Te Toa Takitini 18
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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 Papers Past.)
Number 18, Hastings, January 1, 1923.
A FAREWELL SPEECH.
This is the farewell speech of an elder who has subsequently died. ‘Greetings, my children. The sun has set, my time has come, I have followed the broad path of Tane, I have gone to the world of the spirit where I will see how you welcome my child who has been born at this time. During my time you have not been afflicted by any disaster such as the 1918 flu. Although parts of the world were fighting, I left you, the Maori People, in a good state. The main problem you had was the difficulty in finding money. But that problem did not afflict you. However, for your well-being, learn the value of money and do not waste the gifts given you by God, of which you are stewards. The Lord says, ‘Mine is the silver and mine is the gold’ (Haggai 2.8). Therefore don’t be miserly with God’s gifts. Give him part of your money. Be generous to projects which will benefit the people, physically and spiritually. Have pity on my orphans and my sick and on those who are impoverished at this time.
When I am gone, make every effort to promote projects for your children which will free the Maori People for generations to come. Solomon says, ‘Whatever else you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honour you if you embrace her.’ (Proverbs 4.7)
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David too says, ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.’ (Psalm 111.10) Carefully choose some of the wise Maori children each year to send to the colleges. It is the captains who equip the soldiers. If some of your young people are not sent to get advanced learning the Maori People will continue to be privates.
My children, make every effort to find the way by which your descendants will progress. Where are the young people who will take over from Sir Timi Kara, Sir Maui Pomare, the Hon A T Ngata, Dr Te Rangihiroa and others? I have not seen any replacements for these men in my days. Perhaps we have to wait for my descendants to emerge. If you depend on those with chiefly blood that will be no good if that chief is foolish or stupid. You should be seeking one treasure in the world and that is wisdom based on the Faith. Wisdom without the fear of God is no good.
Therefore embrace the Faith. I heard the words of the Bishop of Waiapu who said that perhaps he would try to get ministers for the Maori People from amongst the Pakeha of England. This is a challenge to you. Do you want to go back to the last century? From the beginning of the Faith it was the practice to fetch Pakeha to teach you how to pray. Now because of a lack of Maori ministers the Bishop is saying this. Where are your children hiding that none can be found to give their bodies to the work of God?
In my time you voted for your members of Parliament. I was deeply saddened by the way one abused another during the election campaign. My children, there’s an end to such fighting now. All of you should make peace. Be good to one another, love one another. There are very few of you. Don’t cherish ill-feeling. Those who were defeated in the voting should be generous to those who won. Those who won should show love to those who lost. You Members who won the Maori seats, commit yourselves to seeking the well-being of the Maori People. Visit your marae frequently
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and tell the people of your hapu of the projects you are working on. Be as hard-working every year as you are in the year of an election.
Here you have my farewell instructions as I join my forebears in the long sleep from which there is no return. Goodbye. Be firm, be strong, and may God help and protect you. Be kind to my child who was born on January 1st.
From your father, in the year 1922.
MINISTER’S STIPEND FUND.
In December, Mere Tupaea, wife of Hori Tupaea, sent £25 to increase the Te Hauke Minister’s Stipend Fund. The Te Hauke Fund is a new Fund. It now stands at £180.
THE STONE CHURCH AT TE PAKIPAKI.
This church is now being built and the Bishop has arrange the opening ceremony for Wednesday, 4th April, the Wednesday of Easter Week.
THE NEW TE AUTE COLLEGE.
It is thought that the permanent building at Te Aute College will be opened during Easter Week. The Governor has agreed to open it if it can be arranged on a day when he is free. The firm date has not yet been fixed. It will be notified in the February edition of the paper. One part is being built now and two more parts will be added later. The cost of this one part is £7,000. Be quick about raising money to build the remaining parts.
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REPORT ON THE DIVISION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.
Dr Te Rangihiroa, MD
The Maori Councils have been under the Maori Department. Under Section 66 of the Health Act, 1920, the running of the Councils was given to the Department of Health. Under this Act all twenty Council areas become districts under the Health Act. The Councils and the Marae Committee have all been Gazetted under this section of the Act. The authority given to the marae to incur debts relating to the remedying and the prevention of infectious diseases is the same as that given to the Pakeha areas. Examples of the by-laws applying to each Council have been Gazetted. Some of those by-laws are perhaps difficult to comply with at present, but those that cannot be complied with today can be fulfilled tomorrow. The important thing is that the Marae Committees find examples that they can follow. The by-laws have been sent to the Councils and the Marae Committees. They have also been sent to the doctors of the Department of Health in each area, as well as to their Inspectors and to the Nurses working with Maori. They wish to have the Pakeha section and the Maori section of the Department of Health following the same procedures, including the Councils and the people in order to complete our work.
