THE MAORI KING.

Colonist, Issue 93, 10 September 1858, Page 2

THE MAORI KING.

The following .account- of the installation of King Potatau at Rangiawhia, written by a native, one 6f the principal actors in the proceedings, is taken from the Southern Gross of the 6th August last. Taken in conjunction with the European account that has already appeared in our columns, the subject is one of great interest:—

NATIVE MEETING AT NGARUAWAHIA AND HANGIAWHIA. ' ' - ;-: Translation. '•' '

Friend Mr. . ■. Do you hearken.. "We assembled ourselves together on the occasion of Potatau's (Te Wherowhero) coming hither to Ngaruawahia, and we thought that we should now take him (i.e., elect him as king) as he came to us, but the meeting was not willing that Potatau should be taken, —they did not consent to his being elected as king.- We thought that Po (the name abbreviated) should now be elected by ourselves as king, but when we found that the meeting was averse to this step, we decided to leave the matter in abeyance on Tuesday and endeavour to effect our object on the Wednesday. We consented, to adjourn from the Tuesday till the Wednesday out of respect to the meeting, and we arranged that the guard of honor should be in waiting at 8 o'clock on Wednesday morning; We accordingly wrote letters to the leading chiefs to say that on Wednesday, at 8 o'clock, on the 2nd of June, the proceedings would commence, and the flag of New Zealand would be hoisted. The people who reside at the place (Waikato) were up while it was yet dark, at four o'clock in the morning, and food having been prepared and all parties in readiness, the flag was hoisted at 8 o'clock, and the guard of honor moved forward. It consisted of the following tribes :—Ngatihaua, Ngatikoroki, Ngatimahu ta, and Ngatimaniapoto. When the qua :d had reached the tent of Potatau, it stood and presented arms. The women also in a body moved" forward and ranged themselves on the other side. No person sat down,—all stood; motionless, and not one word was uttered, nor could even the rustling of anyone's garment be heard. I then stepped forward, holding in my hand the Old Testament, the Psalms, and the New Testament of our Lord." Potatau was in his tent, which I entered and said, "Peace be to this house, and to him who is within it." I then sat down by his (Potatau's) side and presented to him the Old Testament open at the 20th chapter of Exodus from Ist vei'se to the 17th—the Commandments. I presented the Psalms, also pointing out the xxiii —56; also the New Testament, pointing out Matthew xi—2o, John xiv—ls, John x—ll.

'Now,' said I, 'let me ask you which of these two titles do you prefer, that of Chieftain or that of King?' " • He replied,' I prefer the title of King' ....' I then said,' Who is to be your protector V ' Jehovah,''was the reply.-•" ' Yes,' said I, 'the only—is there no other?' ; ' Jesus Christ,' was the answer; - :..,.. 'Even so,' said I, atuM-reastto:'hini the word* of David, ' The Lord is my Shepherd," and tha words of Christ, 'lam the good/Shepherd^' &c.

I then said, 'Let us pray to God that he may bless us and succeed our present movement.* After we had prayed together, I said to him, 'You had better come outside in order that your people may see you.' He came forth therefore* and all the men, women,, and children saw him, and, they all uncovered their heads and did obeisance to him.

I then addressed the flag which had been hoisted, saying unto it, 'Potatau, has consented to become King/ ■-■•• ' ■ Paora Te Ahuru immediately proceeded to an eminence, and addressing the mark that was put (i.e., the flag) called in a loud voice, * Are you willing that this man should be your King V All cried out 'Yes,'—both great and small, women and children.

Paora said secondly, 'Are you willing that this King should put down that which is evil, and stay the hand of him who persists in doing wrong ?' ' Yes' was the reply of them all. ■ After this, those who composed the meeting1 took part in the proceedings. The first who came forward were Te Awarahi (Te Katipa) and Ihaka (of Pukaki.) The part they took in the proceedings was most imposing; those who bore aims followed the chiefs, —when they came near, Te Awarahi said, —

' O Potatau, you will be a father to us, will you not.?'

