OTAKOU HARBOUR AND THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MISSION

Evening Star, Issue 20996, 9 January 1932, Page 2

OTAKOU HARBOUR AND THE FIRST CHRISTIAN MISSION

[By the Rev, T. A. Pous.] The first Christian mission was established at Otakou Heads in 1840 as a direct result of the appointment of the Rev. Jas. Watkiu to Waikouaiti. The Otakou Peninsula and Harbour, at that time, possessed the largest^Maori population south of the Waitaki River. There, prior to the arrival of the pakeha, the Ngaitahu, who had conquered and supplanted the Ngatimamoe, lived in their primitive simplicity, and indulged in numerous raiding adventures and tribal wars.

In the year 1831 the brothers George and Edward Weller opened a shore whaling station which was one of the largest and best-paying station of those days. The white population consisted of whalers, sailors, ex-convicts, foreigners, and run-away desperadoes. Some of the whalers were men of sturdy character, but many of the “ flotsam and jetsam ” of the population, chiefly foreigners, brought the Maoris no virtues, but, on the other hand, outrivalled them in degradation. Their conduct was so outrageous that even the Maoris were disgusted. Captain Harwood, Wellers’ shore manager, said he was seldom afraid of the Natives, but there were times when he felt great anxiety regarding many of the abandoned foreigners. There were, however, pakehas of another type. Each had his Maori wife. Many had well-tilled gardens, and families of half-caste children were brought up more or less in the European fashion. Though some of these men drank a little and used profane language, it is said that they taught their families to keep Sunday as a day of rest, and that they had a crude idea of having a “bit of religion.” From these families the missionaries succeeded in obtaining some of their most sincere converts and efficient workers. When the Maoris heard of the arrival of the pakeha missionary at Waikouaiti, their curiosity was aroused. They journeyed by canoe to the mission station in increasing numbers, all being anxious to hear about the white man’s religion, and all eager to learn to read and write, and soon many of the tribe become sincere Christians. _ Mr Watkin was preceded by his Native teachers, who held services in _ the various kiangas, the great missionary himself making his first visit nine months later. The chiefs Koroko, Kahu, and Potiki were the first to bo baptised, followed later by the chief Merikihereka Hape. The services were held in Weller’s whaling store at the foot of the hill Te Atua-o-taiahu. Captain 0. Harwood took an interest in the services, and later had his children baptised. It is worthy of note that Captain Harwood, prior to tho arrival of the missionary, conducted the funeral services for the whalers who died at Otakou, and their bodies repose on the hill behind where the store once stood. The Maoris soon erected a church as a more fitting place of worship. This was built on tho hill slope above Ruatitiko (now known as Kelvin Grove). The mission, once firmly established, made itself felt in a remarkable way, and a vast improvement was seen in the manner of life of tho Maori. Gradually they refused to take part in the pakehas’ drunken excesses, and observed Sunday by regular attendance at the mission services. Some of the pakehas of the “ baser sort,” however, viewed the missionary with no friendly eye. Others, seeing a decided improvement in tho lives of the people, ceased their opposition. Many European men who had married Maori women were pleased with the decided improvement in their own homeg, and were warm in their support of tho mission. Mr Watkiu now turned his attention to the matrimonial needs of tho population, Maori and European. As already stated, many white men were living in happy relationship with Maori women. Upon these unions the missionary pronounced the benediction of tho church, and. baptised their children. Tho church register reveals the astonishing fact that the brides could write their own names, but the pakeha husbands were content to place their own “ mark ” only, and these “ marks ” were witnessed to by Maoris in good and clearly-formed letters. Mr Watkin was ably supported by his wife, who was known as “Mata Wakina.” Notwithstanding all the claims of her family and home she was able to appoint a time for the. instruction of women and girls in sewing, cooking, and care of children. For this purpose boat loads of women and girls journeyed from Otakou to Waikouaiti to receive their instruction. Those so trained became instructors to their own sex.

Mr Watkin’s journeys to and fro were by boat and on foot, over steep hills and swampy valleys. Later missionaries were able to purchase a horse, and could ride with considerable ease, following the Maori tracks. When they arrived at the Heads they would cross the harbour at the nearest point by boat and swim their horse, secured by a rope, at the stern of the craft. If the missionary were overtaken by night he would light a fire on the beach as a signal to those on the opposite shore to bring a boat and convey him across to their village. The most important day for tho mission was Juno 18, 1843, when the chief and formerly priest Koroko_ (before mentioned) was received into the church by the rite of baptism and was given'tho Christian name “John Wesley” (Hoani Weteri Koroko), and another chief, Kahu, was baptised and received the name “ Charles Wesley ” (Tiare Weteri Kahu). This was a great spiritual victory, for both these chiefs were outstanding characters, and they became preachers to their own tribe. John Wesley Koroko built a church in his

