WAITANGI.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 26, 31 January 1934, Page 6

WAITANGI.

CONGRESS OF THE TRIBES.

THE CHANGING MAORI

(By J.C.)

It has been stated that next week's ceremonial "hui" at historic Waitangi in celebration of the Treaty and in honour of the Governor-General's gift to the nation will be the first great gathering of all the- Maori tribes' that has yet been organised in New Zealand. This is not quite correct. The passing of a third of a century dim.s many memories, but the Maori assemblage which greeted Royalty at Rotorua in 1901 should not bo forgotten, nor should there be forgotten the fact that that assemblage was practically the last salute of the old order as well as the first coming together of some tribes that until then had not had an opportunity of meeting in any large numbers since the war days. Our present King and Queen, then the Duke and Duchess of York, not only received a wonderfully fervid welcome of fealty and aroha from the four thousand Maoris gathered on the official marae, on the plain between Ohinemutu and Whakarewarewa. They witnessed also the most important native congress, of modern times, the colourful meeting at which old foes or rivals had an opportunity of composing their differences and jealousies, and of pitting themselves against each other in the song and dance parades which displayed the tribal pride and tradition. Never again can there be seen such a gathering, fior in the more than thirty years since then the Maori has changed. At Rotorua in 1901 many of the old warriors whose memories spanned the period between the cannibal era and the peaceful present were seen in a clan gathering for the last time. A discerning member of the Royal party, an English Press writer, realised something of this aspect of the scene when the old chiefs came forward to lay their gifts before the Duke and Duchess. The obeisance suggested to his mind the classic Roman hail and farewell of those about to die.

Maoridom has lost since 1901, for one thing, the tattooed face which once was the great distinguishing national badge, the visible "tohu" of the race. At Rotorua many of the venerable chiefs who cried their welcomes to the grandson of the great white Queen were tattooed of face and body. Some wonderfully carved old faces gazed on pakeha Royalty for the first and last time. There were even grim old fellows there who had eaten of the flesh of their enemies in their fighting youth. There was, too, a little band of tall, lean veterans of Heke's war, half a dozen of the "Old Guard" of Ngapuhi, whom their young people had brought down from the Bay of Islands to lead the Northerners in their parade and gift making. There was one man, I remember, whoso black tattoo contrasted singularly with his almost white face; he was a halfi-caete who as a youth had carried musket and tomahawk in Hone Heke's cause. There were veterans of every war in the island since Heke's of 1845-0. Many of them had served against each other in the campaigns, when some were Ivingites and Hauhaus and some found it expedient and profitable to serve on the Government side.

All, all have gone. The dark warrior face has vanished. But, happily, the women etill preserve the artistic old tohu of nationality. Hundreds of the wahinee have still the blue chin decoration wrought by the tattooer'e little chisel. Long may it be before that handsome relic of the primitive New Zcalander vanishes from the land.

The war dance of old time was. seen at the Eotorua gathering. T doubt whether any tribe at Waitangi will be able to give anything so thrilling and warrior-like as the great "pompom" which was performed'in 1901 by the Ngati-Tuwharotoa tribe, of Taupo, under their chief, the lato Te Heiiheu. A hundred and twen'fcv men, in a column six deep, leaped into that "wild battle dance with a fire and aspect of ferocity that no other tribal party could approach. They had been trained by the veteran Waaka Tamaira, and that ancient warrior was an athlete to the. last. His company on tho jump looked like some strange flock of birds on tho wing for the moment, as they leaped three feet in the air with their feet doubled under them, their painted faces all turned on oiu> side, their war axce raised high, while they yelled a thundering .song. The modern Maori has so many other things to occupy him. so many distractions that" the Old Guard never knew, that it ie doubtful whether the ancient fire can quite be recaptured at Waitangi. However, there will b P sufficiently vivid and poetical features of the great conference, to stimulate the admiration ami the> wonder of the pake.ha. beholders. In the number of Maori participants —as well a.s of pakelu spectators— it will outdo the Boyal hui. It will not only be a means of uniting the tribes in a common bond of thankfulness for the Treaty that gave them a nation's status. Tt will revive their clan pride in a healthy way. recall their ancient craft and artistry. The Ngapulli, for example, have become so Europeanieed that th'ey are in. danger of losing their old-time skill and knowledge in tho arts, crafits and the dances and songs of their* race. The Waitangi celebration, with all its. preliminaries and its renaissance of tho old poetic ways, will do much to save for STgapuhi the beauty and tradition of (ho. past. And so with some of the other tribes. His Excellency Lord Bledisloo will have the satisfaction of knowing that his gift of the Waitangi estate to the nation will carry in its train a groat deal more, than ho perhaps realised when that inspiration came. The gift and the gathering and all that arise therefrom will help to salve much that the Maori race was in danger of losing through indifi'orence and neglect.