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TE TOA TAKITINI
Registered at the GPO as a Newspaper.
Number 77,
Hastings.
January, 1928.
THE SUPPLEMENT.
Copies of the waiata for the Supplement have arrived. We were not able to delay sending out Te Toa Takitini because the printing had been completed in time for it to arrive on your marae for Christmas and the New Year.
The Supplement will be sent to your marae in the first week of January. It will be posted separately to all who take Te Toa Takitini. Previously Te Toa and the Supplement arrived together. For this edition they will be published together but will be posted separately. So don’t be surprised if there is no Supplement. It will arrive after the start of the New Year.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR
TO EVERYONE.
Published by the Rev F A Bennett and printed by Cliff Press, Queen Street, Hastings, HB.
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Te Toa Takitini
Registered at the GPO as a Newspaper
The price of the Paper is 10/- a year.
Address letters to ‘Te Toa Takitini,’ Box 300, Hastings.
Te Toa Takitini, 1st January, 1928,
GREETINGS FROM THE BISHOP OF WAIAPU.
To my children in Christ, greetings to you all. I have visited the country of my
forbears on the other side of the world, and now, through the mercies of God, I have safely returned am0ngst you. Because the days of Christmas are approaching I greet you from the bottom of my heart, and there is no better greeting than that of the angels on the first Christmas: Peace on earth and goodwill to all.
It was on Christmas Day that your ancestors first heard the sweet sound of the Gospel when Samuel Marsden preached his first sermon in 1814. That Gospel brought light and life to your Maori people. Many of the people rejoiced greatly on receiving this beautiful gift which was given to you. It was as if the sun was shining in the darkness. That Gospel brought an end to the fighting between one hapu and another hapu. That Gospel brought release from the chains of sin which bound most people at that time.
After this good servant, Mr Marsden, died his successors arose and went about preaching that word of peace and of goodwill, and right up to the present day your own descendants, the Ministers, are proclaiming that treasure brought by Mr Marsden,
You are aware that the Missionary Church is the Church of your forebears. They died, they died as part of the Church.
The Church is a sacred gift because Christ laid down its teachings, it is his living body through the outpouring of the saving power of the Holy Spirit. The Church is to be treasured as having been sanctified by those who gave their lives for it, dying in the faith of Christ.
Christmas is a voice calling us all. Christmas calls us to gather around the manger in Bethlehem and to look again on the child born on this day and to take him into our hearts as our Saviour and to let him save us from all our sins.
He is also a King who has a claim to rule us. He asks us to work faithfully for him and to give him our strength, our wealth and our bodies.
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If we accept him as King we will also embrace his Church for he set up the Church. It is right that you remain faithful to the Church which first brought the Gospel to your ancestors, the Church which was cherished by your departed forebears.
My prayer is that Christ will draw close to you this Christmas and that the blessing of God will be upon you all in the coming New Year; that the works of the faith will grow well amongst the Maori People; and that peace and goodwill will spread widely to all.
From your father in God,
Wm Walmsley, Waiapu.
THE FIRST CHRISTMAS IN NEW ZEALAND.
Translated into Maori by the Rev K Anaru.
Taken from Samuel Marsden’s Report written in 1814.
The first Sunday on which Almighty God was worshipped in New Zealand is a day that will never be forgotten in the history of New Zealand. It was also Christmas Day, 25th December, 1814. Samuel Marsden wrote:
‘Duaterra [Tuatara] passed the remaining part of the previous day in preparing for the sabbath. He enclosed about half an acre od land with a fence, erected a pulpit and reading desk in the centre and covered the whole either with black native cloth or some duck which he had brought with him from Port Jackson…. He fixed up seats on each side of the pulpit, for the Europeans to sit upon, intending to have divine service performed there the next day….. In the evening [he] informed me that everything was ready for divine service. I was much pleased with this singular mark of his attention….. The reading-desk was about three feet from the ground and the pulpit about six feet…… He had also set up a flagstaff on the highest hill in the village…..
On Sunday morning, when I was upon deck, I saw the English flag flying, which was a pleasing sight in New Zealand. I considered it as the signal and the dawn of civilisation, liberty and religion, in that dark and benighted land. I never viewed th British colours with more gratification, and flattered myself thy would never be removed, till the natives of that island enjoyed all the happiness of British subjects.
