THE HAU-HAUS IN UPPER WANGANUI

North Otago Times, Volume VI, Issue 125, 12 July 1866, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE HAU-HAUS IN UPPER WANG ANUI

The long-expected meeting between the rebels and the friendly tribes has come off at last. A correspondent who was present at the Ranana meeting has favored us (" New Zealand Advertiser") with the following particulars . — On my arrival I found about two hundred of the loyal natives assembled, and eagerly waiting for the rebels, who had encamped a few miles further up the river. There were about ten Europeans present besides myself, and we all shared, in some degree, in the local excitement. The District Magistrates had gone up the river to meet the rebels, and to ascertain their intentions, and we were all anxious to learn the result of this interview. When it was definitely known that they were coming down, preparations were set on foot for a grand Maori reception. The men dressed themselves in their best garments, and the women daubed themselves with blue paint. All was noise and excitement at Ranana when the approach of the rebels was announced, and the firing of guns mingled strangely with the yells of welcome from the women. They came in several large canoes, densely crowded. There were over two hundred warriors, besides women and children. They landed without making any demonstration, then shouldered their arms, and marched in silence into the pah. In the open courtyard they halted, drew up into a close phalanx, lowered their guns, an rested mournfully upon them. Meanwhile, the loyal natives had collected at the other extremity of the pah, and, after a short war-dance, rushed down towards the rebels with loud shouts of defiance. Within ten yards of them, they halted. There was a short pause, and then the women of the pah broke out into a loud, melancholy wailing. The rebels, still resting on their guns, immediately took up the doleful tangi, and there was every appearance of great tribulation for the space of an hour. The rebels were the first to move off, retiring into the large booth that had been prepared for them. The contrast, I may here observe, between the loyal natives, most of whom were respectably dressed, and

the wretched half-clad fanatics, was very marked. At sunset, the rebels came out of their tents without their arms, and engaged in their Hau-hau incantations and observances. It was really melancholy to see the old chief Topine who is well and favorably known among the Wanganui settlers, standing in the centre of the ring, with a red blanket wrapped around him, to represent the "sacred pole," while his deluded followers chanted their Hau-hau jargon. I am told that on being expostulated with by Mr Booth, who was formerly the native catechist of the district, he replied that he was himself convinced of the folly of such practices, but that it had become a political necessity with him to embrace the new religion ; he continued, he said, to read his bible in private while in public he feigned an implicit belief in the Hau hau superstition, in order to retain his influence over his infatuated people. It struck me as remarkable that the worshippers kept their eyes fixed on the ground, and the palms of their hands directed downwards instead of being lifted upwards, as is the usual custom of the Hauhaus. Upon inquiry, I learnt that this was a feature of the new faith, which had originated with Te Ua's successor. This new prophet teaches that, as the war arose out of the land question, the prayers of the people should be addressed to the Spirit of the Land, and not to the god Rura as heretofore. He attributes the failure that has invariably attended the operations of the Hau-haus entirely to this error in their form of worship. Hence, the changed attitude which I had observed. I endeavored in vain to catch the remainder of the incantations. They appeared to be compounded of English words, strung together without any connection, and without any reference whatever to their sense. For example : Rongohira, rongohira, teihana 1 The long hill, the long hill, attention ! Pikihira, pihikira, lewanal The big hill, the big hill, attention ! Ko'oria, hororia, teihan I Glory, glory, attention ! Paimarire-rire-rire 1 The repetition rire, rire, was chanted in a different key, and with peculiar softness and pathos. Towards the close of the performance they all made the sign of the cross. As I have already remarked, they were miserably clad. Many of them were half-, naked, while others wore mantles made of sheepskins, looted during the Taranaki war. They were all armed with guns and rifles, and many of them with tomahawks. More than one-half of them, I was informed, had fought against the forces under General Chute. The loyal natives treated them with great kindness, and gave them large supplies of food and clothing. There was a long and very exciting discussion between the leading rebel, Topia, and several of the loyal chiefs ; but I understand that it led to nothing satisfactory, beyond an assurance on the part of Topia that he was anxious to see peace generally established. Topia spoke very little, and I think Hohepa was the only other rebel who spoke at all. Topia handed over his taiah, or carved spear, to MrBuller,R,M., who had previously come up the river to meet the Hau-haus, and shown his confidence in them by sleeping a night, unarmed, in their camp. I believe the spear is to be forwarded to the Governor; but whether it can be regarded as a token of submission I am not prepared to say, for what passed between Mr Buller and Topia during that interview has not transpired. My own impression is, that the majority of these natives are sick and tired of the war, and are not disposed to give us any more trouble.