MAORI MEMORIES

Taranaki Daily News, 17 June 1933, Page 13 (Supplement)

MAORI MEMORIES

CIVILISING THE MAORI

(By J.H.S.—Copyright.) A. H. Blake, whose interesting records I am graciously permitted to use, tells us that after years of toil and expenditure of vast sums of money on sacred teaching, education reserves, etc., this noble and intellectual race of “savages” is more vindictive and treacherous than when we first found them, despite 30 years of missionary teaching. This, he says, discloses but little cause for congratulation at the success achieved. That was in 1863. It was unfortunately only too true; but what of the causes? Given by a plain-spoken simple old Maori these were “doping us with waipiro, misleading us by means of ignorant official interpreters, taking our ancestral lands in exchange for valueless trinkets, robbing us of our mana, and worst of all, destroying our sacred law of tapu.” The same authority points out that Hone Heki took up arms in violation of the Treaty of Waitangi, but did so as a solemn protest against the open bribery by a maro whero (red blanket), which rewarded each signatory to the treaty. At Kororareka may still be seen the melancholy memento of New Zealand’s first defenders, their brave deeds commemorated by some loving hand in lines on the stone that marks their resting place:— The warlike of the Isles, The men of field and waves, Are not the rocks their funeral piles, The sea and shore their graves. We should never forget that Hone Heke, that savage leader, having cleverly captured the blockhouse where several were killed, with a spirit of chivalry worthy of a Crusader Knight, caused the signalman’s wife and daughter whom he had captured to be returned to their Pakeha friends with every mark of honour and respect, saying “we fight men, not women.” Puke te Kuare. A.D. 1860 was a year of darkening memories for all Taranaki, when every man and many women were armed in. defence of their homes and children. Many isolated murders had been committed by Maoris, whose reprisals for numerous wrongs, unlike those of the Pakeha, were not directed against the wrongdoer, but against the whole white race of aggressors. Thus innocent lads were cut down by the tomahawk and the stricken settlers were goaded to revenge. A settlers’ force of 50 under Captain Harry Atkinson accompanied an equal number of the 65th Regiment under Colonel Murray and attacked a much larger force of Maoris at Waireka. Col. Murray by a grave error ! of judgment sounded the retreat, leaving the settlers to their fate. Providentially a small party of sailors from H.M.S. “Niger” came to the rescue, pluckily hauled down the Maori flag, and caused a panic by their sudden attack. They returned to tire town to the strains of “The Conquering Hero.” Then followed the strenuous fights at Mahoe tahi, Puke te Kuare (The Hill of Fools), and Huirangi, where many fell on both sides. Captain William Cutfield King, a brave young officer of the Volunteer Rifles, when visiting his estate at Woodleigh on horseback, was shot within view of Marsland Hill. A party of the 57th were killed near town, settlers had abandoned their homes, and the vacillating policy of the authorities led to .the utmost confusion. Recognising this, the Maoris derisively named each position occupied by the Pakeha forces “The Hill of Fools.” Governor Grey replaced Governor Browne, and General Cameron eventually brought a measure of relief to the locality which suffered years of • disaster, simply because we failed in our moral obligations to the Maori by taking advantage of his innocence. To this day he remains as one “Not Understood.” Tabloid Translations. By the generosity of my good Maori friend Hare Hongi, a man of rare genius, I am permitted to reproduce some of his i poetic translations of th Maori tongue. Tenakoe: That being you I greet you. ’Tis a treat to greet those whom we know or chance to meet. Tauhou: I greet you, stranger, welcome to our gates. Come, share the cheer provided by the fates.. Manuwhiri: Most welcome guest of all our board bnd cheer; be thou partaker through the rolling year. Tangata: Man .mostly human is, his part divine—oft sunk too deeply in that inner shrine. Mohio: I speak of knowledge and of one who knows; who gains experience as he comes and goes. Ka pai: ’Tis good, I say, and know it so to be; Pai rawa, very good, ’fwixt you and me. Ka Kino: I say ’tis bad, because it so appears, and badness is a source of stress of tears. . Kia ora koe: Health unto thee and ever prosperous days; may life’s best treasures be with thee always. Kia Ora: I speak of life, of happy, happy health, of joys and comforts, and indeed of wealth. Hoatu: Give (unto him) he needs it more than I; I’ve noted that by many a longing sigh. Homai: Give (unto me) accept my blessings, too, and thanks, which show deep gratitude to you. Aroha: Here dwells a sympathy, a love for thee, a sorrow, pity, sweetest charity. More Tabloids in Verse. When he inflicted the English Dictionary upon us in 1748, if Dr. Johnston had only conceived Hare Hongi’s poetic Maori method, what a joy for every girl and boy to learn 5 What a resource for tongue-tied lovers1 Aroha ki Akoe: My love toward thee ’tis truly great; in life no thing can this abate. E noho ra: Remain in peace, I must away; a fond farewell to all who stay. Haere . ra: You take your leave; I say depart. Farewell then, go in peace my heart. Haere mai: Come here to me, I want you so, need I add that, you surely know ? Haere atu: Go away, be off, I need thee not; nor for thy pr—ence care one jot. Waiata poi: A poi song and dance of grace, a dream of girlish, sinuous pace. Haka: A posture song and dance which gives an end to care; man joys and lives. Ra: Lord of our day, the Sun on High, the mighty one which rules our sky. Marama: The moon, moonlight, at night supreme, the lover’s joy, the poet’s theme. Kainga: Home of our childhood and our tears, for tender thoughts of passing years. Korero: To speak and, what we needs must, say 'ur thoughts and meanings to convey. . , The beauty and the simplicity of the Maori language, in which the literal meaning is not the principal one, find expression in poetic form more readily than in any translation..