MAORIS AT WAITARA

Taranaki Daily News, 20 April 1929, Page 5

MAORIS AT WAITARA

POI DAXCING BY MAIDENS 4, A weird chant, the rustling, of piupiu and the monotonous beat of poi balls, carried on to the marae of the ManukorDri pa at Waitara on Thursday by the fresh morning breeze, heralded the appearance of a band of 20 young Maori maidens in Native costume. With heads bedecked with white feathers, the famous emblem of Te Whiti and old Parihaka, they took up their places in front of the meeting house, Ko Tama Wahiue. Intermingled with the chant were the words “Te Whiti, Te Whiti.’-’ The song dealt with the confiscations of the land and the iniprifivnment of the. people. Led by the- old warrior, RuhL theae representatives of the Ngatimunga tribe danced, for 20 minutes.

Accompanied by a pipe and. drum orchestra of about 20 young men and led by Te More Tapat-u, another team of poi dancers came from Otaraua, the Puke Rangiora hapu or tribal division.

The third team, under the two chiefs of. Ngatiruanui,. Tonga Awhi Kau of Ketemarae, Nortuauby, and I’ouwhareuniu Toi of Were Were pa, HastingsRoad, Okaiawa, consisted of about 20 girls from the Ketemarea pa. With them was Charlie Tonga, eon of chief Tonga. He was stripped to the waist,, dressed in the old. Alaori mat and armed with a taiaha. It was a wonderful display which, no doubt, brought to the minds of many old warriors present thoughts of more exciting days. In the afternoon, while the speakers were addressing the Natives on the marae in connection with discussion over the Government’s proposed grant of £5OOO a year to the Alaoris of Taranaki, a visit was paid by the Minister of Education, the Hou. H. Atmore, He was given an enthusiastic welcome and was invited to address the Natives, Though. Taeti, Sir Maui Pomare’e mouthpiece, he extended his thanks. He assured the Maoris that in his capacity of Minister of Education he would attend to their interests in schools. He was pleased to gee that Sir Maui Pomare was in better health than when he had last seen him and hoped he was ou the road to recovery.

“This is a pa,” he concluded, “that was once occupied by that great warrior Wiremu Kingi and I would like to see the remains of the historical fortifications. Kia ora, katoa.”