MAORIS AT TENNIS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 83, 9 April 1928, Page 11

MAORIS AT TENNIS

PAKIPAKI GATHERED NATIVE HOSPITALITY (From Our Special Reporter.} HASTINGS, This Day. From some of the widely scattered kaingas of Aotea-road to the Marae at, Pakipaki, near Hastings, is a far - cry, but in these modern days train and. motor-car, more especially the latter, have done much to annihilate distance. Hence it is that at Pakipaki the local' ISgati Kahungunui tribes, in themselvessome 250 strong, are entertaining a like number of visitors from beyond thr confines of Hawkes Bay, these visitors comprising young and old, lawn, tennis enthusiasts who have come for tha Maori lawn tennis tournament, and elders who wish to discuss the future welfare of their race. Representatives of the Ngati Porou, from the East Coast, are there, of the- Arawas from. Eotorua and Matata, of the Mataatna from the- Urewera, of the Maniapoto from the Waikato, of the West Coast. Whanganui tribe, of the tribes from Gisborne and elsewhere—all are there in friendly concourse, with past.differences buried, ,all being united for acommon purpose and by tho common bond of sport. Amongst the distinguished visitors, although perhaps it is invidious to single out some more than others, may be mentioned Sir Apirana and LaSy Ngata, Lady Carroll, Dr. Ellison, Captain and Mrs. Pitt, Mr. Marumaru, Mr. and Mrs, Jones, Mi-. Eangi Boyal, and Mr. H. Tatere. ■ - . ■ PICTURESQUE SCENE, No",more picturesque spot for •the gathering than tho Marae at Pakipaki could be found. Houngarea, the beautifully carved meeting-house, stands prominently in tho background. Bocent rains have made tho lawns in front pleasingly green, shrubs and shady trees lending enchantment to the verdant scene. Marquees and smaller tents seem to fit naturally into; the picture, which acquires a fairy-like effect at night when festoons of electric light illuminate ev*ry part of tho pa. Although Europeanised in dress, the Maori is still a picturesque figure, and it is easy to. visualise what such a gathering looked like in the, days of old. In the Maori the community, instirictis extraordinarily well developed,and such a gathering as the present ono at Pakipaki reveals their instinct at its best. And what Maori hospitality moans only those who' have experienced it know. A pakeha community, in spite of all modern labour-saving devices, might well become,,hot'and"bothored at catering for such a crowd for the best part of a week, all free, gratis,and for nothing; but not so the Maori. The ancestral spirit of hospitality, which flows so strongly in his veins delights in such an occasion. His visitor must, and will have, the best of everything. If tho host himself is impoverished what matter? He has upheld tho honour of his tribe, and when the visitors return to their respective kningas they will say: "Ka Mutu i a Nga.ti, Kahungunu mo te inariaaki i te tangata" (no tribe could have excelled tho Ngati Kahungunu in their'treatment of their guests), and all will be well among the local people. . ' Tho names of Mr. Hori Tupaea, Mr P. H. Tomoana ("Friday"), Mr. Waimarama, and Mr. Miki Thomas will be mentioned as some of those, ably backed by tho committees, who worked so hard to make the gathering a success. ' WONDERFUL ORGANISATION. In the daytime the Maoris, in. joyous car loads trek the few miles into- Hastings, where the Easter tennis tournament is taking place, either to play themselves or to encourage the competitors hy their presence. Hero again shines out the hospitality of the.Native race, and the tournament is a wonderful" social success, as well as being wonderfully organised and controlled. In punctuality and promptness many . a pakeha tournament might learn a lesson. If Wiremu is not ready for his match at tho appointed hour he/ is politely but firmly told that his ancestors came over in the wrong canoe, and he does not offend a second time. It will probably be well, on in the week before the finals are reached, but m tho meantime tho keenest interest is evinced in all the matches: especially ih ISIl Sl °f an intM-tribal nature, although feeling never overruns the boundary of friendly rivalry. • ' A few years ago the union of tho Maori race through a common sport had hardly entered the realm of practical politics. Now it has become an accomplished fact. "Hi iti tematakahi uana i waahi to totara (the wediro May bo small, but it will finally spfi? tho giant totara). Though a small tiung tho annual tennis tournament is developing a movement destined to be of incalculable importance to the Maori J£ Ce> 7* ere ailtt iv what ifc will end tne next few years will show. No play was possible to-day in the Wellington Lawn Tennis Association's faster tournament at Miraniar, and the remaining games were postponed until to-morrow.