LONG TIME OF WAITING

Northern Advocate, 5 February 1934, Page 8

LONG TIME OF WAITING

ELOQUENCE OF THE HAKA. —♦-X, THANK GOD FOR THE TREATY. “The food for the body is immaterial; it is what is left in the mind 1 that is important.” »So said one of the Maori, loaders at Waitangi, and his theory was well tested on Saturday, when unexpected delays occurred in the official welcome to the Taihauauru (Western) people. On account of a three hour stop at Helonsville, the train conveying naI l ives from the Rotorua, Tanpo and i Walhalo districts was late on arrival I at Opna, but that was only where the 1 disappointment started, j As the first launch loads made for j Waitangi a slight drizzle foreshadow | ed worse to follow, but even when the I rain intensified, the spirits of the I Maoris kept high. -Seeking cover in j the shelter of motors drawn up by the 1 Avharf side, the visitors awaited the (arrival of the remainder of their i party. i Transport Problem. j On account of the large number (700), transportation proved a real j problem for the local launch owners, land several return trips had to be | made. Meanwhile, the hosts, drawn (up in serried ranks, kept their posi{tion on the reception ground, passing jtho time away in rehearsal and song. I Several sharp showers intervened dur- | ing the wait of over two hours, but by the time everything was ready for' the proceedings to begin, the sun had appeared and the weather continued fine for the remainder of the day. The Northern Maoris having heard i a great deal of King Koroki, much in- ! forest was evinced in the person of the (youthful leader, whose predecessors (arrived in New Zealand by the Tainui canoe. A Powhiri. An impressive addition to the ceremonial on this occasion was the presentation of a powhiri of welcome and mourning. This lament may be likenjed to the Irish wake. The moaning underlying the powhiri is that the tribes are brought together by mutual death and suffering. Garlanded with green leaves, and swinging more in j their hands, the performers went 1 through the slow evolutions of the haka, expressing sympathy with the guests in the loss of their departed. The Maori never liprries, and he m|iinjtained his dignified poise even in war, jso the newcomers, symbolising a raidI ing party invading hostile territory, and headed by the venerable Mita j Taupopoki, stealthily moved forward, concentrated passion in . their every gesture. They were faced by the defending party of toas, or braves, the Ngapuhis led by Turei 'Heke, a blood reflation of the illustrious Hone Heke, and Rev. Mutu Kapa, of Ahipara. Carrying taiahas, and clad in koroai mats, bordered with kiwi and pigeon feathers, these two made striking figures. In ancient times the warrior did not' even wear a mat under his pin-pin which corresponded with the Highland kilt. The ideal in presenting a haka .or war dance is to discard as much raiment as possible, and fewer long trousers and shirt sleeves were in evidence on Saturday among those representing the Ngapuhi haka team. The more enthusiastic of the party had gone to more pains than usual, elaborately painting their faces, so as to resemble as much as possible the scroll work on the old time tattooed warrior. Peace —Not WarAs the advancing party crept at a snail’s pace towards what would have been the defending pa, they were taunted ..and exhorted by picked men, who jeered and grimaced at them. Realising, however, that the mission was one of peace) not of wav, the warriors of the home tribe ceased their mockery, which soon was superseded by a. waiata of welcome, in which the maidens, in their bright scarlet uniforms, took the leading part. Actions conveyed a clearer impression than the spoken word in the haka which followed, and as the last movements ceased the toas advanced through the lines of girls. They then joined in a tribal haka, which was followed by the national “Kamate! Kainate!” the words of this being ‘•’Tis death! ’Tis death. No. ’Tis life! ’Tis life!” ’ ’he veteran ladies were then seen in a haka, which for vivid expression and vigorous movement rivalled the performance of the younger ones. Again the toas, gencralled by Sir Apirana Ngata, advanced to give the final gesture of defiance. The significance of this drama was belied by the friendly words which followed from Sir Apirana. He referred to the Treaty of 'Waitangi as the foundation upon which intor-tribal friendship and peace had been made possible. Without the Gospel and the Treaty, the tribes which were mingling so happily that day, would probably still be at I enmity. These sentiments wore interpreted by the actions of another dirgolike chant. Classical Speeches. A c'.i.ssical speech, abounding in allusions to traditional lore, was made by Turei Hoke. Among the others to deliver welcomes wore Hori Ngateroa, of Tuhoo, who referred to the treasurer which the signing of sovereignty to the Queen and the message of the Gospel had given to his race. “Thank God for the Treaty,” he said. “If it were not for that, most of the Maoris would have been eaten by now, and few would remain.”

The first spokesman in reply was Hone Hcu Heu, descendant of the warrior, and of the donor of National Park. He expressed the. pleasure •which the tribes of Taranaki experienced in meeting’ their Northern kinsfolk on such historic ground. Tribal songs and an address by Pei Jones, representing the Ngati-Mania-poto people, followed. Then Mita Taupopoki charmed with the inspired brilliance of his oratory. Although his people had not been signatories to the Treaty, he said, they had received considerable benefit from it. Mila paid a sincere tribute to the missionaries, whom he regarded a . principally responsible for making the Treaty possible. Without moving a facial muscle, the Rotorua orator had the thousands wiio had been spellbound for .over two hours rocking with laughter. With humorous hakas, in which the Whakaweraw’era wahinos. contorted and grimaced, the occasion terminated.