HISTORIC DAY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIII, Issue 80, 16 March 1933, Page 8

HISTORIC DAY

HOBSON AT ORAKEI ANNIVERSARY OF LANDING. NATIVE COMMEMORATION. Auckland, March 15. Two venerable Alaoris, aged 99 and 92, who as children were present when Governor Hobson lani>d at Orakei on Mareh 14, 1841, took part in the picturesque native celebration held in the village yesterday afternoon to mark the 92nd anniversary of that event. The two old men, both of whom are members of the Ngatiwhatua tribe, have spent all their lives at Orakei. The elder, Watcne Tautari, was a boy of seven when Hobson was welcomed by a gathering of over 1000 natives. He long cherished memories of the event, but these are now overclouded by his great age. The other, To Hira Pateoro, who was only an infant in arms at the time, is a nephew of Apibai Te Kawau, the chief who greeted the Governor with a speech of welcome. JUDGE AS GUEST OF HONOUR. Yesterday’s celebration, which was the idea of the Orakei Alaoris, was held on the grass-covered marac between the meeting-house and the little church. Several Irundrec Europeans attended. The guest of honour was Air F. O. V. Acheson, Judge of the Native Land Court, who was welcomed at the village entrance with a vigoious haka by a party of women, girls and men, led by Wi Pahaka Rewiti. rie was accompanied by Air Lou Parore, of Dargavillo, who had come to represent the northern section of the Ngatiwhatua tribe. First a religious service was held by the Rev. IV. T. Toka of the Katana Church, and the Rev. Robert Tahupotiki Haddon, of Hawera. superintendent of the Methodist Maori Mission. A native choir, including girls from the Kurahina Alethodist School, Onehunga, sang a number of unaccompanied hymns. Air Haddon, in an address, reminded the Europeans present that the hills of Auckland, with their terraced fortifications, had been the homes of the present-day Maoris’ ancestors. “They were a warlike race, ’ ’ he said, ‘ ‘ somewhat similar to ,: our own, though living in the Stone Age. I remember that a pakelia once said to me, ‘Your people are all descended from savages and cannibals. ’ I replied! to him, * That is so, but while your ancestors were wearing skins and living in caves, mine were wearing mats and living in carved houses.’ ” (Laughter.) HAKA OF 1841 REVIVED. Air Haddon went on to sketch New Zealand history as it affected the Maori, from the arrival of Samuel Marsden in 1814 to the Treaty of Waitangi and what he termed the lamentable civil wars in North Auckland, Taranaki and the Waikato. “There have been mistakes in the past,’’ he said, “but the modern Maoris and the modern pakehas are not responsible for them. They arc living together in frienciship, as brothers and sisters. The pakehas of to-day have all paid a full 20s in the pound for every acre they own. Let us all go On as brothers and sisters through life. The ambition of the young Alaoris throughout New Zealand is to stand beside the pakcha, lift up the standard and carry on.’’ After the service a poi dance was given by the girls, and this was followed by a series of hakas. One of these was a greeting to the sun upon the hoisting of a flag, and was performed when the Union Jack was hoisted near Albert Park upon Hobson’s lanct ing at Auckland the day after his visit to the chiefs and people at Orakei. Another embodied a prophecy made by Ti Tahi, a Ngatiwhatua chief, at Orakei in 1780. Ti Tahi saw seaweed driving ashore and foretold that a great people should come from the north and settle upon the shores of the Waitemata. This was remembered and interpreted later as referring to the pakelia. REMNANT OF A GREAT TRIBE. “On behalf of the pakehas present, I wish to return thanks for your welcome,” said Air Acheson, whose speech was translated by Air Parore. “I am glad to join with you in paying a tribute to a great man, also to the great Alaoris who were his contemporaries, including Te Kawau, whose near relatives are seated over there, and to their ancestors. I look upon these people as the remnant of a great tribe, but although a remnant, they are there, and I hope that there they will always remain. Those of us who have studied the history of this place, and the history of the past know that they are entitled to remain, and as Judge of the Court I say that we admire the courage with which they are hanging on.” Referring to the state of the Orakei village, Air Acheson said if the people wishcn to deserve the respect of the spirits of their ancestors they must do something to improve its condition. “It is only eight years to the centenary of the Treaty of Waitangi,” he remarked, “and that is little enough time to make a worthy marae of this place. All through New Zealand a new spirit and a new courage are coming to the Alaori people—why not here? We shall be only too glad to help you, but the work must be done by yourselves. The large number of pakehas here to-day shows that we are interested in you.” Wi Rewiti, in a brief reply, thanked Mr Acheson for assisting in the commemoration and said the Alaoris hoped to continue in the same good spirit that had been shown that c*iy. The gathering ended with the National Anthem.