'Yes,' was Potatau'3 reply, which was greeted by great cheering; and a salute was fired, the noise of which, together with the cheering, was like the roaring of the sea on the ocean shore. When the firing was over, the people sat down, and I addressed the meeting. I said, — ' Hearken, omy fathers and my friends. This is the basis (I here held up in my hand the scriptures.) We have not regarded the word of God, which saith, ' Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I willgiveyou rest;' we have not. obeyed the call. The apostle says, 'Mortify your members which are on the earth;' hut we hearken not, therefore it is deemed proper that the chiefs should he of one mind, and select a person who shall be entrusted with these treasures' for the earth (that is, the protection of our pro-, perty, the management of our lands, &c) *We have seen that the wars arise from disputations about land, wherefore we seek out him, ihat he may be a depository for our lands; He will restrain the father who is badly disposed ffiwards his son, and the elder brother who would take advantage of the younger brother. He will-manifest his displeasure in regard to that;'which is evil; he will do away with the works of confusion or disorder, and he will be a covering for the lands of New Zealand which still remain in our possession.' , -; ■

It was half-past nine, we broke up therefore to got refreshments, and thus ended the meeting for this day.

We aiTanged that another meeting should take place at 8 o'clock the following morning. Accordingly at 8 o'clock we met again, when the lands were given up to King Potatau. Paora said, —" This is the basis upon which we act, —the knowledge which is manifested by the night and by the day (that is, the laws of nature.) It is written in the Psalms, 'Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.' Now we remain ignorant whilst the day and the night shew forth their knowledge. The waves of the sea also obey their, law, they roll on to the great ocean whose offspring-they arc. So in like manner are our own" islands looking to God; even this island and that island are feeling after God (i.e., the islands of the sea, not including New Zealand.) But this island (i.e., New Zealand) is without reflecfion. What God is Ho who has discovered evil (amongst us?)< Christ says, ' Go ye forth unto all nations and preach tho Gospel to every creature.' Paul the Apostle sayß, ' lie it known therefore unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the gentiles, and they will hear it.'" „- , * "■' l-1 This was' the conclusion of Paora's address.

On, the following day "there. ivaS-ft subscription by .1 he people for the. King. He-Cveti ,Te Aho stood tip and said to Heta Tc Whcrowhero, " Whew

i« the paper you brought hither ? Let it be read that ve\imy know its contents.' 'I am of t!\c same opinion as yourself, replied "lleta- , T ,. „ ■ 4 A collection for the King i

1 Yes,'returned Heta. ltewtti commenced the collection by putting down £2 ss. 6d. This money was for Potatau the King. Riki Te Matatokoroa now came forward -and put down £0. There was not much cash, as we are collecting for the printing press, for chapels, and we had to' buy the cattle slaughtered for the tribes on this occasion. (The sum of £'57 was presented to Potatau at Rangiaohia by one tribe.) Te Patuloko, Ngatiruru, Ngatimahuta, and Ngatinaho gave £5 75., making in all £13 14s. This money has been given to the King. The supplies for this feast at Ngaruawahia were ■20 tons potatoes, 7 tons flour, 85 pigs, and 7 head of cattle. On the Bth of the month of June, the tribes went from Waikato to Rangiaohia. The numbers were, — Ngatihana 26/ Ngatikoroki 30 Waikato 240 Ngatimaniapoto 200 Ngatihau 60 Ngntihiwharetou 100 Ngatihinetu ) lio Ngatiapakura f When these tribes assembled, the king came outside the railing, and they met the king and his guard, 240 men. The king and his people tarried at the entrance of the gate, and Te Ngatihana, numbering 267, went forward to make their obeisance to the king. Next in order came the people of the place, and then the tribes of Taupo, Ahuriri, Whanganui, Kawhia, and Molcan. They ttll stood in the entrance of the gate, so that they might meet King Potatau. There was present also a youth named Kerenote, brother of Wi Karamoa, holding in his hand a paper, which he read. This is the first portion,— ■* Welcome hither, O king Potatau. Establish thou the nationality of New Zealand!' The remlining sentences I do not know. After this r.dlress was read, the people walked backward and fired a salute, even three vollies, and the sound thereof was as the roar of thunder. After this they did obeisance, and arranged themselves in procession. First came the people resident in that locality, bearing aloft the flag of New Zealand; then followed the king with his own people; then followed the other tribes ; and lastly the women. Those who went before the king were the inhabitants of the settlement and the visitors (tli.it is, the Ahuriri and Whanganui people). On arriving at the camp they halted, and ranged themselves on each, side of the court yard in rows three deep.. Then stood up Te Tapihana, a teacher of the Neatihikairo, and said, ' Name the king, 0 10, 0 Io!' (Io is a Maori deity dwelling in the heavens, and represented as being all powerful, wise, and jrood.) He meant,' Name the king, 0 William, O William.' (William Thomson Tarapipipi, one of Potatau's chief supporters.) After this they did obesiance to the king, and the 23rd hymn was given out by the same monitor — «From Egypt lately come, Where death and dai-kness reign, We see a new a better home, Where we our rest shall gain: Halleluia, We are on our way to God, s:c.

