangaroa  Good from noon until sunset.

17  Saturday  Tangaroa-a-mua   A good day for fishing.

18  Sunday  Tangaroa-a-roto  A good day for fishing with lines.

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19  Monday  Tangaroa-kiokio  A very good day when the fog lies inland.

20  Tuesday  Otane  A night for eels.

21  Wednesday  Orongonui  A good day.

22 Thursday  Mauri  Good weather from morning until noon, then it becomes overcast.

23  Friday  Omutu  A bad day.

24  Saturday  Mutuwhenua  A very bad day. The moon has disappeared.

25  Sunday  Whiro A bad day. The moon is reappearing.

26  Monday  Tirea  A little bit of the moon appears as it rises.

27  Tuesday  Hoata  A fine day. The moon has been a little more visible.

28  Wednesday  Ouenuku  Get people to work. A night for eels.

29  Thursday  Okoro  This is a night for eels.  Fine from noon until sunset.

30  Friday  Tamatea Nana  These are cold days. There is a heavy swell at sea.

THE ASSEMBLY OF PUANGARUA [RIGEL] WITHIN THE CONSTELLATION OF TAUTORU [ORION’S BELT]. The Parting of the Years.

This brings us to the parting with the old year according to Maori accounts as passed down in accounts of the things the mind and the thoughtful heart may look forward to, and there will be praise to the Creator for all the blessings he has given us. Even in the midst of the weeds, of the crawling things, of the things of the world of darkness, of the world of deep gloom, of the world of people, we have footprints for the wise to follow. They take the form of proverbs for their descendants to follow in these days, like those of the ancestors which are similar to some of theirs. This is the first month of the Maori year! But what we have instead are words of warning to people. ‘The grey warbler has sung.’ [cf Nga Pepeha 880] ‘The ants have gathered in their provisions!’ [cf Nga Pepeha 2024] This is winter! Everything is frozen. But despite these appearances, this star Matariki is wrongly spoken of as ‘Matariki without a home’ when it is living in Papa-whakatangitangi for seven nights and will go to Titore-Maahu-tu for another seven nights. Note this, my friends! If the Constellation of Matariki is with others or stands apart this tells us if the coming year will be good or bad. Let us give thank-offerings to the Creator for his blessings in past days, and let us offer our bodies to him for the days to come. When this has arrived then people will be conserved.

P[araire] H T[omoana]

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TAUMARUNUI’S ANZAC DAY

(The Warriors of the War.)

My strength is not that of a single warrior but that of many warriors. [cf Nga Pepeha 93] Therefore, you many marae, you warrior descendants of the ancestors gathered in the afterlife, you fighters in the great world war, whether you have fallen or are of the remnant who have returned home, you have the re-shaping of the world, you have the voice, you have the great honour of making a sacrifice for the people and an offering to God. Therefore it is right that we salute you at this time. Greetings! Greetings! Greetings! I am here to give voice to the many words left by your parents, by your ancestors, wherever they lived in this country, words flung to the Tai Rawhiti [East Coast] by the voice that called out in your days, ‘Uphold what is right, show kindness to the small nations, let your word by sacred even though it is not written on parchment, since it is carried in a noble heart.’

My individual warriors, I point out to you the great blessings that have come to you even though some of you have fallen on the marae of war. Now you have come here, some of you have already been here with your father, Henare Te Wepiha Te Wainohu, but all of you are aware of these words and deeds. You have also seen the tears shed at the unveiling of the Memorial Stone to you that has been set up in the Taumarunui Valley. Although it was the Pakeha side that made much of remembering, your own newspaper, Te Toa Takitini, praised Ngati Haua and all its branches in the West, the East, the South and the North, for the observation on that day which sounded like the hawk in the ear and which was taken by the many languages of the Pakeha to the four corners of the whole world. On ANZAC Day,  Major-General Sir Andrew Russell KCB, KCMG, went to unveil that stone memorial to the soldiers who fell at Anzac Cove, Turkey, on 25th April, 1915 and the young men who fell in the war. It is said that one of the most wonderful things which was greatly appreciated was the coming of the blind Te Whiutahi and one of his grandchildren who wept, presented a cloak and a taiaha, and led the [maemae] and the laments and the chiefly

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rituals devised by Maori for such observances. Therefore it is appropriate to salute him and say, ‘Koro, greetings to you and all your hapu! Yours is the harvest, the harvest of ages!’ It says in the Proverbs of Solomon, ‘A good name is better than silver and gold.’ [22.1] The final words of that elder as he presented the gifts were these: ‘When the time comes that you have no food and you remember these gifts, return them to me and I will give you the amount at which you value these gifts, no matter how much it is. My lot is to hope. You have eyes to see and to understand.’ These very deep words, people, came from a heart that felt deeply for you who have been robbed by the weapon’s edge. While we salute you in these days our desire is that you set up to the four winds such sad thoughts which will be a pledge to those who have gone before, and we express the hope that we will come together in strength as Many Warriors and achieve things which will be a gift to the people and will honour our Creator.

ABOUT THE MAORI CALENDAR.

To the Compiler of the Calendar in Te Toa Takitini.

My friend, greetings. My affectionate greetings to you who are following in the footsteps of the elders, in the paths of Nehe and the others. I can see that you are the astronomer of 'Te Toa Takitini' newspaper and you have the knowledge of the heavens, the gift of the ancestors of another time. The School of Taininihi has almost disappeared since the paths taken by the elders when they lived in this world were [urumaotatoa sic ?urimaotatia – ? deep green.]