About ten o’clock we prepared to go ashore, to publish for the first time the glad tidings of the gospel….. When we landed, we found Korokoro, Duaterra and Shunghie [Tuatara and Hongi]. Dresses in regimentals which Governor Macquarie had given them, with their men drawn up, ready to be marched into the inclosure to attend divine service. We entered the inclosure and were placed on the seats on each side of the pulpit. Korokoro marched his men and placed them on my right hand …
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and Duaterra placed his men on the left. The inhabitants of the town … formed a circle round the whole….. I rose up and began the service with singing the Old Hundredth Psalm….. It being Christmas day, I preached from the second chapter of St Luke’s gospel and tenth verse, “Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy,” etc. The natives told Duaterra that they could not understand what I meant. He replied that they were not to mind that now, for they would understand by-and-by; and that he would explain my meaning as far as he could. When I had done preaching hxe informed them what I had been talking about. Duaterra was very much pleased that h had been able to make all the necessary preparations for the performance of divine worship in so short a time. And we felt much obliged to him for his attention. He was extremely anxious to convince us that he would do everything in his power, and that the good of his country was his principal consideration.’
In this way the Gospel arrived in New Zealand and I continually pray that this people will never abandon the glory and the enlightenment of the Gospel.
[I have reproduced Marsden’s original text from Memoirs of the Life and Labours of the Rev Samul Marsden, Edited by the Rev J B Marsden. A back-translation of the Maori text reveals omissions and minor alterations. – Barry Olsen]
HONOLULU TO SAMOA
Te Rangihiroa, MD, DSO.
We have begun our reconnoitring of the islands of the Pacific. In the early days of September I and my two Pakeha colleagues sailed from Honolulu to Samoa. The islands of Samoa are divided in two, one part is under America and the other under the jurisdiction of New Zealand. The American islands are Tutuila and Manu’a. Tutuila, the largest island, has an indigenous population of three thousand, that is, of Samoans. Manu’a is the collective name of three smaller islands with a population of some five hundred people.
The language of these people is like Maori but some of the letters are different. The ra is la and the wa is va for them. They don’t say ha but they use sa and fa instead. So the name of their country is Samoa and aroha is alofa. They do not use ka, so with them a waka is a va’a.
Our ship made land at Tutuila; the harbour for the ships is Pango Pango. The Governor’s house is there. The administration is under the Navy Department. The Governor is the captain of a battleship and those working for him are ships’ officers and sailors. The town is very small. This is because the American flag flies over if. When we landed we went to see the Governor so that he could see that we were honest people and would not stir up trouble.
After the formalities we travelled by car to Leone where Tuitele lives. Tuitele is one of the chiefs
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of Tutuila and arrangements had been made for him to be our host and to take us to this island’s villages. At Leone we were to sleep at the home of Fepuleai. We dropped our luggage and gathered with the local people in the Tuitele visitors’ house. This was a round building called a fale tele [big house], It has no walls, only posts which allow the breeze to circulate inside. This is the practice in a hot country. The chiefs sit in the meeting house, each against his own post. The chief of the tribe [ali’i] sits against the post at the centre of one end. The visitors sit by the posts at the other end. No other person may sit at the ali’i’s central post. At the front of the house sit the talking chiefs. The talking chiefs are called tulafale [orators]. The high chief does not address the visitors, only the tulafale. At the back of the house sits the unmarried daughter of the high chief. She is called a taupou. If the ali’i has no daughter, one of the unmarried girls in the chiefly line is chosen as taupou for the village.
When all were seated in the meeting house, the chiefs laid down their ‘ava [kava] roots in front of their orators, their tulafale. This plant, the ‘ava, is a species of the kawakawa. Some peoples call it a kava but in Samoa it is a ‘ava. When it is mature, the roots are dug up, scraped and dried. Some of the large roots are kept to be grasped with the hand to honour the visitor. It is called a tugase [a stick used in the kava ceremony]. Then the tugase are laid down in front of the orator. We sat as we would sit in Maori fashion on mats and leaning against the posts of the house. Our legs were not stretched out and people did not lie down. The orator spoke sitting down. Standing to speak is reserved for outside on the marae – another of their customs. Welcoming people takes place within the house and women’s voices are not heard. Those within the house are men and the notable chiefs apart from the woman who is the taupou of the village. Most of the people sat outside and no children came near.
