A MAORI BOOMERANG.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 188, 10 August 1936, Page 6

A MAORI BOOMERANG.

WHEN TRIBE TAUNTS TRIBE.

(By J.C.)

This debate, Maori v. Rugby Union plus Springbok, lias ' revealed, incidentally, some touches of the ancient inter-tribal jealousy. The Arawa people are fully justified, in my view, in making it clear that they resented the colour line drawn by the Africanders and that they do not intend to expose themselves to the possibility of future slights 011 racial grounds. One would have expected the other tribes to stand loyally by them and to give the Rugby Union united expression of Maori policy 011 the broad principle of racial equality. The Hawke's Bay leader quoted 111 a recent Hastings message did not improve the position when lie uttered his jibe against the Arawa. Mr. P. H. Tomoana, popularly known as "Friday" Tomoana. is a man of influence in liis tribe, the Xgati-Kalmngunu. He is also a man of knowledge in matters of Maori lore and history, and lie should have thought twice before he described the Arawa in the words of an old saying as the "big-mouthed Arawa." It is a taunt apt to rebound on its speaker, for the Arawa could retort very effectively. They could, for example, recall the old warrior Renata Kawepa's description of his own Hawke's Bay followers in the Taupo campaign in 1869. The pakeha officer commanding received this candid opinion: "Only a few of them can fight; as for the rest, they are all wa wau; they only came to make a, big noise. The Arawa know all about that, for they were in that campaign, too, and brave old Renata in a fit of indignation was explaining why most of his tribesmen made so poor a showing by comparison with the Arawa led by Captain Preeee.

That taunt "big-mouthed Arawa" is not an altogether fail" translation of the proverbial saving "Arawa mangai liui," for the expression also describes an orator. But generally it is a term of abuse when outsiders use it, and 011 a certain historic occasion it led to a Supreme Court trial for sedition in Auckland. That was in 1865, when the Arawa tribe, who were all under arms 011 the Government side, captured the Tauranga chief, Hori Tupaea; he was making his way through the Rotoiti country to join Kereopa, the Hauliau leader. Old Hori and his party were taken to Tauranga lock-up, until it was decided what should be done with them; they were released eventually as an exchange, practically,- for the life of the Rev. T. S. Grace, at Opotiki. 111 the meantime a party of the Tauranga tribe went to Auckland to protest against the capture of their head chief. Their leader composed a satirical song against the Arawa, which Mr. C. 0. Davis "printed for them. It demanded, in the last few lines, that the "Arawa mangai nui" should be returned to the place they originally came from, to the isles of Hawaiki. That may have been symbolical of death; at any rate', it was construed by some Government official to mean that the other tribes were invited to make war 011 the Arawa. Presently Mr. Davis, as the printer and publisher of the dittv, was charged with sedition. The case was dismissed, after the Veil. Archdeacon Mnunsell, a great Maori scholar, had given his opinion in the witness box, Bv way of counterblast to the East Coast taunt, the Arawa could quote their famous proud tribal proverbial saying, "E warn nga pu-mana wa o te Arawa" —literally, Ihe Arawa have eight long breaths —meaning that the tribe possesses great powers in reserve, and have cleverness and skill. It is a renowned phrase of pride in the history of the Lakeland people. In other words, the Arawa will yet be heard from, to some effect.