Three Weeks in a Pah

Kai Tiaki : the journal of the nurses of New Zealand, Volume VI, Issue 2, 1 April 1913, Page 74

Three Weeks in a Pah

It was the first time I had been sent to nurse m a Maori pah — that is, to live m the pah. The patient lived about half-a-mile from the railway station, and her son met me, and drove me down m a very smart little gig, while I had anticipated wading m mud. The dwelling was a two-roomed place, and m the patient's room I found six women, as many children (their ages ranging from a month to seven years), and as many men as could crowd m, while the overflow filled the doorway. The other room had been prepared for me, and it contained a stretcher bed made up with sheets, four rugs, each doubled, and three feather pillows, with embroidered slips. On the floor was a large flax mat, m a very pretty black and white doli^n. Round the walls several mats, one with kiwi feathers being especially fine.

My first business was to clear the patient's room, keeping two women to tell me where to find things. The patient, an old woman

with typhoid, had had haemorrhage, and these two women had been attending her, and, as they were very tired, they soon left, leaving me with a patient whose knowledge of English was of the scantiest, whilst my Maori could not be said to be fluent.

By ten o'clock, things were all fixed up for the night, so I retired, but not to sleep ; what with worrying lest there should be another haemorrhage — I was twelve miles from a doctor — the howling of dogs, and cats coming m and jumping on the table and cupboards — I having left the door open for ventilation — there was not much rest.

Before 5 a.m. I was up and had the fire going ; my patient sleeping serenely all the time. The smoke from the chimney was evidently a signal for visitors, for first one and then another came along to ask if I'd been lonely. Little did they know that I'd not had time to feel lonely, between throwing sticks at dogs, and chasing cats with the broom ! As regards the latter, I had no

further trouble, for one of the Maori men made a screen door of netting wire.

All day visitors kept coining and going. The '"'character " of the place — an old woman named Hariti — called m the afternoon, and after returning my greeting, she stared at me for a while, and then mysteriously beckoned me to follow her to the corner of the house, where she squatted on the ground. After wetting her lips once or twice she commenced to question me. " What your name ?" " How old you ?" " When you get married ?" etc. It took me all my time to bluff her*. She did not seem to mind that she got no satisfaction, and returned afresh to the attack every time we met. I got to know her pretty well before I left, and she even asked me to come and nurse her, if ever she were sick, her only stipulation being that T should give her ' kai." My patient was on fluids only, and this distressed

Hariti who thought she was being starved. We had several disputes on the subject, but I was always forgiven, and she even made me a pretty little kit, and wept at my departure.

My best friend was the most untidy woman m the pah. Half-a-dozen times a day she would come over to see if she could do anything for me. Every morning she brought a beautiful bunch of flowers and generally a rock melon, or fruit of some kind. There was a fine orchard round my patient's house, and the peaches were delicious ; more than half of them went to waste ; and the minahs held holiday among them, their chattering being unbearable at times.

My patient made a good recovery, and it is quite a treat to go back to the pah to see all the Maoris. They seem to regard me as quite an old friend.