The orator grasped the ‘ava root, showed it around, and said: ‘These tugase are a tribute from the leaders of our village to the members of your party who have come.’ He took some of the parts of the roots that had been scraped small and said, ‘These are the pieces of ‘ava for your calabash. Then the roots were collected together in a mat and carried before our orator, Fepuleai. It had been arranged that he would be our interpreter because he was a tulafale and also spoke English. Fepuleai took that food and showed it to us saying,
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‘Look! These are the tugase to honour these people, these chiefs. These are a tribute from this village to your party of chiefs. They are laid before you to carry to your country.’ He grasped the small pieces of root and said, ‘These bits are for our calabash.’ Then the roots were placed in front of him and others fetched them and took them outside where they were crushed with a stone for our calabash, to make a drink.
The roots were then pounded outside to reduce them to shreds. Subsequently they were not pounded with stones but chewed by the unmarried girls and the male descendants of the chiefs. When that kava was shredded it was scraped together on a banana leaf and carried to the taupou woman. The circular wooden bowl called a tanoa was placed in front of the taupou. [The shreds] were placed in the bowl and water was poured over them. Some water was also poured over the hands of the taupou to wash them. The taupou then used her hands to squeeze the essence of the root into to water. That being done the scraps of the wood were strained out; it does not dissolve like the bark of the lacebark. It is a spirited work from the digging up of the scraps of tree to the strained result. When it was strained into the tanoa, the strainings were thrown behind her. There was a man standing outside to catch them. They were caught as they came and the fragments of the tree were gathered together and carefully passed to the taupou. The taupou took the strainings and continued her work placing the fragments of the tree in the bowl.
During the time we were waiting for the kava the speaking continued. The speaker was the tulafale who presented the tugase. The speech was like those given in our own Maori language. ‘We welcome your travelling party, a group from the great nations. We thank God for his blessing on your travels which have brought you over the ocean to distant Samoa. May God graciously pour upon you health and good fortune. May God also bless us.’
Our elder was the President of the Board of Management of the Honolulu Museum. Because he was our leading chief we followed the custom of this people and I was appointed as our talafale – our orator. I had to respond to the welcome. Because I was not familiar with the language of this people I spoke in English and Fepuleai translated what I said into Samoan. I returned the greetings and said something like the following. My companions are from Hawaii; I am a Maori from New Zealand. Hawaiian blood and New Zealand blood is the same as that of Samoa. These Polynesian peoples have the same origin. Long ago Samoa was the land encountered by the canoes which came from Paparoa, from Hawaiki, the land of Irihia and Uru. Some of the canoes sailed from Samoa to that Hawaiki called
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Tahiti and Rangiatea. Poumatua sailed to the north and discovered Hawaii. Kupe sailed to the left of the sun and discovered Aotearoa. Hawaii and New Zealand have preserved their genealogies and their ancient stories and these have been printed in English in books so that the great nations of the world may learn about them. Tahiti and other islands are printing their stories and recording their customs. Samoa has yet to make known to other peoples what they are like. So our purpose in coming to Samoa is to set down a clear account of the people and to print our writings in a book so that the world can understand you.
