MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 September 1938, Page 8

MAORI MEMORIES

0 THE CAUSE OF DEGENERACY. (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) In their primitive simplicity, the Maoris were generous fighters in tribal wars, and subsequently in the conflicts with us concerning the lands of their ancestors which we annexed. If in the' first instance we had fought with their weapons, or they with ours, on equal terms, and had thus acquired B their lands by “Raupatu” (right of conquest), a title always sacredly honoured, unless or until there had arisen a “papa whawhai” (a justified cause of war), when it might again have been legally acquired by that same right of “raupatu,” any breach of which would cause the ariki (high priest) to condemn the offending tribe to a state of herehere (slavery). Instead of thus gaining the land by a that method, or by ahi ka roa (keeping a fire alight on it for a long period), we attracted them with trinkets, fancy clothing, red blankets and glitter of coins to allow us to settle on their sacred heritage as their honoured guests (manuhiri). They had no idea of the meaning of sale or purchase, especially in connection with land, which could not be bought or sold. They had no idea of acquiring a com- ■> petence or making provision for the future, so “the idle singer of an empty day” was ever their aim in life.