Maoris Visit Hawaii

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7294, 2 August 1930, Page 4

Maoris Visit Hawaii

LATTER DAY SAINTS ON TEMPLE PILGRIMAGE UNIQUE NATIVE CEREMONY Twelve Maori Latter Day Saints formed an interesting group on the Niagara on Monday, when they returned from Honolulu after doing sacred work in tho Mormon Temple a: Laie, Oahu Island. The Laie temple is the nearest Mormon temple to New Zealand, and the visit of the Maoris was the third annual pilgrimage to Honolulu. Five members of the party returned to New Zealand last week o-n the Aorangi, the remainder electing to stay longer in Hawaii. Tho natives represented many districts in New Zealand—Poverty Bay, Hawke’s Bay and Ilauraki, in particular, and the Maoris of the South Island wore also represented. There arc now 7.200 Latter Day Saints in New Zealand, the, preponderance of the members of tho church being Maoris. The work of the church is extremely active. Elder J. E. McGregor was in charge of the Maori party when it wont to Honolulu and, with Miss Louisa Magleby, daughter of the mission president in New Zealand, who had completed two years’ field work in the Dominion, he travelled on to the church headquarters at Salt Lake City, Utah. The stay of the Maoris in Honolulu was particularly interesting because of the close alliance between tho Hawaiins and the Maoris. Samoans and Tahitians wore also in Hawaii for the temple ceremonies, and after the arrival of the Maoris, an entertainment was arranged in their honour. At this unique performance the music and the singing of Maoris, Hawaiins, Tahitians and Samoans were heard, and distinctive dances given. The hula, which originated in Samoa and not in Hawaii, was danced by Samoans ; tho Hawaiins gave dances to the accompaniment of beads rattled in gourds to represent the sounds of waves ; and the purely New Zealand poi dance, contributed by the. Maoris, attracted great attention. "When the Maoris arrived at Honolulu, they were greeted by the Hawaiins, who decorated the visitors with Icis.

During the three wrecks of temple ■work, the, Maoris were closely associated with Haw-aiin village life. At one Polynesian entertainment during the visit, in the church hall at K alibi, the similarity of the Polynesian languages was shown when an English interpreter and representatives of the several native races addressed the assembly. Members of the party praised the hospitality of tno Hawalins on their return. ‘'lt was true Maori friendship,” one said. In New Zealand, the important work for the church is done at the. Maori Agricultural College, near Hastings.