As the speeches finished so ended the waiting for the kava which had been mixed with the water. Her caller sitting beside the taupou called: ‘The sieving of the kava for our distinguished visitors is completed.’ Then one of the young me stood and took the vessel, the shell of a coconut, dipped it into the kava and held it aloft. The caller said, ‘A travelling party from the great nations. Take the bowl to the chief of the party.’ The bowl was carried to our President. The bearer drew near then held up the bowl before thrusting the bowl to the right-hand side so that it almost touched the ground. The President took the bowl and the bearer retreated to stand in the centre of the house. We had completed our observance of the customs of this people. The man took the bowl and first poured some of the kava onto the ground. This was an ancient custom showing respect to their native gods. In these days they have turned to the worship of the supreme God, the Lord. In these days a person says, ‘[Ia manui.a (sic) - ?Blessed be God.] and drinks. That done, the bowl was returned to the tanoa, the wooden bowl, to be refilled. At this point the caller called for the bowl to be taken to the supreme chief of the local people. Afterwards the bowl was given to me as having made the speech. After me it went to the local orator. The presentation to the orator was different in that it was offered on the left-hand side. Afterwards the bowl was brought to the three of us. Then the bowl went around the local people, the seniors first and then the juniors. When the people had finished, the caller proclaimed, ‘ua motu le alofi’ – the alofi is broken. The alofi is the chiefly name of the kava. The purpose of the announcement is to say that the kava is consumed.
After the kava was drunk the tulafale responded to my speech. He saluted us and the purpose of our visit and agreed to assist us. All being done, we returned to our house.
For the moment I shall finish here. You have some insight into how these people welcome visitors. Whatever the purpose of the gathering, kava is drunk as the ‘relish’ for the speeches. Kava is not alcoholic and people do not get drunk no matter how much they drink. It is similar to the Pakeha drinking tea.
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The important thing for them is that each person sits at the right post and that people are called to participate in order according to their chiefly status. As a Maori, the thing that was different was that there were no women’s voices calling the welcome when visitors arrived at the village. It was a rather cool welcome. Secondly, the speeches were delivered sitting down; there was a lack of fire. The way the speaking was arranged would not please Maori.
(To be continued.)
THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE COUNTRY’S DOCTORS AT ROTORUA.
The Annual Conference of the New Zealand doctors and distinguished doctors from other parts of the world begins in Rotorua on 25th February. This is a remarkable gathering concerned with people’s health. At the conference leading medical practitioners from around the world will tell of new insights into the prevention of disease, into healing, and into the various epidemic illnesses which carry people off.
The doctor have met in various places in New Zealand and Australia and now, at last , they are to meet in areas inhabited by the Maori People. At this conference the discussions will include illnesses that afflict the Maori. Te Arawa is fortunate to host this distinguished gathering. And although it is only you wh0 will host the conference, you do so on behalf of the whole Maori People. This body of leading doctors is very keen to meet with the Maori at this meeting.
This is the time-table.
February 25th Arrive at Rotorua at 5.30 p.m.
8 p.m. Welcome by the Government and leading Rotorua
Organisations at the Government Baths.
26th 10 a.m. Launch trip. Lunch at Mourea.
7 p.m. All gather in the Maori Church at Ohinemutu.
27th 9 a.m. Presentation on arthritis and other illnesses.
11 a.m. Visit Te Pukeroa Hospital.
3.30 p.m Town welcome. (Garden Party)
8 p.m. Demonstration of the work of the Carving Board.
9 p.m. Concert.
The most important visitor at the gathering is Doctor Victor Bonney of London, England. He is world famous
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and has been invited by the New Zealand doctors’ association to speak about new developments.
You Toa Takitini [Many Warriors] of Te Arawa, welcome our chiefs who care for our bodies. Some of us will be there to support you including Dr Wi Repa and Dr Ellison. Your own doctors who live there and who are running the conference are Dr Duncan and Dr Bertram. Approach one of them to ensure that time is made available for us to welcome these experts, so that Taupopoki and the others may stand and ask them to block up the mouth of Death so that those Maori who remain do not swiftly vanish.
HUKARERE SCHOOL.
On 13th December the pupils of Hukarere gathered with their teachers and their friends for a celebration and to present prizes to the children who were successful in the examinations.
The Bishop was away because of working commitments and Dean Mayne stood in as Chairman. W T Williams presented the prizes. The speakers were Sir Douglas McLean and Bennett.
(Because of limited space in the paper we are unable to print the speeches.)
List of Prize Winners.
The following prizes were then distributed, after which the girls gave some beautifully executed poi dances and action songs:-
Class Prizes. Class 8: Polly Enoka, Haupai Takoko; Class 7: Ngaere Rangi, Hine Paul; Class 6: Flora Matahiki, Harimate Keremate; Class 5: Bubbie Heperi, Rebecca Brown.
