The Waka Maori. WELLINGTON, TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 1875.

Waka Maori, Volume 11, Issue 7, 6 April 1875, Page 72

The Waka Maori. WELLINGTON, TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 1875.

The following article appeared in an early number of the Karere Maori; but we think the advice which it contains is so good, and so well adapted to the present position of the Native race, the facilities for acquiring knowledge and getting their children educated having been so greatly increased, that we do not hesitate to republish it:— Every rational creature employs his mind occasionally in the contemplation of the past history of his tribe and his country, and it is a wise and good thing to do so, because from it we derive a large amount of information; we learn not only what our forefathers did, but we are enabled to judge of the wisdom of their actions by the events which resulted from them ; we all delight in the recollection of the great deeds performed by our ancestors, and it is right that we should be proud of them. Let us follow the example they have given us, when that example is good, but do not let us blindly imitate them; let us judge of their actious, before we make them a guide for ourselves. It is great folly to say it is good to do such and such a thing because our ancestors did so, for they were like ourselves all liable to do what was wrong, but let us add, as it were, their lives to ours and we shall then have the benefit of the experience of many generations and be better able to judge for ourselves than they were of what is our proper course of action; for the life of man is short and but little experience is to be obtained by even the oldest of us, while the progress which is made in those things which conduce to the comfort and happiness of man is slow. It has taken many generations to make the many discoveries which have rendered Europe so great—then why should not this country become equally so. There was a time when the ancestors of the European lived in as rough a manner as the Maoris did a few years ago —when fern root was their food, and mats their clothing,—and yet in those times many mighty things were done by the ancestors of the Europeans ; and although they were only clothed with a dogskin about their loins, although their bodies were painted, and their food was of the worst kind,

still we remember their good deeds and we try to imitate them. We know some were great warriors, some great orators, and some great for their hospitality ; we remember also their bad deeds and try to avoid them,- we know they were cruel and treacherous, living in a state little better than the brutes, constantly fighting amongst themselves without any love of justice ; the strong man oppressing the weak and depriving him of what was his own. But what changes have taken place since then. " Where stood the poor reed hut, now stand mighty palaces—where mats were made of rushes and dog skins, there are now those wonderful manufactories from which come the clothing of half the world—where human skulls were used as drinking cups, there is now made those cups, plates, and iron vessels which have almost become as necessary to the Maori as the European. Where oppression the most cruel was practised, we now find Courts in which Magistrates administer those laws Avhich have been formed to protect the weak man against the injustice of the strong, and to guard the lives and properties of the people—and where human beings were burnt in sacrifice to false gods, now stand magnificent churches for the worship of the loving Saviour who died for our salvation on the cross. Ask the European, who amongst his ancestors are spoken of with most respect and gratitude, and he will tell you those who gave his countrymen the means of education, because to that we are indebted for the happy changes we have mentioned. But all these changes it has taken many hundreds of years to bring about—they have been the result of experienee_ which has caused a fearful amount of trouble and distress. The benefit of that experience is given to the Natives of these Islands, —the European brought to you the knowledge and discoveries which his ancestors have given him. You can derive all the benefits which result from them if you desire to possess them. The European cannot give them to you if you do not strive to prepare yourselves for them, but they are in your reach ; do not be discouraged if you do not obtain them all in a few years, or even in the time of the present generation ; remember, that when you are dead you will live, in your children and that they will derive the benefit ot your efforts. Do not think because you know how td grow the wheat and potatoes the European has brought you, because j r ou can prepare your own flour, and sail your own vessels, that therefore you have learat all the European can teach you. No, there arc immensely greater benefits which you will derive from your intercourse with Europeans. Think of all the things which have become necessary to vou and ask yourselves, do you know how to make them. You use blankets, clothing, ploughs, earthenware, iron, glass, leather, and a thousand other things we need not name, and why should not these things be made herein New Zealand by Maoris themselves? And you can and will be able to make these, and New Zealand will become as great a country as England itself, if you will only strive for it—but remember it is not a work of a day, it will take time before you will be able to do these things. If you really desire to become a great people—a people spoken of in the world, you must remember that the first step is to get education—send your children to school, go to school yourselves, be industrious, avail yourselves of the knowledge you possess, work hard at your plantations and then you will be able to receive all the benefits the Europeans have yet in store for you. Do not be foolish, give up that silly jealousy of the Europeans which some of you entertain. The European wishes the Maori to be his brother, then think of him as such. Say to yourselves " The European knows more than we do about those things which have become necessary for us, he

is our elder brother and we will learn from him." Look back to the history of the past, compare the state of your ancestors with your own, look forward to the future and strive to improve your own state and that of your children, and as now you speak with pride of your ancestors who were great chiefs and warriors, so when you are dead your children's children will have acquired arts and learning of the Europeans and they will speak of you as the ancestors who brought within their re&ch those advantages which will then have raised them to a position of comfort and affluence.