THE DEATH OF WI MAIHI.

Hot Lakes Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 167, 12 February 1896, Page 2

THE DEATH OF WI MAIHI.

The Taxgi at Awairor.Tlic very lieacrns wept over the obsequies of tl>« famous'Kliief AViremu Maihi To Rhngikaheke, more familiarly known I to Europeans as Wi Marsh. The down- i pour of rain, however. 011 Friday last did j sot deter large numbers of both natives } and SuropeajKS from proceeding to Awaliou to do honor to tlie memory of one who was justly held to bo the most intellectual of his race; and who had proved a consistent friend of the Government in the troublous war times. During the Rotorua-Tauranga campaign lie fought with his tribe on the Eui'opean side, and his only son, Hataralia. waskilledin one of Te Kooti's raids on Ouiarumuku. His knowledge of Maori legendary aiul tra- | ditional lore was. most profound and as ! he was a ready writer he was of the | greatest assistance to Sir George Grey in , his researches into these matters. Atone ' time he was desirous of entering Parliament; and with that object contested an j election in this district but sustained a very'crushing defeat . Judging from the j fact that ho was married at the time of \ the sack of Mokoia (1823) lie was con- I sidered to be over 90- years of age. Two j widows and'two daughters survive him, Jhe latter being both married to chiefs of ! the tribe.- In regard to his wives it is | averred that he was induced by religious j scruples to put away his first wife, Mere, (the mother of his children) and that the discarded one vowed she would never return to him unless it were to take her 1 place at the head of his coffin. This vow she kept and,was accordingly to be seen at. the vingi. Mr C. Malfroy was appointed by the 1 Government as their representative at the ] tangi and having communicated with the i natives Friday was fixed* upon as the day on which they would be prepared to receive him. Previous to Mr Malfroy's arrival, however, a large party of natives representing other hapus of the tribe arrived by steam launches at Awaliou. These were welcomed by the Ngatirangiwcwelii as they set foot on the beach by the firing of guns and some highly spectacular effects in the- shape of hakas in whioh the costumes were more conventionally native than European. Mr'Malfroy was accompanied by Mr R. D. Dansey who acted as interpreter throughout, and to these gentlemen and to all' the Europeans present to the number of over MO the utmost attention wiis paid. The body of the dead chief lay coffined in front of the house Wluita-oko-rau, surrounded by the. kirimate (mourners), the party consisting of his first wife Mere, his second wife Derailga, who nursed him. through his illness, his two daughters, Rangikalieke and Ngarongo, his grandchildren and other relatives. The usual salutations having been exeliangsd here Mr Malfroy's party were invited to enter the house Te Purei where a repast cooked in native fashion had been prepared for them on a most elaborate scale. The hospitality of the natives was also freely responded to by the other visitors present and the raiipo strewn floor was quickly thronged by a host of' guests whose appetites, sharpened by an eight-mile drive,, made them careless of the absence ; of forks, plates or table napkins. Many doubtless entered the house out of mere curiosity but the savor of the viands induced them to stay and eat. Mr W. Rogers received the guests and apologised for the primitive stylo in which the feast was served, but this was unnecessary, for, as one of the guests remarked, as 110 poised a cunningly contrived kit full' of 1 deliciously cooked potatoes in one hand ' and nn appetising piece of pork in the other, it was the utter absence of conventionality which gave it a zest. The feasting concluded a return was made to the open space itv front' of i "Wliaka-oko-rau. Hero Eruera Hori . formally introduced Mr Malfroy to the j assemblage. He said it was fitting that the' Government should send' someone to

mourn with them over their dead chief for he had done much for the QuYen, They appreciated this thoughtfulness and were glad that Mr Malfroy had been chosen as their representative, for lie was one from whom they had always received much kindness* He was indeed a father to the Arawa. Mr Malfroy acknowledged the compliment paid to himself, mill regretted the absence of Mr Wilkinson, of the Waikato, who had been appointed to act with him. and whose knowledge of Maori customs would have been of much advantage. The Government fully recognised the worth of the departed cuicf who had been loyal to the Queen and of great service to the European' settlers, through his instrumentality many of the roads had been opened up. Apart from his services politically Wi Maihi's name deserved to be recorded in history for the in formation he had imparted to Sir George Grey while engaged in the compilation of his work on Maori legendary lore. It {rave hiin (Mr Malfroy) pleasure to know that while Wi Maihi was so friendly to the psukchft he Iwid not lost the confidence of his tribe which was made most clear l.y the presence of so many chiefs around his bier. He was also glad b> see so many Europeans present. Some had, no doubt, e imo out of curiosity, but there were many present desirous of paying respect to the memory of the efreat chief. To Pokiha taranui (Major Fox), Hemi fe TAipafra, Ana ha te Rahui and Matenga <e WahaToa followed in speeches eulogistic of the departed chief. The hitter referred to Wi Maihi's services to the Europeans and said', " It is owing to these things that wo ask that a request he granted. Let a memorial stone be erected to his memory. Let it be stately and of good material so that our youths may look up to rt and be inspired to emulate the deeds of their ancestor. Let the stone be got from England and not from Auckland." Mr Malfroy said he would transmit their request to the Government. He suggested however that they should not be rash in the matter but should decide between themselves definitely what shape and in what place they would like to have the stone erected. His reason for giving this advice was that there had been in his office for the last four years a marble tablet to the memory of Paul Amahou. Complications had arisen as to its disposal, some desiring its erection in the Church and others opposing it; no settlement had yet been arrived at, and it would bit a pity if similar complications arose in the present case. Matenga te Waharoa said: "There will he no difficulty. Here are tho tribe of tin- Arawa assembled. I shall ask them now if the monument should be erected in the town of Rotorua, in Arawa Street." A unanimous assent was given to this proposition by those assembled. Three cheers were then given for the Queen and three for Mr Malfroy and this pari of the function terminated" The tangi still continues and natives are flocking in from the East Coast and elsewhere every day. On Saturday Mr Malfroy again proceeded to Aw'ahou. Archdeacon "Williams, and the Revs. F. 11. Spencer and R'aihcka Haumia were present to conduct the funeral services. The Archdeacon gave an address in Maori which was listened to attentively by all present. At its conclusion the body was placid in a boat for conveyance to the place of sepulture on (lie Orangikalmi height about t'.rec miles distant! At the embarking plane vollies of musketry were fired and the dead'chief, somewhat after the the manner of tho Xorsc Vikings, was sent forth on the bosom of the wafers, with a farewell chant from these assembled on the shore. The clerical party proceeded on horseback to tho place of interment. The burial ground on the summit of Orangikahui has been used for that purpose from time immemorial by the Ngatiranfriwewehi. Here lies the warrior-priest, Hikaiio, who was nominated as King along with Potatau and rejected in his favor, nikairo was a great cannibal and report states that he always kupt tho carcase;of.aplump enemy hanging in front, of his wdiare door so that he could take a tender "cut and come-again." His son William Hikairo, wdio also lies buried there, was a mai> of a milder disposition and was permanent native assessor under Judge Jenton.