Special Prize for Good Work: Katie Ruwhiu.
Conduct: Tina Sciascia 1, Ngaere Rangi 2, Flora Matahiki 3.
Work: Oraiti Manuel, Flora Matahiki, Teorangi Pewhairangi.
Neatness: Oraiti Manuel, Connie Hovell.
Ambulance: Polly Enoka, Aho Martin.
Scripture: Polly Enoka, Ngaere Rangi, Tina Sciascia, Niwa Eparaima and Horiana Katae.
Composition: Eva Smith (Senior), Teea Kelly (Junior)
Geography: Special: Tina Sciascia, Nootu Pirangi.
Willing Helper: Hana Smith.
Dressmaking: Oariti Manuel, Class 8, Kohu Riuwhiu, Class 7, Flora Matahiki, Class6, Rebecca Brown, Class 5.
Sewing: Te Rau Manuel, Class7; Clara Rnni. Class 6; Mata Koringa, Class 5.
Tennis: Eva Waikare, Senior; Emma Mohi, Junior.
Chapel Prize: Maggie Morete, Hana Ngata.
Good Work: Mihi Sciascia.
Progress in Handwork: Milly Nikora.
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Cooking: Miss Chinnock’s Class. Kohu Ruwhiu, Senior; Mihi Sciascia, Junior
Good Class Work: Mihi Sciascia.
Music: Eva Waikare, Wiki Gillies, Emily Curtis, Poly Hakiwai.
School Cookery: Hannah Smith.
TE AUTE COLLEGE.
On 13th December people gathered at Te Aute to mark the College End-of-Year. Archdeacon Brocklehurst was Chairman. The prizes were presented by Mrs Gordon Williams.
In his Headteacher’s Report Mr Loten said: ‘This is my eighth report on the work of Te Aute. It is appropriate to point out some of the achievements of Te Aute from the time I was appointed Head of the College in 1920. At that time the College followed the same curriculum as the Government schools (Secondary and Primary) with the Public Service Entrance as the final examination. It was decided to extend the College curriculum. These were the decisions made.
(a) Do away with the State School curriculum.
(b) Request that Te Aute be permanently known as a College (Secondary School).
(c) That the Matriculation be the goal of the teaching at Te Aute.
(d) That the teaching at Te Aute include a course in farming (Agricultural Course).
The Te Aute Trustees met and perceived that the above changes would require a large sum of money and the complete rebuilding of Te Aute.
From 1921 the lower classes were done away with and from that year the pupils were entered in the Matriculation class. In 1922 work started on rebuilding the College in Brick, cement, and stone.
In 1923 we began teaching farming (Agricultural Class).
In 1927 the rebuilding of the College was beautifully completed and it was opened by the Governor-General.
The amount spent by the Trustees in the past eight years on the rebuilding of the College and its decoration was £34,000.
It was because of their concern to extend learning amongst Maori that the Trustees agreed to spend this huge amount. The name of Te Aute is now on the list of the country’s major Colleges both for learning and for sports.’
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Prize List, 1927.
Form VI. – Dux, Hutton Krogh, trustees’ gold medal; proxime accessit, William Corbett; special divinity, William Corbett, chaplain’s special prize; special mathematics, William Corbett; special science, Hutton Krogh; special history, Hutton Krogh; special English, Patrick Neild; special literature, Christian Lima; headmaster’s prize, reading (English), Christian Lima.
Form V. 1st prize for proficiency, John Bennett; 2nd, William Mackey; divinity, John Bennett, Chaplain’s prize; English special, John Bennett; reading (Maori), W Wanoa.
Form IV. 1st prize for proficiency, Abraham Waaka; 2nd, Norman Prebble; 3rd, Rawiri Durie. Divinity, Abraham Waaka. Arithmetic special, Norman Prebble. English special, Abraham Waaka.
Agricultural Form A. 1st prize for proficiency, Hirone Wickliffe (J Snaddon’s special); 2nd, John Green; 3rd, Edward King. Divinity, John Greening (Miss Lydia Williams). English special, Stone Collier. Farm work special, Hirone Wickliffe.