own. kainga (Tahakopa), wherein he held daily services and conducted a, school for pupils in age ranging frojn five years to ninety years of age. The late Mrs Monson (nee Roebuck), who lived at the Heads at that time, writes; “Mr Watkin had some good, preachers I remember, particularly Hoani Weteri Koroko and Tiare Weten Kahn. These men would have been a credit to any community; and there was Matiu, another of marked ability. When the Europeans had no regular service the Maoris had theirs at the two kaingas. The bell was_ an. old gun barrel hung up with a piece of flax and struck with a stick at regular intervals.” , ~ . . The Sabbath was held in great reverence. They prepared for it on the Saturday by attending to all cookery, cleaning, and necessary toil thus leaving the “Day of Rest free for worship. The Sunday was a bright and joyous day of religious festivity. Not only on the Sunday, but every day, the rising sun was followed by the bell for morning prayer, and in the evening, the hymn, scriptures, and the prayer closed the exercises of the day. Mrs Monson gives a rather amusing storv in connection with a wedding in the Ruatitiko Church. She writes: I remember a very exciting day at Otakou. The missionary came over from Waikouaiti to marry a number of people, white men to Maori women. One bride Borrowed a very pretty blue bonnet from a white woman. It was to be returned immediately after the ceremony. Hours passed but no bonnet was returned. I was sent to ask for it. I found the room full .of guests, all squatting on the floor of the house, and the bride among them with a big pipe in her mouth, blowing a fine cloud of smoke. The guests welcomed me. but the bride replied to my request: “ The bonnet may stay where it is a little longer.” Services were also held at Tawhiroko, a village a little to the north of Pullen Point. There must have been quite a settlement there judging by _ the baptisms recorded in the register, among which the following are the most prominent:—Rawire Kingi, Kurukuru, Meri Koeko, Haratiera Soropoia, and Hera Pipiriki—all adult Maoris of good standing. , ~ ... . Additional services were held at Waiparapara—the inlet near the present quarry at the “spit.” / The Rev. Chas. Creed succeeded Mr Watkin in 1844, and continued and consolidated the good work. Mr Creed succeeded in winning the hearts of Maori and pakeha alike. All the villages of the Otakou Harbour and district shared his labours—Ruatitiko, Tahakopa, Omati, Waiparapara, Tawhiroko, Koputai, and Otepoti. Nor did he confine his efforts to Otago. He was a great pedestrian, and journeyed as far north as Port Cooper (Lyttelton) and Akaroa, and as far south as Riverton, Ruapuke, and Stewart Island. His numerous Native teachers, whom he supervised, were always heartened by his visits. In July, 1844, a great gathering of Maoris took place at Koputai (Port Chalmers) to arrange the sale of Otakou to the British authorities. The event took place at the foot of the hil! on which the Watkin-Creed Memorial Church now stands. There was no bartering for guns, powder, red blankets, or penny rattles. No blood shed; it was a peaceable gathering. Why? Because the Maoris had been Christianised. Many of them were the fruit of the ministry of the Revs, Watkin and Creed, no less than twenty-two of the twenty-five chiefs who signed the deed of sale were baptised by the Wesleyan missionaries. The sum paid was lid per acre. The real payment, however, was the setting apart or onetenth of each description of allotment of town, suburban, and rural land for ever as a Native reserve. It was pointed out to them that the coming of the pakeha was to enhance the value of the land, that they would have a permanent revenue therefrom. This agreement, alas! has not been kept, and is the cause of much heart-burning today. In after years, when the chief Taiaroa saw a prosperous white population settled in Otago and had become acquainted with land values, he became soured against the missionaries for advising them to sell, and began to form plans for the ertermination of the pakeha, even though it meant annihilation of himself and his people. It was largely due to the influence and persuasive power of Mr Creed that this design was frustrated, but it was not till the appointment of the Rev. Geo. Stannard that Taiaroa relented and repented and was received into church membership. Mr Creed, whose term of service covered nine years, endeared himself to both races, Maori and pakeha, and even the crudest of the whalers would only approach him with hat in hand. Mrs Creed was as zealous as her husband and had as deep a sense of the obligations and responsibilities of the Christian ministry. In her husband’s absences she was able to exercise an influence for good upon the people. Her pleasant, lively manner, her open countenance beaming with kindness, and her frank, kindly conversation made her at once popular and useful. To the churches at Otakou and to the circuit as a whole she was as a mother in Israel, and exercised a discreet, wise, and happy influence on all around.

The Rev. William Kirk succeeded Mr Creed in 1853, and his ministry was so fruitful in results that a separate article would bo necessary to do justice to one so devoted. The Rev. George Stannard followed Mr Kirk in 1857, and it was whilst he lived at the Heads with the Maoris that the chief Taiaroa, previously referred to, was baptised. The chief now opened his own house for services. As a further proof of sincerity, Taiaroa was anxious to erect an ornate church building in or near Omati, as more central, Ruatitiko now _ becoming depopulated. One day Taiaroa, Karetai, and Koroko ascended the hill Ohmetu, overlooking Omati, and Taiaroa said : “Why not here? This is my land; it is a good situation, and can be seen miles away.” The missionary was or opinion that the section suggested would bo inconvenient; it was too fai away from the homes of the people, and would involve a, stiff climb for infirm people. Karetai said‘ Why not below, on the flat of Omati? Look below, it is near the people, and there is no hill to climb.” It was agreed, with the consent of the tribe, to dedicate ten acres for church, school,_ and parsonage, which, with the burial ground adjoining, would be a God’s cere. The cost of the building was raised by subscription, and it stands to-day as a witness to the devotion of the Maori Christians of those days.