Many letters have arrived at this Office asking about things in the Act that are not clear and, since this section of the Department has been set apart to deal with that matter, that is good. Every three months we will receive the accounts from all the Councils and we will then know the financial situations of the Councils, the amount that has been spent and how much remains. The Councils and the people will be familiar with this Department and this Department will know the people. Only one language will be used, the Maori language, therefore there will be no fences separating the people from the Department. The sincere hope is that in this way the Department’s programme will be easily implemented by the Councils together with the people.
The Health of the Maori People.
Maori are far healthier this year than they were last year. Typhoid Fever struck
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Houhoro and Whangaro in the Tai Tokerau district, and Opotiki and Te Kaha in the Tai Rawhiti area, and Poroutawhao and Muhunoa in the Tai Hauauru area. Some of the sick died at Muhuroa because they did not agree to go to hospital before the sickness became serious. Few people died of Typhoid Fever because of the efforts of the Maori Nurses together with the willingness of Maori to go to hospital.
Vaccinations for Typhoid Fever.
I see continually the benefit of vaccinations for Typhoid Fever. When reports come in from the Nurses and the Inspectors I see that the disease is not taking hold so fiercely in areas where people have been injected with the vaccine against Typhoid Fever. At the moment only those places which are experiencing or have experienced it are being given the vaccine because we are unable to give it to all the people. This year the vaccinations have been given to the areas of Levin, from the Manawatu River to Porirua, to the Bay of Plenty, and to the areas of Ngapuhi and Taupo. In areas where Typhoid Fever has a serious hold, many people are carrying the bacillus responsible for the fever, and although efforts have been made to provide clean water and rubbish has been cleared from the villages, it will not be until people have received the vaccine that we will be able to say that there has been a good outcome and there is no need for anxiety. Only in places where some foolish Pakeha say not to take the vaccination, are Maori having difficulties. Most are happy to take the vaccination.
Burials and Hui.
The running of Maori Hui is now excellent. Until recently no-one gave any thought to setting up toilets or a place for disposing of the filth and the rubbish of the hui. Now this is the matter that is seen as most important because these are in the Council by-laws. I was very happy at the time of the Waitangi Hui when more than two thousand Maori were present. The toilets were constructed so that no flies could get in and there were separate toilets for men and women. Many urinals were also built.
(To be continued.)
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A NEW FRENCH LAW.
There is a new law that the world should take account of being processed this month. Since the number of French people is declining because there are fewer children being born, the members of the French Parliament are debating a plan to ensure that French blood will not disappear. On 30th December, a new bill was laid before the Parliament with the following provisions. If people die without leaving any descendants in the world, the government will take most of the interests and possessions of those people, leaving only one tenth to the [uri sic - ? beneficiaries] of those people. The profits from [the sale of] those interests is to be divided among families with more than three children. If a person has one child they will retain two thirds of the property with the rest being left to families with more than three children. If a person leaves two children then one third will be taken by the government and given to increase the income families with more than three children.
(This is a good law. You Maori Members of Parliament should endeavour to bring in the French law as a law for the Maori People also! Then we people who are having offspring to retain Maori blood will have an easier life through laws like those of the French. Hooray! Welcome to the blessings of the new year! Te Toa Takitini is a warrior! – Editor)
THE TE AUTE COLLEGE PAPER.
During November the Te Aute paper was published. The leading colleges have this good practice of printing, from time to time, their college paper to tell of the work the college is doing. It has 24 pages. It will perhaps appear once a year, although nothing has been said about this. There is no information about the price. The articles are all in English only. It would be better if 18 pages were in English and 6 in Maori so that parents could know what is happening at Te Aute.
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NEWS OF THE MARAE ‘CHRISTMASES.’
The Ratana Christmas.
Almost three thousand people attended the Christmas at Ratana. The subject most talked about was the work of Parliament. The running of the marae was excellent as were the efforts of the local people to rapidly prepare that village knowing that a large number of people would come to that gathering. Very few attended from the Tai-rawhiti this year because they could not be spared from the summer work. Many were welcomed to the marae along with representatives from every place.
The Porirua Christmas.
This Christmas the annual hui of the Mormons was arranged for this time because it was easy for the marae as well as for those attending. Besides the business of the annual hui the matters of concern to those outside were : The guests at the hui were Sir Maui and Lady Pomare. He thanked the people for their kindness in electing him again to be their representative in Parliament and asked them not to lay upon his shoulders many burdens to carry to the house. He thanked those who remained loyal. He asked also that the hatchet used during the election campaign be buried in the bowels of the earth. Love for people is the important thing. Make every effort to hold on to the land. Be eager to work. Be grateful for the good fruits of all you do, for the Pakeha is making great progress. Let us do so too. Te Kakakura also laid an important matter before that hui. His family were caught up with a dying speech from one of the elders who said that someone would come in 1920, 21, 22, 0r 23 to guide them. He was anxious as to whether that person had come or not. Another important matter put before the annual meeting was the establishing of a girls’ school in Hastings.
The Waikanae (Gisborne) Christmas.
