THE MAORI PEOPLE

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 226, 22 August 1928, Page 4

THE MAORI PEOPLE

AN HISTORIC RACE,

ADDRESS AT LUNCHEON CLUB

There was a good attendance at yesterday’s meeting of the Citizens’ Luncheon Club, presided over by Mr J. L. C. Merton. Tho speaker was Mr Te Ari-Tau Pitana, who spoke on various aspects of tho Maori race.

ORIGIN OF MAORI PEOPLE,

In indicating the common origin of the two races at present inhabiting the Dominion, Mr Pitana said that the unity of the two peoples in the great Caucasian race might bo thought to be at so remote a date that it was of no more consequence than the fact that we all descended from the great primordial precursor. But it was not so. The length of time which had passed since Briton and Maori dwelled together, wielding tho same primitive weapons against tho common enemy, was trifling in comparison with that occupied by the myriads of generations which lived and died before environment and association had welded incongruous atoms, of humanity into the great Caucasian type. This race had its crude in the pleasant valleys of a charming country which existed where the Sahara still maintains the Berbi descendants of the remnants which remained from the great exodus to the north and elsewhere. In the British Museum were to be found two skulls, one of an ancient Maori chief and the other that of an early Briton. Each containing a hole in the top, to allow the spirit a free exit. This indicated a common religious belief.

GREAT NAVIGATORS,

Continuing, the speaker said: "I think the Maoris can well claim to be the most noted navigators of the seven seas. They have sailed in Arctic waters, crossed tho broad breast of the Pacific, conquered oceans. Long before Vasco de Gama or Marco Poala made their epic-making voyages, the Maori had conquered the great oceans.” The Maori was a communist in his ways of living. He devised a scheme which gave equal right to all, and yet allowed an Ariki or chief whom the tribe could recognise as their leader.

One would like to refer to the contact of the Maori with nature, said the speaker, but the field was too big to be dealt with in the time available.

As illustrating what attitude the Maori mind was inclined to take up towards pakeha legislation/the speaker quoted a saying of the famous warrior Te Kooti, who when brought before a court and asked to plead, had replied, “The laws of Moses wero graven on stone; those of Britain on steel; and those of New Zealand on -india-rubber, and you can stretch them whichever way you like.” To-day the cry of the multitudes was “What is religion.” The problems with which mankind to-day was confronted w r ero numerous and grave, and dissensions amongst those claiming to he ambassadors of the Prince of Peace did not lighten the gloom. Tho Maori had found truth to be religion, and in all nature —the delicate tints of the dawn,

tho warmth of the sun, tho plaintive wail of tho wood-lien, the majestic solemnity of tho hills, clad in a green garment of forests—in all these flic Maori could see manifestations of God. IN THE BACKGROUND.

To-day the Maori was almost relegated into the background, continued the speaker, but tho blame was attributable only to the Maori himsolf. The native felt that tho white man came hero and beat him for his land, not fulfilling, to the Maori’s way of thinking, i the obligations of tho Treaty of Waita'ngi. One great factor militating against tho Maori to-day was that in a period of a century ho had been removed from primitive to civilised conditions, a very big transition. The white races had taken far longer and apparently weren’t civilised yet. (Laughter.) When the errors of the modern economic system were properly adjusted, there would be more charity between the white man and the Maori. The speaker looked forward to the tune when the Maoris would get race pride and stand shoulder to shoulder, dropping the tribal jealousies that now existed. When that time came, the next step would be tho unification of the Maori and pakelia races. Our modern civilisation was due to Christianity, said Mr fPitama. The preeminence of the British nation to-day was largely due to tho fact that the nation had "followed in the footsteps of the Prophet of Nazareth. IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION.

“Education is important and in this respect I desire to pay a tribute to the Prime Minister for his unfailing interest. I believe that many of the European members of Parliament have the interests of the Maori race as much at heart as do our own representatives. Tho tatdoed Maori of the past presented a wonderfully picturesque figure. His religious belief was peculiar. Ho had a head god, known only to the inner few, and a multiplicity of lessei deities. The chief god was known to the Polynesian by twelve names, and from him came the virtues, and heaven and earth. . . ~ „ Mr T R. Hodder, in conveying the club’s thanks to the speaker, described tho address as interesting, instructive and eloquent. In Ins opinion the

time had come when tho Maoris should be spoken of as “our” race, signifjing the unity of tho pakeha and natno races. Mr Hodder, speaking from personal knowledge, commended the appointment of Rev. A. *. Bennett as a Maori Bishop. Bcv A. J. Seamcr, general superintendent of homo and Maori missions for New Zealand, paid a tribute to the Maori people. The Methodist Chuich, said Mr Seamcr, had appointed a Iml - custe minister as supermtendent immediately in charge of the Maori work, and he was able to get into spiritual contact with his flock.