As I see it, Haratua¹ begins on the 28th night of April and the Tahi o Pipiri² begins on the 27th May. Am I right?  But at what time of the month is Matariki³ first seen before dawn? Perhaps around the middle of May. Now, if Matariki is seen, perhaps we should be waiting for the appearing of the new moon, that is, Te Whiro, then the Tahi o Pipiri begins.

My friend, one thing is not clear to me and that is the divisions of the lunar months of Maukahau, Tararauatea, Papawhakatangitangi, and Titore-mahutu.

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Are these names you are familiar with? How did the elders explain these names? Now, as I understand it, when the festival of the first-fruits of the year was held, all the major stars were named in the following incantation:

‘Sacred Matariki, ascending the heavens, for a long time being fed [ki te mata o te tau].’

It goes on in similar fashion using the names of all those stars.

Some tribes have different months of the lunar year. Here is one list: Aonui, Te Ahoturuturu, Te Iho-matua, Tapere-wai, Tatau-urutahi, Tatau-uruora, Akaakanui, Ahuahu-mataara, Te Iho-nui, Putoki-nui-o-tau, Tikaka-muturangi, and Uruwhenua. Akaakanui is perhaps December. I have received the names of the nights of the month used in the islands of Hawaiki. They are very similar. Those names are those used by Maori people here.

But I will be boring you with my wandering thoughts which I have spread over the paper. But here is a scrap from this mischievous schoolboy.

Enough from this survivor,

Elsdon Best

Dominion Museum, Wellington, 16/5/22

¹ Twelfth month of the Maori year.

² First month of the Maori year.

³ The Pleiades

 The moon on the first day.

[Greetings, Peehi, the elder who has bitten the crossbeam of Wisdom, who has chewed on the meat of the voices of the elders who have passed on. Although the Great Forest of Tane is empty, here you are singing with their voices the songs they taught their pet [koko]:

Uia te manuhiri me ko waai ? Te kuti, te wera, te haua ko Apanui! Tou Apiapi! Tou Apiapi! Keehu! Keehu Haramai te ko! ki! ko ! ka ! Ko Huri-tua-moana ! Teo! Teo!

Therefore I salute you, although I am the recipient of your affectionate greeting. It is right to wake the pa when the heart of the Aitanga-a-Tiki lies here. The great trees of the forest have fallen! The deep pools have dried up! New trees have grown! The lakes have become forests. Therefore it is right to ask the question, ‘What can we take up for the days to come?’ In the New World we have Hope, Faith and Love, these three, and the greatest of these is Love.]

P[araire] H T[omoana]

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THE MEETING OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO GATHERED FOR TENNIS AT PUTIKI.

The members who attended were Alex Takarangi (Chairman), Kururangi (Hawera), Te Paa (Taumarunui), Topi Peneti (Taihape), W K Te Awe (Manawatu), Tawhai Eruera (Foxton), Rangipo and Joe Maru (Parewanui), H J Jone (Te Kuiti), Maihi Metekingi and W Emia (Wanganui), Te Katene and P H Tomoana (Hastings). At that meeting it was agreed that the areas for the teams playing for the Maru Maru Cup should be the existing Council areas and that there shall not be more than two teams from each Council. It was also agreed that there be a tournament for the Maru Maru Cup.

It was also agreed that the following be members of the Committee to run the Maori Tennis Association: President: Tuahine Renata (HB), Vice Presidents: Hon Dr Pomare, Hon A T Ngata, Dr Rangihiroa, Dr Wi Repa, Hon H P Topi, H Uru MP, Tau Henare MP, Honorary Secretary and Treasurer: Tukere, Executive Committee: P H Tomoana(HB), Katene Pukerua (HB), H J Jones (Waikato), Tawhai Eruera (Manawatu), Rangipo and H Maru Maru (Parewanui), Kururangi (Taranaki and Bay of Plenty), Emia, P Metekingi, Alex Takarangi, Maihi Metekingi (Wanganui), Topi H Bennet (Taihape).

A motion was passed that the playing tennis be encouraged in all the areas out of a concern to support the work of the Christian Faith and to guide young people to achieve positions which make for fine thoughts and healthy bodies so that they lead the people on the world’s broad roads. At each gathering time is to be set apart to address important matters affecting the Maori People and each area should produce a concise list of things they would like to look at. The idea is that those gatherings will achieve things besides playing tennis. The Association supports Te Toa Takitini as a voice of the Tennis Association.

An explanation of the Maru Maru Cup. The teams consist of two men and two women. The men play singles and pairs as do the women and then mixed doubles. At the tournament the women will also be playing for the Hinerapa Cup which will go to the Champion Woman from the teams competing for the Maru Maru Cup.

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THE TAI RAWHITI CHOIR AND ORCHESTRA.

Tuahine Ranata and her friends were praised for bringing the hymn singers and the orchestra to the Ratana marae. This was a noble idea and it was right to support the many Tai Rawhiti chiefs who attended this important gathering at which metaphorical mountain ranges were crossed on the basis of peace and peace-making. It was not unlike the days of your ancestors when wicked things were swept away. But in these days we have sought spiritual well-being along with physical well-being, so people came without fear from beyond the Ruahine Range having in mind the saying of the Creator uttered by the Spokesman of the new way, ‘You shall have no other gods but me.’ Therefore it was right to praise the many voices of the Tai Rawhiti who combined with the remnant of the valley of the Wairarapa and the grandchildren of those who have passed on, who offered the hymns and other things in the presence of the Spokesman of the New Testament. The most rousing hymn, ‘Onward Christian Soldiers’ [Hoia o te Hahi], was sung by the choirs of the Tai Rawhiti, Ngapuhi, Te Waipounamu, and the local marae. Thank you to all the singers. The Spokesman praised that group.

THANK YOU TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SENT MILK FOR THIS CHILD.

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