Papers Past | Letters and Diaries | The Papers of Sir Donald McLean | Series 2 Inward letters (Maori) | 4 pages written 1850 by Rakorako in Whareroa to Sir Donald McLean, related to Whareroa, Ngati Toa

Image
Text

English

Maori

the food. Birds I also gave to him; later, I gave him fernroot, after that I gave him fish, and then potatoes - I gave him one hundred; then later I gave him eels, and then pipi shellfish, later fernroot and after that more eels, then potatoes and then kūmara, later eels, after that 20 cows and seven pigs from Taranaki. These foods were loaded on to the canoe on Wiremu Kingi's trip to Waitara. Indeed there was a great amount of food; the foods that came from Matiu's land were kūmara, pipi, eels, and pūpū shellfish. And so you should now remember this, that there was a greater amount of these things from Ngati Toa. Now, listen, these were the things by which I acquired this land, all this abundant food. And the canoes, these were payment, all these things, for the land which was given to me. What is the good of giving over the land to another person, if later he comes and beats you and takes it back? No good. If a Pakeha carries out his work, he gets paid, well, it is the same for me. This land was payment for my work, for the foods given in payment for this land. You should remember this, young fellow, McLean, you should reflect on it. That's all, that's the end. From RakorakoTo McLean

ki te kai. Ko nga manu ka hoatu ano e au ki a ia, muri iho, ko nga aruhe ka hoatu ano ki a ia, muri iho ko nga ika, ka hoatu ano ki a ia, muri iho ko nga taewha kotahi te rau ka hoatu ano ki a ia, muri iho ko nga tuna ka hoatu ano ki a ia, muri iho ko nga pipi, i muri iho ko nga aruhe, muri iho ko nga tuna ano, muri iho ko nga taewha, muri iho ko nga kumara, muri iho ko nga tuna, muri iho ko nga kao o Taranaki e rua tekau, ko nga poaka e whitu no Taranaki. Enei kai i utaina mai ki runga i te whaka i te haerenga a Whiremu Kingi ki Whaitara. Otira he maha nga kai, ko ha Matiu kai o taua whenua nei, ko nga kumara, ko nga pipi, ko nga tuna, ko nga pupu. Heoti ano, mau hoki ia nei e mahara ki tenei, ka nui ke noa atu enei mea i Ngati Toa. Na, kia rongo koe, koia tenei nga mea i riro ai tenei whenua i au, ko enei kai ka nui nei. Ko nga whaka, koia tenei te utu o enei mea katoa, ko te whenua i tukua ai ki au. He aha te pai kia tuku atu te whenua ki tera tangata ra, muri iho ka tiki patu ano, ka tango mai, kahore. Na, ki te mea ka mahi te Pakeha i tana mahi, ka utu ano, koia hoki me ahau. Na, ko te utu tenei whenua mo taku mahi, mo aku kai i hoatu hei utu mo tenei whenua. Mau ianei e mahara, e tama, e Te Makarini, mau ianei e whakaaro. Heoi ano ka mutu. Na Rakorako Ki a Te Makarini

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Log in with RealMe®

Log in again to continue your work

Log in again with RealMe®

Alert