Agricultural Form B. 1st prize for proficiency, Mokena Kohere and Stephen Ngata; 3rd, William Walker. Divinity, Mokena Kohere. Most improved boy on farm, Tom Robinson. Best boy in farm work, J Maxwell.
Form III. 1st prize for proficiency, Tuahu Wickliffe; 2nd, Cyril McKay; 3rd. Walter Corbett (Archdeacon Brocklehurst). Divinity, Cyril McKay (chaplain’s special prize). Mosty improved boy in form, Jack Bainbridge.
Special prize to head prefect for attention to duty, Hupa Hamiora (headmaster’s special prize). Prefects prize: Hupa Hamiora, Arama Warbrick, Julian Thompson.
ORDINATION
On 18th December the Bishop of Waiapu ordained Wiremu Te Moana as a Deacon and W H Tangohau as Priest. The service was in Napier Cathedral. The two of them stayed at the Bishop’s house as guests of the Head of the Church. On Friday 16th, eight ministers gathered in Hukarere Chapel for a Retreat. Bennett spoke to this gathering and also preached at the ordination service.
In his sermon Bennett
congratulated Tuhoe for producing these two men. ‘Tuhoe were late in taking up
the teachings of the Church [?Hahi-Kaati] but in these few years three
men from Tuhoe have become Ministers.
In their stories the elders said that Tuhoe began when the heavenly Hinekohu [?Hine-pukohu-rangi, Hine-rua-rangi – Best – ‘Tuhoe’] married Te Maunga from this world. Their child was Potiki. The tribe was called Nga Potiki and from them came Tuhoe. This genealogy links Tuhoe to the divine. This day those stories from the dim and distant past are being realised,
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insofar as the descendants of Tuhoe have seized upon the way by which God comes among mankind. This is the time when we celebrate Christas, the day when God was born in human form, the day when the desires of Tuhoe took human form.
We congratulate Tuhoe with all our hearts.’
PARISH DEBTS
We have received a letter from our Bishop to the Ministers of the Diocese of Waiapu pointing out the heavy burden being carried by the Diocesan Office because of our Maori Parishes. The hope is that each and every parish will fill their baskets and become self-supporting. The fact is that in this month of December there is not a single parish that does not owe money. The indebtednees ranges from £267, in the case of one parish, to £59.
So, since you have heard from the Ministers and the Standing Committees who have responsibility for this matter, do not let the matter ‘go cold.’ Help the Office.
‘TELL US, GREY WARBLER!’
Ihaia Hutana.
(The first part of this article was also printed in Te Toa Takitini 76.)
Of the four seasons of the year Spring is the one that the old men and women look forward to. Each of them prepares their garden, thinking of the children, the grandchildren, and the tribe, that they may be part of the blessings of the spiritual world and that people’s hearts may thrive in this world.
As their thoughts are divided between these two things, they make every effort to recite the things of this world and to see them as gifts of the Creator, putting them in possession of the forest world or the animal world, and as signs perhaps of things to come whether good or bad, which will energise the careful heart, the working heart,
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the gardening heart, to dig the garden, to plant the seeds, or to dig up the gifts, whether of the hands or the heart.
The trench was green, or covered with profuse growth, and coming upon it one says with a shake of the head, ‘Ooh!’ These are some of the things that cause us to think of past days and of those who taught us about such things as the right time to plant and to sow seeds, and we appreciate the gift of the Grey Warbler of his song for the gardening year:
Tu – turi ngenge rire!
Tu – turi ngenge rire!
Ri
– re, rire, rire, rire!!!
When there is plenty of food, of talk, the heart of the worker is happy and rejoices. But the lazy person hears the account of the ant, the hardworking insect Solomon wrote about. When the storage pit is full the heart of the child whose cord has been cut is full of talk which is spread over the threshold, to be joined to the portion of speech and make its home in the heart where it produces fruit and knows the fruit trees. It is the job of the eye to glimpse what is beautiful, to engage it in conversation with the heart. And the solitary person will seek in some places for the fruit of the good tree and will take hold of it. Similarly the heart will concern itself with abandoning stories of the increase of the little a person has and care for them.
