THE MAORIS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1834, 14 January 1887, Page 14

THE MAORIS.

MOERAKI AND PUKETIRAKI KAIKS.

THE MAORI CHURCH AT WAIKOUAJTI,

SOME NOTES ON A RECENT VISIT.

Under the guidance of the Rev. Wynter Blathwayt, who is in charge of the mission to the Maoris in these districts, a small party, of which the writer wa6 a member, recently paid a visit to the several Maori kaiks at Moeraki and Puketiraki. We started from Shag Point under rather unfavourable auspices 60 far as the weather was concerned, the clouds being threatening in the extreme and the wind cold and gusty. The tide was full and the beach heavy, and after leaving the beach the roads proved clayey, slushy, and intersected with ruts and wheel traps, so that our pair of fast-stepping chestnuts had their work cut out for them. On approaching Port Moeraki we noticed that a flotilla of fishing smacks and boats lay at anchor in the little bay, while a coasting vessel, in view of the approach of dirty weather, has hove-to for shelter. This ominous outlook is shortly confirmed, for as we turn off the port on to the Moeraki road the rain begins to fall.

In due time we arrive at the Kaika, to find it apparently deserted. However, by the time the horses are attended to, one or two Maoris make their appearance, and salute the "minita" with the customary tena Icoe, and express a wish to be introduced to the Rev. B. M. King, who is a member of our party. After this ceremony is over we make our way to the church — a small building with lancet-shaped windows and turret and bell, but which is sadly in need of painting and re-seating. This the pastor informs us could be done for 'the small sum of £19 in addition to what has already been collected, but unfortunately the Maoris are unable at present to assist in raising this amount, owing* to their poverty and the losses they sustained last year. Mr Blathwayt says that were the church put in repair and an English and Maori service held every Sunday, it would be greatly appreciated, not only by the Maoris, but also by the residents and settlers of Port Moeraki and the summer visitors to that locality. It is to be hoped that those who would reap the benefit from the services will opon their purse strings to some purpose, and that we shall shortly see the necessary repairs and improvements effected. Rev. Mr King, of Castle street, Dunedin, and Mr Pratt, M.H.R., of Puketiraki, have consented to receive donations on behalf of the work, and I trust a ready response may be made to the appeal. It must be a very picturesque sight to see the dusky Natives wending their

way down from : the* bushy- knolls "around the Eaik, where the-wreathsrof blue smoke denote the habitations of our Maori .friends and the few whares that dot the flat upon which the church stands, 1 assembling in response to the pealing of the bell to worship their Maker and chant . His praises in their melodious native dialect. Bui the bell, does not ring to-day, so we leave the church and go into the first house we come to". Here we find two wahines (women) squatted on the floor, busily engaged making cosies out of " whetau," or dressed flax, for St. Mary's Orphanage, Woodhaugh, Dunedin. Yes, pakehas ! — here, amidst poverty and want, , -where 1 ' civilisation ' has - but lightly pressed her foot; these noble Maori women, earning a precarious living by selling tea copies,, mat's, pockets', &c. made from the flax, which they hare to go all the way to Hampden toprocure, having either to walk or pay their train fare thither,' in a land that once belonged solely to themselves. These find 'a warm corner in their hearts for the " ponri psni" (poor orphans) of the pakehas, and when unable to put' their hands into their purses, toil with their hands instead, so that their work may- be- sold to procure food for the nakeha orobans

We leave them deftly plying their fingers, and enter (another whare. Here several of the people are congregated together listening to the strains' of >a violin, playing some Highland tune. The violin, we learn, has been made by the player an intelligent young man, who is a total cripple, having had his back injured when young, and who moves about with remarkable activity with the assistance of his hands. Here we are again met with enthusiasm and many nohos (sit down). We enter into conversation with some fine specimens of of old Maoris, picturesquely tattooed. The next'place we ge into we meet both men and women, the latter also being busily engaged inwork for the orphanager After a while Mr Blathwayt succeeded in getting some of the women and young ladies to dance a haka, and though the grass was very wet and the day rather depressing for an exuberance of 6pints, they interested us considerably. After the haka. as time was wearing on, we started on our precarious way back to the Port. The rain now came down in torrents. But' a temporary refuge was at hand. We reached Mr Dawson's residence and were soon overwhelmed with care and solicitude, pnd had the inner man sumptuously attended to.

