A WRONG TITLE

Manawatu Herald, Volume LI, Issue 4470, 26 June 1930, Page 3

A WRONG TITLE

Several .of Ilie newspapers spoke of the ‘'last Maori princess” when a South Island Maori woman of rank died during last week (says the-Auckland “Star”). There is no such thing' as a Maori princess, and the use of such a title only amuses people who know the Maori and his ways. In the same manner the noted woman of the Waikato who was responsible for the model village at Xgarnwahia was often spoken of as a “princess,” possibly because she was related to “King” Kata, who succeeded to the empty •throne that was formerly held by Mahnin and Point an. The Maoris .would never dream of using such a name as princess when speaking' of their own women, no matter how highly-born they might ,be. The assumption of the name “king” by Potatau, the founder of the dynasty which expired at YYaahi, on the banks of the Waikato, was purely the accident of circumstances. He was called King Potatau inertly in opposition to Queen Victoria. Had her Gracious Majesty been called Sultana of England, be would have called himself Sultan of New Zealand; the whole idea behind tin' litle was to draw a line of distinction between the friendly Natives who swore by “to Knini Wikitoria” and the disaffected Waikalos, who rallied round Pofnlau. But the Maori idea of royalty never included such a word as “princess;’’ it was left fo the picturesque pakeha to invent it.