STUDY IN CONTRASTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21717, 5 February 1934, Page 11

STUDY IN CONTRASTS

STYLE OF ENTERTAINMENT RAROTONGAN AND MAORI PEACEFUL TONE AND WARLIKE [BY TELEGRAPH SPECIAL REPORTER] WAJTANGI, Sunday The Anglican Church service on the marae at Ti Point this afternoon was followed by a splendid ioint entertainment by Rarotongans and Maoris. So great was the press of people, the Rarotongan entertainers, when they issued from the hall, were immediately engulfed in the large crowd and were obliged to retire. After some time, under the direction of Sir Apirana Ngata, aided by the camp crier, who addressed the people through a megaphone in Maori and excellent English, the spectators were persuaded to spread leaving a large elongated open space wherein the entertainment was given three times in difFerent places, enabling everybody to see the dances from a reasonable distance.

The Maori portion was entrusted to th f e Taranaki and Wanganui contingents, the former providing male and female haka parties and the latter a bevy of poi girls and a haka party of men. This was the first appearance of entertainers from either district on the marae at "Waitangi and their performance was much appreciated by spectators of both races. More Rapid and Sprightly

Tho Rarotongans, all slender youths and girls with fair skins about equal in colour to that of a half-caste Maori, presented a charming appearance. Both sexes wore skirts of white fibre strands, dyed in horizontal bands of pink and cream, and the girls wore bodices of light blue colour. All had head-bands in which tufted quills were stuck.

Their songs and dances were all typical of a peaceful tropic people, being more rapid, gay and sprightly than those of the Maori. One chant and dance represented the voyage of the first canoe from Rarotonga to Aotearoa, the girls being seated in a row with the men standing behind and going through the motions of baling and paddling. Another differed from any traditional Maori dance in that men and women alternated in the ranks, facing this way and that. The singing was to a soft accompaniment of piano and organ. Both visitors and Maoris seemed to enjoy each other's performances very much, judging by their smiles and applause. The Rarotongans seemed particularly interested in the contortions and grimaces of the leaders of the hakas. A charming addition to one Rarotongan danco was a little girl in a blue dress and fibre kilt who smilingly went through all the same motions as her elders with perfect grace and self-pos-session . Legend of the Moon The Wanganui and Taranaki parties entered the marae together, the Rarotongans approaching from the other end of the space, where welcome hakas and chants were given by both Maori groups in houour of the islanders, who were quick to respond with their performance. One song which they had to repeat several times was a greeting to the New Zealand tribes and another song referred to the Rarotongan legend that the moon rises in Hawaiki and sets in Aotearoa. The performing Maoris were the first to applaud an entertainment which lent singular colour and novelty to the proceedings. The contrast between the island ditties and tho Maori chants, several of which were warliko in the extreme, was strange, but greatly pleasing to the Europeans and natives. Princess Tinirau was a prominent figure in the Rarotongan party. There were differences in the Maori items, too, emphasising the variations in the tribes themselves, which the spectators were quirk to comprehend. A group from South Taranaki presented a very ancient labour chant heard for the first time outside the visitors' own pa. INTEREST IN CEREMONY TREATY'S PLACE IN HISTORY PRIME MINISTER'S REMARKS' Reference to the great interest being taken in the Waitangi celebrations was made on Saturday by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, on his arrival from Wellington. He said the generous gift of His Excellency the Governor-General had focussed_ attention on a subject of great historical importance which had been more or less overlooked in the past. "The gathering now being held is to show the appreciation of the Maori people of what His Excellency has done," Mr. Forbes said. "It will also prove valuable in making the people of New Zealand realise the historical importance of the signing of the Treaty. "One is agreeably surprised to see such great interest evidenced throughout the Dominion, and it will be a means of preserving the good spirit that has always existed between the pakeha and the Maori. This spirit of friendliness between the two races has often been commented upon by visitors from other countries, people being quick to see the manner in which the two races have settled down side by side in an endeavour to work out a common destiny." Mr. Forbes said the importance of the occasion was recognised by the Government. This was shown by the fact that almost every member of the Min* istry would be present, as well as most members of Parliament.