THREE MONTHS IN A MAORI KAIK.

Otago Witness, Issue 2026, 22 December 1892, Page 5

THREE MONTHS IN A MAORI KAIK.

Specially Written for the Witness Christmas

Number of IS9S.

By AURORA LYNNS.

I had heard so much of the troth, honesty, and uprightness of the Maori oharacter that when I received an invitation to spend a few months with a friend who resided near a kaik I gladly accepted it. My first glimpse of the inhabitants was a little discouraging, for I had expected to find them all they were painted. They were trooping homa fVo<n church — their native church. Some of the elder ones were pore Maoris, but most o? the yonng folk were half-caste?, and some a quirter. The old women had white cloths tied around their heads in placa of hats ; the youoger ones bad gandy dresses and hats, mosily biipht red. Mcst of the children and some of the women bad bare feet, and some of the former were hatles?. The men walked in front, the women next, and tho children trooped behind. The men were pretty quiet, but the women laughed and chattered noisily, while the children quarrelled and yelled and screeched. Npw and again a wrathful mother, incensed at lbs nsise they wore making, woald turn round suddenly and deliver a sharp stinging blowto her unfortunate and unsuspecting offspring. The offender woaH slink back a little as a volley of flowing lani?u?g^, sprinkled here and there with an English' oath, was hurled at h!s companions and himself. The woman having ended her denuueiation with a short but expressive " nga" (pronounced like "naw"), would immediately commence conversing wifch her friends quite oomplic-intly. A few seconds afterwards others would in th'ir turn go through the same performance. They were very attentive to their native church, and the singing was quite pleasant to listen to. I went once to sse what the service was like, but I was ro much taken • up wilh a little boy of about 10 years of age that I paid but; scanty attention to it. He was a little half-caste, with a stolid, expr. s-sionlc-ss face. At first he appeared to be very interred in the minister's discourse, for* he sat quite still for a few minutes. I thonght him remarkably intelligent, fgr judging by the steadfast manner in which hiß eyes were fixed on the praacher, and the motionless position of his head, I imagined he must be devouring and inwardly aigestiag the seraion. I resolved in my mind that I would hold him up as a model to naughty children. I was just forming this resolution when I saw him fidget. He began to slowly move his body about, first putting one laff »od foot an bigh, as the. Ktf, dangling qvkX