Home in the moonlight to Shag Point, less a few nuts that had parted company -with their bolts, and with the brake worn to nothing, and weary with the day's rough travel, but with the determination to carry the second part of our programme, the visit to Puketiraki — to a successful issue on the morrow.

With the promise of more satisfactory weather, we are up betimes on the morrow (Sunday), and after a hearty breakfast are on the road at 7 a.m. A pleasant drive of 22 miles over ' fairish roads, brings us to our destination in time for uorning service. After passing Merton, we make up to Maoris in one's and two's all along the road until we reach Pukitiraki, all of whom express their pleasure at seeing us, and give us a hearty welcome. Reaching Mr Pratt's stables, our horses are taken in hand, and we proceed to the church.

THE PUKETIBAKI CHUECH.

This church is a neat little building, with a churchyard, and is planted with coniferous trees. .The bell tolls and the Maoris are nearly all gathered, and after a hearty welcome from them we enter the sacred edifice. After getting comfortably seated within our first thought on looking around is who are Maoris and who are not ? for all are neatly dressed, quite a la mode, nothing ontre, as regards fashion in colour or make. The perfect air of order and decorum that prevails in the well-filled seats is unvaried throughout the service. The re- | sponses are repeated — mostly in a rich monotone — with a heartiness and earnestness in the beautiful and euphonious Maori language that pakeha churches would do well to adopt. " The Belief " is chanted with sweet peculiar cadences. The magnificats and glorias are properly ohauted, and the Maori hymns are sung to both Native and English tunes. One cannot help marvelling at what has been effected by religion. Here is a neat little church, with the usual Anglican surroundings — the coloured window, with a cross of moss in its centre ; behind the altar, covered with a crimson cloth, with ' bouquettes of flowers upon it ; and the carpeted space behind the communion rails. I Baid usual surroundings—but I must qualify this assertion, for there, within the communion rails, on the side, two noble-looking Maoris are seated. They are our old friends Mr Davis, lay-reader of Moeraki Church, and Mr Happi, lay-reader for Pukitiraki, who are about to read the lessons. Here we see Maoris only one generation removed from — some even having had personal acquaintance with — those dark days of superstition and of savagery, of, bloody, scenes and tribal warfares, enacted among the lonely mountains, in the wild gorges, by the fierce rushing streams, and cold limpid lakes bordered with raupo reeds, the endless forests, the pretty blue bays of the vast Pacific that fringe the coastline, and wash upon the golden sands, or dash against the rocky cliffs of Maoriland — offering up their praises and thanksgivings to, and pleading with, their Maker. The " great " Atua and chief of all things, in the sweet service of the Anglican Church, and in common with hundreds upon hundreds of their pakeha brethren — vast indeed is the power of religion.

After the sermon, preached by the Rev. Mr King, a tali stately Maori, the churchwarden, during the singing of a hymn, gently brings the offertory bag round, and returns to the communion rails. The Eucharist is administered, and the blessing pronounced ; Mr Merekihereka says " Haeri ra," and we all stand up and leave the church, seat by seat, in proper order, with pleasurable feelings indeed. A whole concourse of Maoris and half-castes await us outside to shake hands, and all speak rapturously of Mr King's sermon, all of them wishing he may visit them again.

We now proceed to the' house of Mr Pratt for luncheon, and after luncheon and a short rest we return to the church for afternoon service — this time in English ; and this time white faces mingle with the dusky ones. The same earnestness and harmony that characterised the morning marks the afternoon service. Bervice over, we return to Mr Pratt's while, our horses are being hitched, and 'shortly afterwards' start homewards, calling at St. John's, Waikouaiti, for evening service, reaching Shag Point in due course, chilled to the marrow, notwithstanding our plentiful supply of rugs and wraps.

Our day, with its 44 miles of travel, has been one of varied and pleasurable experiences, and one we would not have missed on any account; and the Maoris and their children at Paketiraki are an engrossing topic for conversation for days after our visit. "What a pity that their brethren of Moeraki have not as complete a church as that at Puketiraki (the hill above the clouds)— or Puketerangi, as it is in the North Island Maori.

Heoi'AjtoV