This is an important thing f0r our leaders to think about, that is, they should not think narrowly but broadly about working or getting work, about grasping the ropes of jobs, of ideas, of ambitions relating to the lands of individuals, of hapu, of tribes, and collectively agreeing to farm for the benefit of all with all working for all.
What of the Maori People these days? Indeed the world has difficulty with the kinds of things said and handed down as gifts to the Aitanga-a-Tiki [Descendants of Tiki] stirring here. Its many, its myriads of all kinds, and the glory that belongs to each of them – where can one finds anything to shake this creation? The stories written down – our communications in the storms and the billows during the time we were tossed about – have faded. But the stories written on the memorials stones for times to come are clearly read today.
‘Afterwards, hold firmly to the faith.’
This is right. It is also a noble thing that we think of the dying speeches of these elders. Some of them lived close to the time, and some were actually there, when the Gospel arrived, and their consecrated hearts were taught to forsake the world of darkness, the dominating fist, the practice of conquest, the ‘that also is mine …’ attitude. They submerged all such ideas and there emerged a short time of peace thereafter. Therefore, it is right to embrace these dying words engraved in stone, from the head to the tail of the Fish [The Fish of Maui – The North Island] from one wing to the other, and across to Te Waipounamu and Wharekauri [The Chatham Islands].
Family, multiplying people! the grandchildren of Nunui and the others, of Rarahi and the others, who have gathered in the bowels of the earth, read the stories of when you were crowded together, which were perhaps tattooed on the sands and you will realise and consider their depths. There are treasures of great value in them.
Although the stories of the Creation were recorded long before Te Tai-a-Ruatapu, and although they differ, hold on to them – from the Fall of Man to the coming of the life-giving Spirit, to the Fragrant Offering of the Fruits of the Land
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to God, the Schools of Learning, the faithful Tohunga, the Schools for Children, Baptisms in Water, the spread of Education. It is right that we think about these important things, these lofty things, and wonder, and ask in our hearts, ‘Who gave these things to our ancestors? If you are able carefully to set free your selfish heart then you may discover, growing within your heart, support for the desires and inclinations of the human heart as the breath of the Spirit of the Creator touches it. And you seek good things, things of the Spirit, to present as a gift before the throne of the Almighty.
Hold on to the story of the Manna. Your ancestors ate manna as they crossed the waves of the ocean. Although the story of Noah’s Flood is different, hold on to the Tai-a-Ruatapu at Hikurangi [the mountain on which Maui’s canoe came to rest] as a resting place for the prow of the canoe. Then [there is the story of] the remnant of the people increasing in numbers [under the blessing] of God. Where there are accounts of ascending to Heaven, let your thoughts go to Tawhaki. And if the stories are contradictory [think of] the branch clinging to the roots.
As for the stories of the sea, it is appropriate for us to imagine that we are in the Tamatea going to sleep with the wind eddying and beating against you and the sea rough. ‘Swim for the shore!’
This is a warning, family. Don’t grasp the gunwale of someone else’s canoe. Mahia took Tuhaepo’s kura [?red feathers, ?darling]. Leave him to his trifling. It is enough that we have the proverb:
Waiho atu i te moana ona kurapatanga.
‘Leave to the sea its trifling.’
This is still the land, even though it is in the seine, that is, the net. Many fish swim at the upper edge of the seine. So the man names his net and has brought it to land. The pa and the stone houses have been built, with carved, raised store houses and storage pits. When that is done he kneels and bows down.
The treasures that stand are the dying words of your ancestors, who said, ‘Let the children come to the faith and the parents will follow them.’
My children! My chiefs! You still have hanging in your houses the sayings of your forebears, and your mountains that waste men. Such are Maungawharau and Kahuipu, Taewa’s piles of food. Such is your mountain, Kahuranaki, of which Te Rangitekahutia said proverbially, ‘E Pa (Pakatore), this is a saying for both of us. “The sea disappears as one looks.”’ To which Pakatore replied, ‘Son, what you say is not pleasing. But hold on to them so that Te Ihorangi [god of rain, hail and snow] is firmly kept in place.’