with tho other, and then reversing the order. Then he ceased, but shortly after I heard a distinct rattling on the seat. He was playing with some pebbles Bnd shells. He seemed to derive immense satisfaction and amusement from this proceeding, for bo indulged in spasmodical grins. I was just about to reprove him mildly when some word of the .preacher's claimed his attention, and he looked straight forward for fully two seconds. Then he began to fidget again. First he saw a spider's web hanging near him. Now I know, that spiders' webs have no business in a church, but still it was there, and this model little boy caught sight of it. He evidently thought, as I did, that it had no right there, and he could not resist tho temptation oE removing it. H8 therefore made a dive for it, stretching out his hand, and leaning as far over the intervening seat as he possibly could without precipitating himself altogether. Having succeeded in grabbing it, he rolled it between his hands, changing it from one to the other with marvellous rapidity. Then he squeez3d it up tightiy, and dropped it calmly on to the floor. This was all done anything but silently, for he had a strange way of spluttering and hissing that was very annoying. Several oE tho congregation were watching the little chorub's performanca, bu^, confident in himself of his model behaviour, he did not appear to be at all abashed by the sensation he was creating. He gazed down at the mutilated spider with a profound melancholy, probably regretting that ha had been the means of causing its violent aud sudden exit from thi3 world. Presently another thought seemed to strike him. He apparently imagined that another spider had found its way up his sleeve. Instantly he peered down the cavity occupied by his arm. Then he dived into it, and ha\iog fetched up something, ex-imiued it oloely. Itwas evidently not what he expected, for a disappointed look cro3sod his face. He gave up the search then, and contented himself with contemplating a filmy string or cord of the web tbat had attached itself to hi 3 sleeve. He seemed to ponder on the ingenuity and cleverness of the spider's construction. He took it up carefully and gingerly, and held it suspended by one end just in front oE_ his face. He coutamplated this for a long time, and then, apparently satisfied, dropped it. For fully five miuutes he sat quite s:ill. At the end oE that time he discovered another spider's web, and I saw by the sudden lighting up of his face that tho performance would probably be repeated. I felt I could statd no moiv, so I loaned forward and gripped him tightly by ths shoulder. He turned in innocsnt surprise, and I shook my head at him. He looked at ma in intense amazement, and then gazed at tho other people as, if inquiring where the strange lunatic had come from. Then he turned to me again, and I underwent a long and sew ro scrutiny. Apparently satisfied that t was dangerous and had better be cbojed, he sat quite still/for the remainder of the service, keeping an eye oa me all the time. The Maoris have a great lova for bright things, but they have good tuste ion, and seldom wear anything that does not become them. A silk handkerchief is a necessary article of apparel. They are very fond of jewellery, and always contrive to have a large amount of silver rings, brooche3, bracelets, &c. They are passionately fond of music, and nearly all can sing. Their voices are sweet arid harmonious. Dancing, tco, is an amusement they are vory foad oL Even the old people go to a dance, and take their babies along with them. At the ends of the room they squat, watching the dancers atd laughing and chatting the while. The little boys and girls crosp here and there, taking care not to interfere with the dance. Here and there, in the corners, may b3 seen a large shawl rolled up, presenting the appearance of a huge roll of bacon. On close investigation it will be found to contain a baby. The young people dress quite gaily and tastefully, and for grace and lightness and harmony in dancing they cannot bs beaten. They have good music, tco. for as they have all a good ear for music, they learn almost any instrument by ear, and keep splendid titne. They are of a very excitable ar.d imaginative temperament, and some of them are given to romancing. They will make up quite a pretty little story, and so well do they tell it that, unless you are very sceptical, they will make you believe iK They cannot bear pain, aud are espacially intolerant of toothache. I have seen 3oms of them in such agony that tbey wonld have . dona. almost anything to.be relieved. They have a care for the complaint, but as in many other instances the cure is worsa than the disease. It ia a liquid prepared from the interior of .the flax. The liquid ia poured into the ear, and the pain is excruciating. Then for about a fortnight they are not to drink or eat anything that w 11 affect the tooth. Few of them eire to undergo this treatment, preferring to suffer the pais. An old Maori man suffering fr;m toolhiehe determined to have tha tooth out. Ha went to a dentist, and explained what he v-: quired. To use his own words — " Man put me in a chair, push me back. Ino like that. I wanted get up— he' no let me. 'You stay•there,' he Bay. • I pull yoar tooth oat 1' I sit still, and he got things (moaning the -instruments for drawing the testb), aod a big girl come along. He open my moutb, catch hold my tooth. B'g girl put her hand on my head, and liold mo down — down tight. Then he pull hard, and the keep hold me. He pul', pull, drag hard." Here he I lifted his head, and imitated with one hand how the dentist had pullei, and with the other placed fiimly on his hsad showed how the girl had held him. "Me think ray head como off. 'Hi 1 etop I you pull nay jawbone -out,' me say. 'Me no have it out. Me come another day. You break my jawbone me no let you pull it out,' Me go away and put stuff in." "And did he not pull it out?" we asked. He shook hia head and smiled sleepily, "Ah no ! Ha hurt too much. Ino want my jawbone broke." Their teeth are, however, well formed and very white, and when they laugh they exhibit them fal'.y. Education is with them a necessary evil. Thsy are compelled to send their children to school, therefore they do It. As a particular mark of favour if a obild has been good it is allowed to stay at home. Their lessons are galdom learnt, though, the half-caste children could learn very readily if they wished; They are, however, lazy, an.d wobW rathe*

take a beating than master their task*. Punishment they do not take very kindly to. If a child is punished the parents keep it at home for days. Then they send it again, if possible, oheekier and lazier than ever., They take no notice of a scolding or warning; they utterly ignore it. On one occasion a teacher* alter continual warnings and Booldings, had punished a little half-ca&te boy. As" a consequence his mother kept him 'at home for nearly a fortnight. At the end of that time she made her appearance at the f chool with her child. She was in a terrible temper, and dragged the little urchin after her. " Here," Bhe Bald savagely to tbe teacher, " I brought bim Taack. He sba'n't Btayhome any morel" Then she dragged him forward, hauled him up tho step, and gave him a vicious kick in conclusion. "G t in there, you little devil !"' she said, angrily glowering at the boy, who- stood Bulletin and doggedly silent. "So you have brought him back, Mrs ?" said the master. " Yes," Bhe answered. "Ho won't do nothing for me at home. Give him a hiding if be* cheeky I " She Bhook her fist at the sulky child, and after a few words in Mioii departed, evidently satisfied that she had tlonrt her duty. Needlesa to say that the child was a hundred times worse than before.

