MAORI MIRTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20626, 26 July 1930, Page 1 (Supplement)

MAORI MIRTH.

IN THE BRAVE DAYS OF OLD.

BT H.A.&.

Sketches written In the 'fifties are particularly interesting, for pictures they give of the shrewd, smiling, fun-loving Maori before the hates and the struggles of the 'sixties began. Very few natives lived in Auckland, but they were constantly to bo seon ii. the streets, for native produce practically supplied the city with food. Canoea were coming and going all the time Once or Lwice a year the tribe from tho eastern boundary of the gulf came with a fleet of forty sail, and held quite a fair. The Maoris sold potatoes and other vegetable*, pigs, turkeys, geese, ducks and fowls, wheat and maize, melons, peaches, flax and firewood They took in return ironware, blankets, tobacco end clothing, sometimes much finery. A new arrival in the 'fifties, being taken round the town, saw n Maori " lady swell" sailing out of the leading drapery establishment under the admiring gaze of her countrymen She was a chieftainess of loftv bearing, and the new arrival, having been in the drapery trade at Home, computed the cost of her wardrobe with a calculating eye. Her enormous crinoline contained thirty yards of silk at ten shillings the yard ; add to that fifty shillings for trimming and making, and we have seventeen pounds ten shillings. Hor cloak waa worth three guineas; her hat and feather, fifty shillings; her tiny parasol, twenty five; her kid gloves, fifteen; and she completed her costume with a watch and chain worth twenty pounds—a total of forty-five pounds three shillings. As she swept across the Btreet thus magnificently attired she had to step up a very high wooden kerbing on tho other side of Queen Street. This sho did quite nonchalantly, with dignity unimpaired, as she revealed bare, brown legs and feet. Sho had not considered shoes and stockings at all a necessary part of her toilet. A Love Quarrel.

The same observer, returning later in the day, heard a great commotion in the street, and saw a crowd of excited Maoris. Ho was told tho trouble was caused by an " aroha wakateto," or love quarrel. A Maori girl had married to pleas© herself. and had gono to her husband's village, to the wrath of the young man for whom she had been intended. He and his friends refused to recognise tho marriage, and, both parties being in town this day, an ugly quarrel and an attempt to carry off tho bride seemed imminent. In the middle of tho hubbub the commanding figure of the morning made her appearance, calling orders to right and left, and being heard with great respect. She separated the two parties, made them choose eight stalwarts from the ranks of each, seeing herself that they were evenly matched. iSlio ordered the bride to lie placed in tho middle, bade tho foremost man of each team place lis hands round her waist, and ordered them then and there to settle ownership of the girl by a tugof-war. Tho writer's blood boiled, for he was an Irishman, and hated to see a woman so used. Hut none could interfere. The contest began, amid the screams of the girl that she was being pulled to pieces. Truly this was a joke that went too far! Fortunately for her the struggle was not too prolonged. A long pull and a strong pull, and one side had a decisive win, arid the bride was restored to her chosen husband.

Losing a Wager. A party returning from an excursion on the Waitemata called Rt Orakei to see what a native settlement was like, and t» buv some kit 3 of trie peaches for which the place w;ls famous. They wero hospitably received Presently, in the course of conversation, the chief told the pakoha of the wonderful gastronornical feats of a certain Maori, whom ho pointed out. There was no end to what the fellow could eat. In fact, tho chief would bet the pakeha that his man and a friend of his would eat twenty-five pounds of potatoes between them in five minutes. Tho white man makes some rapid calculation. No; it is impossible He accepts tho wager. Voices are heaid on every bkloi this ono and that one want to have ft bet with the pakeha. The pakeha has no more money in his pocket. Tho chief courteously offers to supply him. A number of bets are made.

Now, the wager is to be tested. Tho potatoes are brought and put to cook. The hero of tho occasion atrolls up and asks that a few sweet potatoes bo added as a relish to eat when the others are finished The white man stares, but sportmgly offers to deduct the weight of the sweet potatoes from the twenty-five pounds. The hero declines with thanks; his friend, ho says, would be too sorry thus to be deprived of the full feast. The potatoes are taken out, and all look round for the friend. The hero goes to call him, and presently his call is heard ringing through the trees—" Poi, poi, poi, poi, poaka, poaka, poaka." The pakelia knows ho 'is " dished." The

" friend" trots in on all fours, grunting loudly, and ravenously begins tho meal. Tho Maori calmly eats tho sweet potatoes as his share. Tho white man would like to slip awav unobtrusively. But, no; he must stay and be 6ure all is finished within the stipulated time. It is, and to spare. Tho pakelia has been properly " had." At last ho gets sway, the jeers and triumphant laughter of tho victors pursuing him across tho water. A Wedding Breakfast.

On<> more picture—thin t:m« of ft Maori wedding An Auckland business man had married a Maori woman of rank. lie had died, and had provided in his will that each of their children, on reaching a certain ago should lie taken from her and sen 1 to school It seemed a harsh thing to deprive her entirely of her children, but he was greatly afraid that his half-caste sons and daughters would go hack to tlio Maoris. The widow was left alone, and was now resolved to marry a man of lici own race, and go back to her people. It was her wedding day, and her son brought his white schoolfellow to the wedding feast The couple had been mar ned by Bishop Selwyn at his private chapel ai Judge's Hay, and were now as semhled with their friends at a creek up the Waitemnta A large whare had been built, where the most notable guests partook of food, the others being ranged round outside. There were five hundred persons present, and one thousand pounds would not have covered the cost of the food

The pakeha visitor was greeted warmly They crowded round hirn with, " Come here, pakeha, come here. Welcome, pakeha, welcome Give me your hand." The chief Maori speaker at the feast re joiccd greatly that the bride was returning to her people, able and ready to teach them the wonderful things she had learned among the white men Earlier in the day she might have been seen teaching her gaping sisters how to make a plum purl ding Her beautiful, expensive cloak law' aside riiid her sleeves rolled to the elbows, she mixed the pudding and poured it into i pillow slip Much smacking of the lips there was ovei that pudding!

Even then, of course, the Maori had his detractors, but this is what Swainson says of lijrn in tin* late 'fifties: " Useful neigh hours, good humoured, ever ready to enjoj a joke, sell" satisfied and content, tho pro sence of tho natives gives life and anima tion to the northern province, and makes Auckland tLe emporium of New Zealand."