A Marriage Feast.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10473, 31 December 1927, Page 6 (Supplement)

A Marriage Feast.

— NOTABLE FUNCTION AT TOROA IN’ ’77. WI PERE COUNSELS FELLOW CHIEFS. On April 26, 1877, a notable wedding feast was held at Toroa in the Waerenga-a-hika .district in honor or tlie marriage of lietekia te Kani Pere to Eiripete Rangikohera and of Hana Tungia Waere to Air. Gibson, a European, of Napier. The breakfast was held at the residence of Keita Waere (Wvllie) and the Rev. Air. Williams and the Rev. Air. Root were amongst the Europeans who were present, also some two hundred Natives. After dark, a ball was held. But on the following Fridav the monster least took place, also at Toroa. Wi Pere invited all the chiefs and the people of the tribes as well as tiie Europeans to attend the feast. Tlie visitors sat at a table 30ft long and 100 ate at a sitting, it was estimated that 500 Maoris and 100 Europeans were :n attendance. After the feast Wi Pere rose and said: — “I am greatly pleased to see tlie Europeans here but L did not ask you to come for the good things of the feast only, but that you sliould hear what I have to say to my people. 1 do not intend to address you, O Europeans, because of all people of tlie world, you. the Europeans, are the most learned. I To the Ala oris, Wi Pere then said: j “This is what j have been pondering in my heart: — (1) That we again return to tlie worship of the true God. V e did not suffer evil at the hands of ■ that God. hut when we turned from Him and worshipped idols we then felt evil come upon us. (2) Let us cease to drink ardent spirits. Let us take them in moderation, and not get drunk.

But let us kill our desire, for it. “(3) Let us become industrious so that we may possess property. ■‘(4) Let us cease to sell land and let us not persist in selling it, lest our children become like those «lio have not any parents to feed and help them. But let us keep that portion of the land we still possess for our oflspring, who may sell it when they have as much knowledge as the Europeans who now live in their houses only. “(5) Let us re-build the churches (make anew those churches which have been neglected and became decayed in tlie time of war). “((>) Lot us search cut that which caused the evil to us in the days now past. i.e. how some of us have been led into evil. And let us see how we can act in accordance with the law (of the Queen). “(7) Let the people nominate a committee to carry out the above suggestions and let a committee lie put into power each succeeding year, so that we mav find some line of action so that we may have time to breathe in the midst of the trouble which has come on us in the years that are past. “Now O people, send your children to school, so that they may lie as learned as the European children or as our member, Karaitiana Takamonn. lias said, that there lie one law for the Aiaori and tlie European and that there lie hut one people. Now O boys and gills, obey the commands and teachings of your parents, that honor may come to you. Now, O people, teach vour children. Send them to school to he taught by the missionaries. Do not allow them to go in the way of their own desires, nor allow them to drink ardent spirits. Look at the manner in which T and my elder brother have brought our children up. I now take a sincere delight in them. Now, 0 friends, take care of vour lands, so that you may have them to live on. Cease to squander tlie good things which God has given to your ancestors. O friends, the Europeans were strangers in the land, but they have become rich. And we, the owners, have become poor, because of our stupidity. Now let us follow in tlie path by which they are so full of knowledge. Let us all sleep at this place.” On the following day \Yi Pore’s advice was discussed. Panapa Waihipi said: ‘‘Renew the good words of those who s,ept long ago.” Hoani Ruru agreed with AYi Fere's suggestions, as also did W i Kaipuke and Wirernu King:. Pairania te Kura said: “I cannot lie swift to agree, but F will sing a song:

Let the chiefs, O friends, be in front: let us be behind.” Paora Kate said: “I agree that we should worship the true God, and we must teach the European who shoots or uses bis gun on tiie Sabbath.” Hapi Kawne said: “We ought to return to do the good works of the days of old, when we worshipped tlie God AY bo was taught to us by the missionaries. The drinking of spirits has been death to us. Rutene Tekc held that the request that they should worship the true God was the greatest that had been made. Look, he said, at what the Scripture savs: “Seek first tlie Kingdom of Heaven and all those things shall be added to you.” Poha.cn said: “Let us all work ru this good work,” Ivorehana said: “I am the last of those men who in times past taught vou in the work of the true God. Now be strong and I will be as a backbone to you.” Wirihana Tupeke said: “I am one who lias come back from the war and the buffeting of the seas _ and the ocean of war. Let Tamati te Ranci he our teacher of the Word of _Goa: also TTirini te Kani and Wirernu Kingi te Paia. Alen of.-low degree cannot do this great work.” Nepin Tokitahi accused the chiefs of being the cause of all tlie evil. “Let them he those to take action, so that good may come to us,” he added. Ana ru Alntete advised those assembled to build the house called “Poho-o-Mnhnki” (or repair it so that it would be used). He went on_: “^ v word in respect of religion is: Be stronc! Bv the centre part ol a house will the house he hela up. Even so. let the chiefs stand up as nests to unhold the people. Let the

children of the chiefs be sent to school. It is right also tliat the selling of the land should cease now. A-T we (the old men) are going down to the hiding place you. men oi low degree, must enter into and work in this work. Look at a basket ot nails and a hammer. By these a house can be built. Let us have a committee.”

Tamati Terenga counselled all the tribes to turn from the evil oi the Hauliau religion and work in the work of the true God. ‘‘We in days gone by,” he said, "had much goods, hut now we are poor.” \\'iremu King said he had not seen what evil lie had done. He added: "Then I will go to my Father and say 'O, Father, I have sinned against You.’ ” x

Tamihana Ruatapu agreed that the chiefs should lead the way and build a* House of God. ‘‘J am going to the place of the unseen.” ho added. ‘‘Look at. me; my head has become white. I am going to he covered up.”