Philatelic Mana Maori

Press, 18 October 1980, Page 16

Philatelic Mana Maori

Maori motifs, artefacts, atu o have regularly appeared on New Zealand stamps over the past 140 years, but five new definitives to be issued on November 26 are the first to portray distinguished Maori individuals. This philatelic affirmation of Mana Maori, an honour previously reserved for the Queen and European V.I.P.s, is'long overdue. Designed by Mr Maurice Conly, of Christchurch, and printed in Spain; the stamps are well-chosen, featuring outstanding personages from five major tribes — three from the old order of Maoridom, two from the modem era.

The 15 cent stamp portrays Horonuku (Landslide) . Te Heuheu, so

named after the 1846 avalanche at Te Rapa which killed his father and about 60 members of his tribe, Ngati Tuwharetoa of Taupo.

Twice Horonuku fought in major battles against Europeans, Orakau, 1863, and Te Porere, 1868, as an ally of the famed Rewi Maniapoto and Te Kooti, Outnumbered and outgunned, he suffered defeat in both engagements. In 1887, a year before his death, the old chieftain gave Tongariro and Ruapehu, on behalf of his to the Government “as a National Park, for the use of both Maoris r.nd Europeans.” Countless skiers, trampers, and tourists have enjoyed and will continue

to enjoy Horonuku’s magnificent gift to the nation. The 25 cent stamp portrays Kamariera (Gamaliel) Te Hau Takiri Wharepapa (“The sudden wind that shakes . houses”), a chieftain of Ngapuhi. He toured England in 1863-64 with a large Maori party and they were received by Queen VictoriaTe Hau Takiri Wharepapa returned home with an English bride, convinced that to survive being “trampled down before the white man,” as an English newspaper put it, his people, must have education and religion. He led his tribe in arduous Kauri gum digging to raise finance for schoolhouse and church and became chairman of the first native school committee in the heart of Northland.

His portrait was painted by both Gottfried Lindauer and Charles F. Goldie. The latter painted the chief from life in his Auckland studios, but Lindauer used a photograph, adding his own fanciful “touches” to Wharepapa’s Moko and the ancient top-knot style of hair dressing. Unfortunately, the Lindauer photo-copy portrait

has been used as basis for the stamp design and the chiefs name has been incorrectly rendered as Te Hau —the wind. "Kamariera looks in Mr Goldie’s pictures exactly what he was — an aristocrat,” wrote a critic shortly after the chiefs death in 1919, aged close to, if not in excess of, 100. The 35 and 45 cent stamps portray Princess Te Puea Herangi of Waikato and Sir Apirana of Ngati Porou, two of several eminent Maoris responsible for the great resurgence of Maori pride and culture in the 19205. Te Puea devoted her life to re-establishing the mana of her people and fulfilling King Tawhiao’s prophecies/hopes Tor Turangawaewae — a permanent home for Waikato pride and prestige after the destructive invasion and land confiscations of the 1860 s. It was Te Puea who convinced the Fraser Gov-

ernment that the invasion had been unjust aggression, and compensation was awarded the wronged tribes. The great marae at Ngaruawhia flourished under Te Puea’s direction, as did Maori farming and a revival of traditional song and dance. ■European recognition bf her remarkable achievements came in 1937 with the awarding of the C.B.E. She died at Turangawaewae, an enduring memorial to her life efforts in 1952 and .was buried upon sacred Taupiri mountain. That the Maori monarchy still thrives is largely due to Princess Te Puea Herangi.

Apirana Ngata also devoted his life to the preservation of Maoritanga and improving conditions for his race; Eldest of 15 children, by age 22 he was both Master of Arts and Bachelor of Laws. Politician and stateman, 1905 to 1943, his literary works, for which he received, a doctorate, are now regarded as New Zealand classics. ,

. His . greatest achievement was probably the Maori Land Development Scheme in which he

encouraged individual Maori land owners to combine land and labour, and to farm in the European fashion. He was also responsible for a number of meeting houses being restored and constructed as focal points for tribal pride and purpose. He was knighted in 1927, the third Maori to be so honoured. He died in 1950 at the age of 76.

The 60 cent stamp features Hakopa Te Ata o Tu, a renowned fighter and expert greenstone worker. Of highest rank, ha is the only southern Maori on the new definitives, representing the powerful Ngai Tahupotiki people who held sway over most of the South Island.

Te Ata o Tu played a prominent part in the battle of Kaiapohia Pa (modem day Kaiapoi) against Te Rauparaha and his North Island invaders in the 1820 s. This included hand-to-hand combat with

a noted northern -chief named Pehi Tahau. Tahau .bad a double-bar-relled gun While. -Hakopa Te Ata o Til, was' wrrtted with a long-handled, tomahawk. The blast’ from ;the northern’s gun',. set < rfjtakopa’s oiled hair ablaze and a ball. grazed .this scalp, but he kept coming and cut Tahau down. Te Rauparaha was so impressed that when Hakopa was taken prisoner'his life was spared., ■ With his wife he was among the many captives of the triumphant Rauparaha on the return to. Kapiti Island. Though how a slave, Hakopa Te Ata o Tu was treated with, great respect by his- captors and was eventually released to return to his ancestral home at Kaiapohia, where he died in 1883. *•

FOOTNOTE: The first comprehensive account of the 186344 Maori tear of England, and other nineteenth century visits, will be published in ' 1981 by Oxford Unhrentity PreM in Brian Macfcrell’a a book

BRIAN MACKRELL tells of the lives of five distinguished Maoris commemorated in a new stamp issue.