Maori Meeting at Parihaka.

Opunake Times, Volume II, Issue 74, 19 March 1895, Page 2

Maori Meeting at Parihaka.

There was an unusually large meeting held on Sunday at Parihaka, natives travelling from as far south as Otaki to attend. Several hundred Europeans, allured by the fineness of the day, came f‘'om all parts of the district, and w. re most hospitably entertained by their Maori hosts. The haka was the chief attraction, rival dances being performed in both Te Whiti’s quarter and Tohu’s domain. As years go by the Maori gets more civilised, and therefore more and more demoralised. The vices of the Maori m the old days were only thqse common to all native tribes, but now they have got most of the mean sins of the white man in addition. The haka, although executed with admirable precision, showing patient practice on the part of the performers, must have made the shades of their acestors gnash their astral teeth to see their posterity strongly tinctured with strains of white blood performing the haka with imitation tattoo, or hum, or red ochre, and wearing bools. The former spirit and vim infused into the dance was missing, and a poor sort of buffoonery in its stead. The poi dance was performed in remarkably good time by the tamahmes, and the girls themselves looked neat, their uniform of red blouse, white skirt, and white feather, setting off the black-eyed brunettes to advantage. Te Whiti, seated in state on the verandah of his cottage, received the compliments of the Pakeha with commendable endurance. It must have been somewhat of a trial to shake hands with two or three hundred strangers, and keep on looking pleasant. Captain Fisher, the gentleman with the whole picture gallery on his skin, was on view, and was admired by both Europeans and Maoris. The mana of neither Te Whiti nor Tohu can prevent the natives becoming more and more European in their ways, but still there are some curious vagaries in the matter of dress, as, for instance, one native in a reach-me-downs and a busby, and others with hard hats, black coats, and the repaki or flax kilt of their grandfathers. After thoroughly enjoying themselves, most of the visitors started homeward in the cool of the evening, but dancing and other amusements were kept on till a late hour in the kainga. •