Your ancestor knelt, he bowed to the Great and Lasting Power, [?after] Te Ihorangi. Night was above and was sent down upon Kahuranaki. That brought about the death of Te Upoko Poito whose proverb says:
Taku tooa i uta, taku mate te whakatau. [?Translation]
Which means, ‘On land I shall win the struggle.’
We are not foolish enough to worship to great god handed down to us by our ancestors, though he renovated the pa and swept the marae and laid down the teaching, the rock in the sea on which was built that house we call the Gospel, the Faith.
In these days there stand churches with their services, their worship, their engagement with people.
Look at the [whatukura] of the heart, the hands of your old men standing there. Allow the tears to trickle and pour down as the heart sobs over these great legacies, It is from a tearful heart that I speak to you in this fashion, my grandchildren. Therefore, do not be confused. The proverb says:
He kura koia ka huna te kura ka whaaki?
Can a [?kura] indeed hide the [kura] that has been revealed?
They gave us these sayings, and should we just abandon them, throw them away?
Stop grovelling! Get up! Lash the fittings to the canoe. Recite them to Te Moana.
[721]
INSPECTION OF PARISHES.
The Bishop has commissioned the minister, Bennett, to inspect the Maori Parishes of the Diocese, to ascertain what the Church is doing, and to encourage the Church Committees in their tasks. This is in addition to arranging missions; that is a separate task. Bennett will visit Nuhaka at the beginning of January. After that he will go to Manutuke. At the beginning of February he will visit the parishes of Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty. The hope is that the Committee of each parisn will make an effort to address the problems of their parish,
THE MISSES BULSTRODE
We have received from the Bishop the information that our ‘mothers’ are to be moved from Porangahau to Te Whakarewarewa. They may take a holiday during January before moving to Te Whakarewarewa. There will b great sadness in Porangahau at the departure of their ‘mothers.’ However, they are not being abandoned. The Bishop has arranged for a good, knowledgeable, kind woman with a love for the Maori People to take on the mission work at Porangahau.
The people of Tuhourangi are fortunate that they are getting these women to care for them physically and spiritually. Give our noble ladies a wonderful welcome.
[722]
THE GIFT OF LAUGHTER
R[eweti] T K[ohere]
Laughter is a treasure. Our treasures, the important things, we have to work for. To get them needs perspiration. With hard work a person gets education and possessions and status. But the important possession, laughter, comes free of charge; one doesn’t have to pay for it – one has only to stretch the cheeks and hold the sides. Milton wrote of ‘Laughter holding both his sides.’ [L’Allegro, 31]
Some people think that a gentleman should be reserved and not laugh. Perhaps. It is a Pakeha rule not to be given to loud laughter. That is seen as foolishness. But I think that, even if it is foolish, one should laugh vociferously until one feels weak and tears roll down one’s cheeks from laughing. The Scripture says: ‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.’ [Proverbs 17.22 AV] There is a Pakeha song, ‘Laugh and grow fat. This medicine, this gift, this laughter, makes a man fat. Laughter is a food and a blessing. Let it be known, a person should be fed with laughter. Presently the sweetness of the food will be uncontained. Laughter is a real relish.
I arrived at a village where I and some others were welcomed. We were given delicious food – eels, fish from the sea, pigeons, and excellent Pakeha foods. The food was fine but the people who provided it were not. They did not converse or laugh; as a consequence the food stuck in my throat. The food was very bitter to me. I found myself wanting to get out of the house.
I don’t know it Maori have a proverb for this important gift of laughter, and I don’t know if laughter is regarded as precious by Maori. Perhaps people who eat other people don’t laugh.
I have spoken above of how some people think that a stern face is the mark of a chief – he does not laugh. But the wife of the Duke of York preached the gospel of laughter and people said ‘amen’ to that – ‘amen!’
Laughter is a great asset.
Hohua Tawhaki asks: ‘Friends, what a great food laughter is. Does it have any seeds?’ I reply: ‘Certainly there are seeds. But they need to be scattered and scattered and scattered, and the Duchess of York spread laughter wherever she went. It is still spreading, bringing freedom, warmth, and refreshment to this ailing world. We laugh when we are children, when our cheeks are fresh, when our teeth are strong, when our futures are unfolding, while our hearts are malleable.
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