TAMAHAU’S VISION.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1509, 31 January 1901, Page 66

TAMAHAU’S VISION.

THE SYDNEY PAGEANT FROM A MAORI VIEW-POINT.

‘IT OPENED MY EYES; I COULD NOT SHUT THEM.”

On Saturday afternoon last Tamahau Mahupuku, the head chief of the Wairarapa tribes, entertained an interested group of pressmen with a recountal of his experiences at. the Sydney Comnionwealth pageant, which he attended, as a representative of the New Zealand Maori tribes, accompanied by Nireaha Tamaki ana xvatana Ngahina. Tamahau is a fine specimen of the -viaori; opulent, yet generous, noble in appearance as in disposition, the father of his tribe, and the 'lover of his race. He is, in fact, the typical native gentleman, standing out on all great occasions, commanding, picturesque, dignified, selfcontained. When seen by the pressmen on Saturday Tamahau was “at mine ease at mine inn ” —the Wellington Hotel. He was in undress uniform, surmounted with a khaki coat. ±±e preferred to speak through an interpreter— Mr Tare Pa rata.

As' a preliminary to his. . narrative, Tamahau wished it to be made known how much lie appreciated the entente cordial© which existed between the Maoris and the Europeans throughout the colony. There had been differences and misunderstandings in the past, but the future would draw tnem togethercement them eternally as one people. “For your prosperity is our prosperity ; your Queen is our Queen ; and your God is our God!”—a fine sentiment admirably expressed. Then he spoke of the longing which for years had possessed him to vievy with his own eyes the great continent of Australia, of which he had heard so much. Like many other voyagers, over his experiences of the Tasman Sea he preferred to draw a veil. “ The sea was very angry,” he volunteered, “ and a, strange feeling came over us, but all on the Mokoia were very kind, and when we left the shores of Niu Tireni, and entered into the Pacific Ocean, there the waves were peaceful, it was as level as the surface of glass.” Sighting Port Jackson within three days, they sailed into Sydney Harbour, where lay a Fleet in Being—the most wonderful collection of shipping which Mahupuku had ever seen. Accommodation being scarce, the Government placed the Tutanekai at the disposal cf the chiefs, “so that we could always enjoy tlic breezes of the sea to cool us in that hot country. I must tell you that when I got there all the sickness which I had felt during the voyage disappeared, my body became most peaceful; no troubles to disturb my inner parts, and I felt I was a new man.

“ Then I began to look round ; I seemed like one in a mist. Night came on. and it seemed as if the stars of heaven had been brought- dowm and placed upon the house-tops and on the masts of ships and in the streets. Tlie whole firmament w r as ablaze with fire,' and lights twinkled 1 in all the waters. Our Maori traditions say that- it was the stars of heaven which guided our forefathers across the waters from a far country to this land. In Sydney I found stars brought from heaven to guide "the footsteps of a coming nation. I said to myself : ‘ These people are second gods >’ In the streets I saw great houses made of rocks towering up into the sky. I saw the tramways running without horses. There were three kinds in one street. One was like a train, and was drawn by an engine; another one hact hand's which grasped a wire; buit the tinrd tram was most wonderful of all: it w r as conveyed by a small wire hung up, and another wire was thrust up from the car and to the wire above, and during the connection it moved the car. It is, I say, a wonderful tram, faster than many of our trains here. I said to myself, ‘ What I have seen are wonderful things indeed.’ “On the Ist of January, the great clay of that demonstration, I behold thousands and thousands —yes a great multitude of people of all kinds, races and denominations. We w r ere taken up to the housetops on a building containing, I think, four floors. We saw the *great procession down below r . There were the Imperial troops and the India » troops. Both appeared so Stately in their magnificent robes, their swords glittering like diamonds. It w 7 as indeed a great spectacle. We sat gsaiug in astonishment from 10 in the morning until 4 o’clock in the afternoon. Then the next thing w r as at the monster pillar where that great and illustrious child the Commonwealth was baptised. r i ac people massed in thousands round that monument, and I was astonished to sec the order of those who were present, there being no crushing and no d s

oi der whatever during the whole of that sacred ceremony. “Then, next night, we weie taken on hoard the Mokoia -nto the harbour, and were made witnesses of the fires lit by the Europeans. I saw wonderiul sights. Thunders seemed to appear at the hands of the white people; th> lightnings flashed as from Heaven. In fact that fire display was of greai splendour and magnificence.”

Mahupuku then went on to explain hew he was introduced to Lord Hope toun, to whom he extended an invitation on behalf of the Maori people to •accompany the Queen’s grandson to Naw Zealand. Afterwards, he went to Botany Bay. “There we saw some cf the Mungomungos or what you would call the Maoris or the aboriginals of A »s----tralia. There were about thirty in ail.* 1 and my companions approached veryclose to them so that we might see the make and form of these people, their physique, and also their fighting weapons. I saw that these people seemed to b© a hardy race, but as to their faces I was unable to judge, and they were all covered with some kind of paint, and I could not see what they were like. I saw that their eyes were set far back into their sockets, and their eyebrows projected and almost made a shade. Their bodies were covered with hair, and I witnessed that their fighting weapons were very dangerous. I may say that I had my taiaha ia my hand at the time. The Europeans all wanted to feel and see what it wav like; and although the weapons of the Murigomungo were of various kinds anti iiuhierous, the pakeha said the Maori weapon—the taiaha I had —was more picturesque with its carvings and mountings than those of the natives of that Slace. Also the greenstone symbols of laori chieftainship were much admired by the people of that country, and thi pikihuia (plumes of. the huia) which decorated our bats also proved interesting. Then a demonstration took place representing the landing of Captain Cock and the hostility of the aboriginals. All these sights which we have seen have impressed the whole of our minds auJ bodies at the vastness of that country and its inhabitants.. This is printed in our hearts permanently—ake tonu atu — for ever and ever.” What “astonished the natives” as much as anything was the good order that prevailed during the celebrations, and the freedom from accidents. Said Tamahau: “I saw all the vehicles—the tramways, trains, horses, carts, buggies pass by. No accidents. Yes, one! I saw with my own eyes an old man who fell just in front of a tram, then, like a flash, a scoop was let down and the man was shovelled up and gently thrown on one side. The tram passed on, and the old man got up and shock the dust off him and walked away unharmed. 1 say this is a great people. I w r as so amazea I stooa tffere and looked at the eld man. I was amazed. I had no words to say. I could not speak, and then I w'alked away astonished.” Mahupuku then went on to describe the winders of Sydney Harbour : the deep waters close in shore, the trees sprouting luxuriously from the huge rocks, the presence of trees and shrubs which he had always thought indigenous to New Zealand and which made him think of home, the surprising greenness of the vegetable gardens in such a hot climate. Then he went on to say that the kindness and hospitality of the Sydney people would, ever live in the hearts of the Maori representatives. He intended to call the Wairarapa people together and tell them w 7 hat he had seen and suggest that the young Maoris should broaden their minds by visiting this wonderful place.

He concluded: “My experiences opened my eyes to such an extent that it took me two nights to shut them on leaving that place. I could not sleep for pandering over all the wonderful things I had seen. Long may you representatives of the press live! God guard over you all, and guide you to higher and loftier works. What I have just given you are my im-pressions—-the things that have hit me in the head—whil* I was over at that Great Land.”