After this Te Heuheu spoke, but his speech was not of consequence. The tribes now dispersed to their encampments, and met on the 9rh, when the chiefs spoke. Policemen were appointed to keep order; the Superintendent of police was Aihepene Kaihau. When all was arranged, Kiwa, the brother of Hoani Papita stood up and said, — 'Welcome, 0 son, welcome, welcome, to your people. Hold the authority of your.ancestors and your fathers. You shall be kin.!?.' Wiremu Te Akerautangi stood up and said, — ' Welcome 0 king;—welcome to Waikato.

The shame I feel is great, For thou hast made a hapless exit, And now thou art as fish caught from the sea And placed upon the stalls to dry. Are we to feed upon the tilings that came « -From lands.fa* distant? . . 0 son, thou gayest this to me And caused these lips to be polluted "Which-once were sacred. Lo, I'll lop it off

Lest it should lead me to adopt its measures. [The poet feels shame that the sun of the Maori nation should have gone down. The present social condition of his countrymen is compared to fish once healthful, swimming at ease in its native water, but now ruthlessly cast iipon the stalls no longer to be admired, but simply looked upon as an article of food. Fie asks whether the Now Zealanders should be satisfied with the systems of foreign people which they have been called upon to adopt. He then censures the natives who were so credulous as to take for granted that the foreigner sought only the benefit of the New Zealanders by coming to this land and introducing other customs that came into collision with their own sacred usages; and concludes with a determination to maintain the national independence of the Maoris.] Kingi Waikawau said, — 4 Welcome, 0 son, welcome. * The pangs I feel are of a two-fold nature, Some are without and as the wind beyond my grasp. 0 King, welcome, and be thou enthroned.' - Toma Te lpuiuanga spoke and chaunted a song complimentary to the king. Te Awarahi (Te Katspa) now stood up; he said, — 4O my elder brethren and my children, you have given us (a hearty) welcome. X ' 0 this deafening noise and dread confusion, How. am I pained for thee, 0 wife, Gone from me to another!'

[0 wife gone from me, &c, — i.e., the lands said to the Government. He bitterly regrets that his wife—-i.e., Maori lands—should have been sold, and now that he is anxious to raise the Maori standard, and organise a Maori system, impediments will arise from the fact that many valuable lands are in possession of a power they are not prepared to either respect or obey. The above speech is a reply to those which preceded it.] Then rose lip Te Mutumutu, grandson of Turca, Chief of Whanganui. He said, — • ' Return hither, 0 my relative, and steer the canoe, (i.e., guide the people.) * Mat which Hotunui and Hoturangi Reclined upon, thy face was broken, '. Thy face was beaten, and yet thy face Wa3 worn as ornaments around the neck. , Thyface\ too' was concealed, yet it was . grand, ' And beautiful the while. Hither bring my treasures— The treasures that I got me from the northern countries, And from the eastern lands, that I mayCover now that face. ' Lo, the mat is spread,—how great a treasure ! GiTe the King to beautify the features of each man, And rid the land of evil.'