This is an account of the dinner put on by Lady Kara and Te Matehaere and their brother, and Tama Harapata,
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and their children and grandchildren this year in Hawkes Bay, which was held in Te Huinga-o–te-Aroha at Waikanae. The supporting posts were painted with red ochre, the walls decorated with fragrant hangings –
Ki te hei piripiri, ki te hei mokimoki, ki te hei tawhiri, ko nga hinu whakamaharatanga i whakaranua ki te Katitaramea.
[With] my necklace of scented moss; my necklace of fragrant fern; my necklace of odorous shrubs; my sweet-smelling locket of Taramea. [Colenso – Proverbs, cf Nga Pepeha 2194]
[I can only conjecture that the untranslated phrases below come from the same song as the above saying. I have not located it. – Barry Olsen]
[? takoto tai tamahine ana, te oha o nga tupuna ano ko nga wai o Punarau hiainutia ake e te pinawitanga o te whakaaro i hauku-nui.] It was like the girls gliding around the countryside of Manutuke. The glasses of the Travellers were raised and they sang to the home people in honour of THE NEW-BORN CHILD, and the thirst of the spirit, the mind and the body was satisfied, and it was completed by the saying, ‘We are together! We are together!’ The saying was seen to be true – Faith, Hope and Love, these three, but the greatest of these is Love.
CHURCH AT RUATOREA (sic).
On Christmas Day the new church at Ruatorea was opened. The Bishop was not free to open that building so it was left to Pine Tamahori and Poihipi Kohere to open it. All Ngati Porou gathered there and some of the leaders from Gisborne and Hastings. Their building cost £850. When some of the chiefs offered their money it was returned by Ngati Porou because they had collected all the money needed before the church was opened. Congratulations to Ngati Porou for showing such support for the spiritual side of the work. The Hastings chiefs returned full of praise and wonder at the impressions Ngati Porou are making on remarkable things happening in the country – on farming, on education, and on the Faith. There are marae, woolsheds, schools, churches – important footmarks in this new year.
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THE LOVE OF RANGINUI FOR PAPATUANUKU.
For the month of January [Kaitatea], 1923, Kaiwaka [possibly Kaus Astralis] is the star that heralds these nights. The gourd and its [?roroa sic - ?roro contents] can be made into relish. The outlook, good and bad for the next 31 days.
Full moon 3 2.3 p.m. Marginally good.
Last quarter 10 22.25 p.m. Days of heavy rain.
● 17 2.11 p.m. Marginally good.
First quarter 25 3.29 p.m. Marginally good.
1 Monday Atua A very bad and unproductive day.
2 Tuesday Turu High tides morning and evening. Gather seafoods.
3 Wednesday Rakaunui The moon is full. Seafood is lying there. Fetch it.
4 Thursday Rakau-matohi The moon is waning. It is still good to gather food on shore.
5 Friday Takirau Get seafood just after sunrise. It will be easy from dawn until midday.
6 Saturday Oike Good things at sunset.
7 Sunday Korekore-te-rawea A bad day – rough.
8 Monday Korekore piri-ki-Tangaroa Eels will be feeding early in the morning.
9 Tuesday Tangaroa-a-mua Fish for or net fish during the day. Trap eels.
10 Wednesday Tangaroa-a-roto A good day for fishing during daylight with a vertical line.
11 Thursday Tangaroa-kiokio If it is misty on land the fish will take the bait. An excellent day.
12 Friday Otane Eels are the food to be caught this night.
13 Saturday Orongonui A gentle day. Also a night for eels.
14 Sunday Mauri A very dark day. Good from morning until noon. Fish for eels.
15 Monday Omutu A bad day for food on land, but from midday get seafoods.
16 Tuesday Mutu-whenua A bad day on land. But there will be seafoods at the sea-side.
17 Wednesday Whiro It is new moon – a bad sign.
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18 Thursday Tirea This is also a bad day for getting food.
19 Friday Hoata A good day – it will be fine all day.
20 Saturday Ouenuku This is a night for eeling. It will not last long so set people to work!
21 Sunday Okoro This is also a night for eeling. Good from noon until sunset.
22 Monday Tamatea Ngaua The sea flows very strongly.
23 Tuesday Tamatea kani A bad day with strong currents at sea.
24 Wednesday Tamatea kai ariki A gentle day.
25 Thursday Tamatea whakapa This night seek out and catch eels in pots.
26 Friday Huna A bad day with food hidden.
27 Saturday Ariroa A good day for spearing eels.
28 Sunday Maure Good from morning until evening.
29 Monday Mawharu A gentle day for netting crayfish.
30 Tuesday Hotu The sea is rough for getting fish but get eels.
31 Wednesday Atua A bad and unproductive day.
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REMEMBER
The signs are that the four days of Tamatea during the one month are bad days for getting seafoods. But do look carefully in the streams to get Tawiri [a shellfish] during those Tamatea days or for the eels in your lakes lest they overflow into the large sluggish rivers. Do not waste what time gives you. If you individually or as a group find them and don’t know where to send them or where they would be appreciated, we would like you to let us know at Te Toa Takitini, Box 300, Hastings.
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