Love of dreß3 seems born in them. They always contrive to imitate tha litefct stylo, and they are all very handy with tho needlp. On one occasion a friend had worn a new dress, and a half-caste gill had seen asd admired it. Tho day following eho cams to tho house. "IE you please," she said coolly, " would you give me yonr rsew dress ? I want <o lcok at it." "What, do you watvt it for 1 " "My sister is going to ra-ibe soino like it, and sV,e wants to ?ee how it's done." Having brought the dress fcho bands i it to the girl, who took it, find turned away. "ThankV'she sairt. 'I'd bricg it back in the aEternoon." " But wheio is your sister 7" "Oh I she's horn?." " Then how can Bh'-i take the pattern 1 " " Oh, I'll toko the dres* home, anA she can cr.py U, 1 ' was the 000 l reply. "Oh nol" my friend said, "it" your sister wants to sco it she must coma ciowr ; I can't let you take it away. IS may gci soiled." It was a light grey, and as thorn were about a drzjn or so ot small children In the girl's home, that fate in all probability woald have overtaken it. However, the girl would not go back for htr Fister, fo fb.» examined it cloaely herself. About a weol? or so afie: wards &ha and her eister niada their appear&nca in diestcs after ths samo style, but a lit: la different. As she eaid hersslf: "We niado ours nicer 1"

• Somo of the old Maoii people are Very particular as to -how the ghls behave themselves, and if they do anything which thair ciders oonsiilcr iinpropsr, the latter have them up btfci-a the Maori magistrate, and hold a court ra-etieg ovar thorn. This happened several times during my sf journ atnons? them. On one occasion a girl of about 1/2 or 11 years of a^e had slapped somebody, or EomcboJ.y'3 child. There was a meeting, and the injured party demanded their rights The siatcr of the girl, being tha only reklitr* present, had to slap her face ia the presence o£ tho crowd, to atone for her impudenca They do not oall a meeting over one thing alone. They wait till they have several "items on the programme." If two y.t-nng people fall in love wi'h each othpr, btfora nitwit is permitted to com 6of it tlie tide* people call a mcetSnpt, and everyone givos uu opinion on tha su'rjeit. Th'-y nre very dramatic when talk'inr, atfd emphasise their, speeches with elaborate action and look. They call each other all kinds of naraeß { in ' Maori of course), and . even pu3h arid sbovo when excited, but it all cuds up dimly, and then they smile, and laugb, and t hake handa asjf tha beat of friends. The young man are very respectful to the elder Maoris at these meetings. They all talk at the samq time, each one trying to make more noisa than the otber. „,,,, On one occasion a young Maorl^bad fallen in love with * girl, but as he had no land her parents objected. He u?ed to viiit her at first, but the parents objected to that. Then getting deßptrate he entered through the window. Tbe father discovered him oca day, and promptly stopped that to?. Nothing daunted, he fouad an entrance down v chimney that was not much used. On oi.e of these visits he was alarmed to hear tba footsteps of his lady loves father approachitig the room where they wero. He therefore made for the chimney as a means of exit. Unfortunately, howe.-or, be Eai':d that rather cliflldulr, for though he had often doEcanfled that way, the girl had managci to let him out by the door. Sj he was rather Blow and awkward, and the g«tHr-g up was not so easy as corning down. His desired father-in-law entered, oaw tne.legs daugUng, and making a rush for them, hauled 1.5 i victim down. In raga and consternation ne dragged him to* the door, and emphatically and forcibly cumscf d him that bis prupei place was outsin>. This was not the end of it, as the young bver knew. A meeting was called, and hevras told that he must marry the giil, which was jasi what he wan-ted. ! He did not mind the' little trouble he w<n put to so long as lie got his way in the end. "The end justifies the means" was, I sup. po<o>, his motto. They are fend of feastingi and every little event which'Hhey consider starlltcg is fur.'bc-i rendered remaikablo bj a feast being heH. A marriage, a birth, a death, are all nw*e the occ.ision of a feast. For the first two they have all kinds of i ir*vbmentp, ar.d they have gixes an* dancing as well. Sometimes these feas, last for day?, and some of the old Maori men are quite iU from indigestion afterwards. They bslio.ve iv the principle .of laying in a store while it !a3ts. For a death they first hive a " targi," or, as we wou'd call it, a "howling match I" Tnt-y all gather together at ' the housa of the nearest relative of tho deceased, and' then commence a series of moans and howls, moro liko a dog would make than any huroau being. Theee howls are most dismal and horrible to listen to, but it seems to afford relief to their overburdened feelings. After this " tangi " they hold a feast. Thsy do not hold these feasts merely if a marriage, birth, or death occur among themselves; but if either one should ocaur among their relations or friends, even though it be in the North Island, they consider themselves justified in celebrating it also. In tbe event of a martiage or birth, their friends usually send them present* of cake and other things, and they return faQ gomnlimenb when theU