[Hitunuku : and . Hoturangi; deified men. If we understand the thing rightly, mats were made and offerings presented to these deities, and when the priests prayed,and muttered their incantations, the gods came and reclined on the new mats spread for them. Of course the mats were highly venerated, and although broken or beaten by accident, or trampled upon and partially destroyed by enemies in war, the fragments were collected and worn as relics. Although thus debased they were considered grand, &c So in like manner Te Wherowhero, or Potatau, though denuded of his native dignity by residing in the heart of a European settlement, still the tribes looked upon him with a feeling of veneration.. His return to his kindred and people is embodied in the figure ' Lo, the mat is spread.' Lest there shoulu be any doubt, however, on the minds of the audience, in reference-to the metaphorical language used, the poet concludes in plain terms, ' Give the King,' <*c.l ■'•■■ ■' . ■

Tuhikitia stood up, and said, —■ * Welcome Q To Muiumntu ; welcome O Wi Pakati; welcome 0 Te Moananui; welcome 0 Te Heulieu;.welcome O TpPoihipi; welcome O Pairake; welcome 0 £c Wetini Pahukohatu;

welcome O Takerei Hikuroa; welcome 0 Waikawau and Wiremu Te Ake.

'Oh sacred glory! how I love to dwell on thee, Streaming forth along the narrow way. Come hither daughter, let us go together To Isaiah, lie will make us Teachers;

And he'll gather us together That we'may seize upon the Word of God, And lean upon the Sfiviour. Welcome ; let us be one ;—let us cling to God and the King.'

Hori Te Waru stood up, and said, — ' Let us be one, —one with God and the King.'

Te Heuhen rose up and said, — ' 0 Hoani, be energetic; 0 ITori, be energetic; 0 Tamihana, be energetic ; 0 Te Wetini be energetic for the King, and drive away wickedness and disorder.'

Then rose up Kapara Ngatoki; he said, — * Let those who have been named be brave, and adhere to the King.' Then Wiremu Pakau (a Southern Chief) stood up and said, — "Ye have called and bid me welcome. Lo, 1 have journeyed hither to Waikato. ' It is being flung that way Where the clump of forest trees are growing, Even at Tongaporutu, herewith shall cease The sorrow for my land.' [Being flung that way,— i.e., he is drawn to Waikato, the people of which are compared to forest trees growing luxuriantly. He hopes by joining the king confederation to secure the wellbeing of his countrymen, and mitigate the sorrow he feels on account of their present degraded state.] On this day a collection was made for the printsing press. ,The monies collected were—for the printing, press,-^£100; for King Potatau, £73 16s. 6d. .

It was now determined that the kingship should be abiding,—that it should stard henceforward. The Moananui and Ahuriri lias consented thereto ; also Te Mutumuhi and Wi Pakau off Whanganui; Te Heuhen and Te Poihipi of Taupo ; Pakira, Te Paerata, and Pakake of the Ngatiraukawa; and all the conversation was about the King. On the following day a committee was called to appoint a council («.<?., executive) for the King. Patara, relative to King Potatau, said, ' Ngatihaua, do you seek out a man known by you (for his ability) as a member for the council at Ngarnawahia—(the head quarter)—so that matters relative to the people might be attended to.' The Ngatihaua consented to this, and Te Wetini Taiporutu was chosen; he is to stand on the right hand (be chairman or speaker). Then it was said, —' Ngatikoroki, do you look out from among you," and Te Area was chosen. The Patukoko sent Epiha Hihipa. Then Rewi Maniapoto was chosen, and then Te Manu Te Waitai. These are to form King Potatau's council, and to assist him, and to make known his sentiments to all the people.

0 Mr. ■, if you approve of the contents of this paper being published, well, if not, cast it aside. 0 friend of the native people, salutations to you. Lo, this is the end. (Signed)

William