SETTLERS AND MAORIS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 210, 5 September 1925, Page 27

SETTLERS AND MAORIS.

A NATIVE FEAST ON THE OTAMATEA RIVER. Erea if life was hard when the Alberclanders were making a start in their new world, it was not all work, and occasionally there would be pleasant excursions. One such picnic took place not many months after the arrival of the first three ships, Matilda Wattenbach, Hanover, and William Miles, and as it gave the settlers their first'idea of a big Maori meeting, it left a lasting impression on their mindf. " All the settlers that had then taken up their land -rants and were on their sections," writes Mr. George Nicholson, " were invited by the principal Maori chief, Paikea Arama Karaka. to go to his village on the Otamatea Eiver, where a great feast had been prepared in honour of the natives' new white friends. The Rev. W. Gittos, who was such a good friend to us all in those days, kindly brought his large boat, manned by a Maori crew, and he , took some of the settlers. 'There was a second boat on the river (the Oruawharo), and we mustered about thirty settlers. We went I down the Oruawharo with the tide a distance of fifteen miles, and then had a ten miles pull up the Otamatea Eiver. " Before we got to the landing the Maori women came running down and performed a dance of welcome, calling out 'Haeremai! Haeremai, nga Pakeha!' ("Welcome, welcome, to the white people I") To the sounds of this joyous welcome we were earned ashore by the Maoris, and there we found that other of the settlers, from Matakohe and'Paparoa, had already arrived. There was no speechmaking then, for as soon as the Maori women saw the boats Coming up the river they opened the steaming Maori ovens and dished up the savoury food. « A large Maori house had been built expressly tor the purpose of entertaining the Pakehas, and on the long table down the centre i of it we were much surprised to see laid out knives and forks, cups , and saucers; in fact, everything necessary for a European meal. \fter having made a twenty-five mile passage by boat, we were 1 naturally in good form for attacking the great piles of food laid i before us-beef, pork, kumaras, potatoes green corn, and 301b ' loaves of bread baked in camp ovens three feet wide. 3Si ative ±ood ! cooked in the native oven is a revelation; the food is so tender and the flavour is so good! Give mc Maori ovens every time! "After kai we were taken to the korero, or speech-making. All the natives were squatted down in one long line, we Pakehas wire placed opposite, and a space was left between the two peoples Tor the Maori orators, who walkad n P and down during their seeches, and brandished their spears to emphasise any particular vSS. 'I have now my hearts desire/ said Paikea the chief I have sold lar*e blocks of land to the Government, so that my Pakeha Whew mav° Kve by mc in good friendship and peace. We are all S cbSdren of thereat Queen Victoria. You are my Pakehas, and I and my tribe will be ever ready to protect you with our bodies You have much to teach us, and you may learn many SS from us that will be useful to you. May we be brothers for ever That is the wish of Paikea.' . «We slept that night," says Mr. Nkhoteon, «in the new whar. that the Maoris had built, and it was beautifully clean with large over the floor. Bound about the village there were a Sat S of children, quite naked, up to about eleven years of S* andthey took a great .interest in us; while from every whare xhere were lots of shy little things with big dark eyes staring after us.

« Next morning after kai we were all called together, and the food &at remained was divided into separate heaps some being given to each party of. settlers. Our tow boats were loaded with Warns, potatoes" pork and beef, and our generous hosts did the same for the boats from Matakohe and Paparoa. It was our first experience of a Maori gathering, and you may be sure that tt gave „ s subjects for conversation for many years afterwards.

[Next Week: How the Settlers Tackled Backblocks Life.}