MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Daily Times, 15 April 1935, Page 4

MAORI MEMORIES

(By J.H.S. for “The Daily Times.”)

MAORI NAMES TOR N.Z. PLANTS. An outstanding feature of wisdom in the kingly rule of Lord Bledisloe is that, in accordance with the custom of Royal Sovereigns, of whom he was our best representative, lie did not attack our ignorance or even our manifest weaknesses and abuses; but devoted his energies, influence, and example to the study of those virtues and graces which tend to lift us above human failures. Love of Nature was one of His Excellency’s many suggestions by which, as an antidote, our young people could avoid the pitfalls of life. In New Zealand forestry, ho points out that we have the most distinctive,, attractive, varied, and unique plant life in the whole world. He aptly urged us to adopt and to teach our children the simple and significant Maori names for our beauties of the forest, in place of the oft illspelt, harsh-sounding, and little understood Latin. How much prettier, he said, is Rangiora than Brachglottis Repandra, and Tawa or Tarairi than Beilsclimiedes.

Having become familiar with every native tree, the children of all our schools, and the students of botany as well as its professors, will be enabled to recognise all our indigenous plants by their original names. Should they desire to classify them scientifically, Checseman’s excellent text book with its Maori index is available. No doubt now all writers on N.Z. plant life will adopt or at least add the Maori names to their books. |

On arrival of the three first ships at Nelson in 1841-42, it is interesting to recall the kindly help and sympathy of the Maoris with the parents after a tedious voyage of four or five months with their big families. Once landed midst the sylvan beauties of the spot, the Maoris pointed out the enticing danger of the amethyst-tinted but poisonous Tutu, and taxight the children its danger, explaining the significance of its name (to be stricken). Even to-day our educated children and adults do not know the name or the nature of their own native plants and their fruits. But a new dawn has just arisen for our little ones—and for it we will ever crratefully remember our ex-Governor-Genoral whose name/ no Maori could ever pronounce.