MAORI GIFTS TO THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11872, 25 January 1902, Page 1 (Supplement)

MAORI GIFTS TO THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF YORK.

[BY HONE HEKT, M.H.R.] , Mr attention having been called to an article in your paper of the Ist inst., on the •subject of the gifts presented by the Maoris to Their Royal Highnesses, the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York, now the Prince and Princess of Wales, at Rotorua, - and containing remarks attributed to Mr. T. 11. Smith, ex-judge of the Native Land Court, I naturally read the interview with interest. It is to be regretted that any anxiety should have been felt by the advisers of Their Royal Highnesses, if not by Their Royal Highnesses themselves, in respect to the said gifts, it having no doubt arisen out of the opinions expressed by some speculating writer on the Maori custom of gifts. Before dealing with a part of Mr. T. H. Smith's statement in regard to a phase of the Maori custom in regard to the giving and receiving of gifts, I will explain the spirit in which Maoris make such gifts. In the case of the chefs and tribes of Ivaipara (Auckland) to Muriwlienua (North Cape), these chiefs, in giving their manuwhiris (guests) their hoeroa, patu pounamus, kuru pounamus, and mats, gave them as absolute gifts. This I can also say, that all the other chiefs and tribes of all the other parts of the island assembled at Rotorua, including the local chiefs and tribes, made their gift's over absolutely. As to-the cause of the presentations being made, it is not a difficult problem. It was the exercise by them of one of .their old customs, on the occasion of a visit from a manuwhiri-tuarangi. On this occasion the custom of bygone days was adopted to show the high esteem they had for their " manuwhiris-tuarangi", (Royal visitors). It was an act cementing friendship, a method of doing honour to their visitors, it always being a rule that no reception of " manu-whiris-tuarangi," and more especially a "kotuku rerenga tahi," would be complete without some substantial recognition of their presence and • visit. A chief, is actuated in this by his own position and status as a chief, as well as by the desire to do honour to a chief of high rank, and also by a care for the reputation of the tribe lie represents. Any attempt to measure by a foreign standard the rule of Maori custom in the matter of the gifts given at Rotorua I would be out of place. The Maori gifts ' would take the form of presents given by loyal subjects, through chiefs of their tribes, who have accepted the one crowned head and the one mana, showing their appreciation of the representative of that crowned head, whose presence also raised recollections of one whose name had been respected and revered amongst them, that of our late Sovereign Lady Queen Victoria. . As the sympathetic Maori mihi put it, " Haere mai j te mata o to Tupuna ruahine kua talia nei, nga mata hold o to Matua, te Kiingi"— "Welcome thou who art the embodiment of thy venerable grand-parent's countenance, j she who has passed away ; welcome thou | the representative of thy father, the King.'' In this connection, the gifts would also take the form of " roimata" (tears), a Maori cus- i tom of honouring the dead, and, through it,, J the living representatives. : Strictly speaking, gifts did not, neither do they carry with them any repayment; neither is there a rule that the gifts should be returned at some future time.' The custom would be useless and. absurd if that were the rule. It would ' nullify the importance of the act, and. would render nugatory the good intentions of the custom. It would degrade the position and status of l the chief, for it would take away the dignity of his position. Maori etiquette forbids a man to boast about gifts lie lias made, and it is absolutely not Maori etiquette for one to talk of what he ' expects' - to " gel. The loin inregard to gifts varies as the nature of the occasion and the spirit in which some are made; but where the gifts are gifts of honour on the occasion of ' the visit of a high and most distinguished visitor, such a visitor as would be seen in the district or country only once in the span of one's life (as the words "Kotuku rerenga tahi" imply), all gifts are made absolute. Here let me suppose a case between myself and the reader. But before proceeding let me state: that what is no doubt taken by foreigners to mean payment and emulation is a recognition (a similar honour), an appreciation, given, made, or shown at some later period by myself to you, or if not in our time, this would. be done by my heirs . and people to your heirs and people. If in the recognition which would also be the appreciation, I double or treble my gifts as compared with those by which you had honoured me, it is not an emulation on my part, • neither is it a payment. It is my recognition and appreciation of the honour you had done me and my people. I may not have the opportunity to do you a. similar honour during my lifetime. However, your act is not lost sight of. The opportunity for me to do so may crop up by some chance or accident. For instance, a relative of yours having died away from your kaianga which rendered it necessary for the people to have' the body of the deceased carried through my district. This would, be my opportunity, as it would bo my duty, which is also our custom, to invite the party to stay over the night or day. I would clothe the deceased with mats, pounamus, and other articles of rare (Maori) value. Those would be "roimata." I honour the dead, and in doing so, I honour you. Such are some of the phases on this subject. Mr. T.H. Smith says: " According to Maori etiquette, when a present : is given, the person who is receiving it, if he wishes to show his appreciation, aim snatches it from the hand of the giver/ This would be entirely bad form. Here Mr. T. 11. Smith is in error. This phase is entirely foreign to Maori custom on these matters. The appreciation is very seldom shown, either by word or gesture. The solemnity and nature of _Jthe speech may satisfy the donor. The presentation of gifts is - always a solemn performance. The minds of the recipients would be active in running through past history, and i reviving past acts and incidents in connection with the past life of the „wo tribes. All the while the donors' speech would be talcing the form ■ of a historical oration, bringing, up incidents showing how long and uninterrupted has been the friendship existing between the two tribes. It is never said in Maori speech, "Take these for past favours." Incidents c.re mentioned to show goodwill. No allusion is made to gifts, if gifts had previously passed between the two parties in former times. The recipient would reply in the same' manner. He has the right to accept the gifts or not. Should he not accept, he does so politely, using such words as, Kua iiui ahau i o kupu, he taonga nui tena 1 have been honoured with your words, these are a sufficient gift." It is no rebuff. It is a part of the custom, which is appreciated in the same way as it you had accepted them. In some instances gifts are made quietly. "Tena te mea iti na mauria atu ma taku mokopuna" —" I his paltry little tiling, take it lor my grandchild or relative." In this connection let me say that Maoris claim relationship no matter how far removed, if in their early associations and undertakings up to the present the two peoples have always helped each other. Maoris generally use the singular , number in speech, and when such words as, "There is a paltry little thing," is used, it is Maori etiquette to make your speech unpretentious, but not so the articles. No such thing as grabbing or snatching ever occurs. The "tahua taonga" (pile of articles) might lie where they were put down for a whole day or more, before the speech in reply is given, and before they are touched. This snatch- , ing reference is disproved by another custom. When a pakeha makes a speech, he expects applause, which is an oratorical form of punctuation. The speaker thus knows that his speech is appreciated, while hooting shows the reverse. With Maoris, on the other hand, silence is the sign of appreciation. You may hear of their appreciation expressed in words after the audience have broken up into groups, but such appreciation is . not' intended for the speaker's car. It. is very seldom told you in person that you have met with approval, although you may find that the people have formed a great liking for you, out there will . be no noisy eulogy. The inten-

, .-y, "... v|. : -V' : -7., - tion of this . letter is j not to belittle-: the knowledge possessed by Mr. T. H. : Smith, but to put: right an error ha has unfortunately made. It may, I also hope,; oe a sufficient answer to previous comments on the gifts given to their Royal Highnesses by the Maori people at. Rotorua. "Wellington, January 21, ISO2. ; .*.