Visit to Ohinemutu.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVI, Issue XXV, 22 June 1901, Page 3 (Supplement)

Visit to Ohinemutu.

The Duke and Duchess were accorded a Royal welcome when they nude their visit to the Arawa tribes gathered at the old Maori village of Ohinemutu. The Arawas assembled about a thousand strong in the marae in front of the carved tribal meeting-house, Tama-te-Kapura, overlooking the stirring waters of Rotorua. A bright sun and a blue sky favoured the Royal visit, which was made about half-past ten o'clock. The scene in t lie village square of Ohinemutu was a most brilliant and picturesque one. Several hundreds of all sections of the Arawa men were

gathered in two long rows in fighting costume, ready to greet the long-ex-pected Duke. They were stripped to the waist, with feathers in their hair. All wore native mats and carried meres, Taiahas and Te Whatewhas. Behind them were gathered a great crowd of native people, while at the entrance to the village a select party of forty women, in gala costumes, wearing blue sashes, flax waist mats, and carrying green boughs in their hands, were stationed to wave and sing a welcome to the Royalties. They were headed by a woman named Kiri Matou, better known as the Duchess —the leader of women's dances at Kotorua.

The carved bouse and marae were gay with flags. In front of the "house stood the Arawas flagstaff, from which floated several large ensigns. At the foot of the post the Arawa had mounted on a carved pedestal the bust of Queen Victoria, presented to the tribe thirty years ago by the Duke of Edinburgh, who visited Ohinemutu in 1871, when the place was in a very primitive condition, and when the old fighting pa stockades still stood here. Over the bust of the Queen was erected a handsome wooden canopy, painted in Maori stvle.

In front of the parade of warriors sat old Major Fox of the Ngatipikiao section of the Arawas. clothed in a fine kiwi feather mat, and holding in his hand the claymore presented to him many years ago for his services in the war. Other chiefs, representing all sections of the Arawa tribe, were gathered here to meet the Royalties. (’apt. Mair was busy superintending arrangements for the reception-

At 10.30 the Royal carriage drove up, with the Duke and Duchess, Lord Ranfurly, and tin’ lion. J. Carroll. Others of tin- Royal party were followed by the Premier, the Ministers of the Crown, and other distinguished visitors, including eighteen officers from the British warships now at Auckland.

The women sang and danced their powhiri of welcome, waving their leafy boughs and retiring slowly backwards, still singing in musical rhythm as the Royal party advanced to the marae. The song greeted the Duke in poetic language as being drawn to these shores in the Arawa canoe, from the uttermost ends of the earth, and the regions that lie beyond the horizon. On reaching the marae the Duke and Duchess were saluted with great enthusiasm as they walked on to the centre of the plaza, the Duchess, with Hon. Mr. Carroll leading, followed by the Duke ami Lord Ranfurly. Then came the Arawas" formal song of welcome. The armed men were all kneeling on the ground, facing the Royalties, with their wooden weapons held in front of them with both hands, led by their chiefs, who ran up and down giving the time. The men of Te Arawa sang in tremendous chorus their powhiri to the Duke, keeping time, by waving their plumed weapons, with splendid precision, old Major Fox in front of the warriors flourishing his glittering sword as his tribesmen yelled their loud-throated welcome to the King’s son.

This was their song of welcome, as chanted by some three hundred men: — “Haeremai! Haerentai! “Welcome! Welcome! to the Duke. “Drawn hitherwards by the Arawa. “From the far boundaries of the sky. “Welcome! Welcome! Approach us. “Come to our marae. “Conte hither to see your people. "Oh, 'tis the Duke standing here on land.

“t ome to greet the Arawa, ‘To meet us face to face "And cross the sacred threshold of Houmaitawhiti.”

The last line was in allusion to the paepaepoto. or door sill, of the carved house. Tama te-Kapuu, which the Royalties were to inspect. The house is named after the famous navigator of the Arawa canoe.

At the conclusion of the martial song the natives, still kneeling, all saluted the Duke and Duchess, who were then escorted to Taina-te-Kapua, crossing the Paepaepoto, ami walking round the interior to inspect the curious historical carvings on the slab panels with which the walls arc decorated, forming a tribal picture gallery of the Arawas. The Hon. Carroll acted as interpreter and cicerone. After a few

minutes spent in the house, which was spread with fine mats for the occasion. the Royal party emerged and walker! across the marae to the foot of the flagstaff, where stood the bust of the late Queen. Here a number of Arawa chiefs and chieftainesses" were in waiting to receive the Duke and Duchess. Mr Carroll, assisted by Captain Mair, introduced them to the Royalties. Two handsome young women of rank of the Arawa tribe were in waiting to make presentations to the Duke and Duchess. The ladies were Te RdW'gokahira and Te Paerakati Haertflriika, both "of whom’ are direct desceiidMiits of Hinetrioa andTutanekai, of rOrtiawtic rnetnory.' -Te Rdngbkahira and I’aeriikai," and also Miss Erihapeti Parata. of the South Island. of the Ngaitahu Maoris, had been presented to the Royalties yesterday at the Grand Hotel. The two chieftainesses now handed to the Duchess a much-valued patu pounama and greenstone weapon, an ancestral relie, also a white kiwi feather tea eosey, and a muff of brown kiwi feathers. The greenstone was a marriage gift to Rongokahira from the Ngaiatahu, a South Island trilie. ft is known to the Maoris by the name of Taratawa. At the foot of the Queeu’s statue were laid out several very fine flax mantles and mats, together with a greenstone mere. These were the Arawa gifts to the Duke and Duchess. A tall black-bearded ebief named Pirimi Matoihaia, of Whakarewarewa, made a short speech in reference to the gifts of the Arawa people, Captain Mair interpreting. Pirimi said, “We are spreading these Maori's gifts before the statue of our late Majesty Queen A'ictoria. This is in accordance with the custom of laying down presents in memory of those who are departed. They are tokens of our love, therefore we l>eg your Royal Highnesses not io disregard these small presents, unworthy though they may be, but to take them with you. This is all. We here are all the Arawas.”

Their Royal Highnesses graciously acknowledged the gifts. Purimi also displayed before the eyes of Royalty the Arawa tribal ensign, a blue silk flag, heavily fringed, bearing the words “Te Arawa, 187(1. "’ Leaving the foot of the flagstaff the Royal couple and party walked up alpng the lines of the armed men until they came to the tattooed veteran Major Fox, who by reason of his feeble health was seated iii a chair. The major rose and was presented to the Royalties, who shook hands with him. The old man’s face lighted up with deep gratification and pleasure as the Duke and Duchess inspected the sword borne by the venerable soldier, which was sent to him by Queen Victoria. The Major, on being presented, handed a greenstone toki or axe to the Duke as a token of his love ami regard. The Duchess, seeing the old chief was an invalid, asked him why he had troubled to leave his bed to see them. He replied gallantly that his love for the Royal family was so great that he could not stay at home.

Another song of welcome was sung in a lower key by a section of the Arawas behind Major Fox. Soon afterwards the Duke and Duchess were escorted to their conveyance, which drove up to the marae for them. They took their leave of the Arawas amidst a scene of excited enthusiasm, the Maoris chanting a farewell waiata in the plaintive fashion of native songs. This was an old. well-known chant, which appropriately- hade sorrowing adieu to friends.

The Duke and Duchess bowed and smiled as they drove off, the Duke turning to the assembled people and raising his hat, in which was displayed a huia feather, presented to him on the marae, the rare plume which was the old Maori badge of chieftainship. Then the Royal couple drove away, followed by the shrilly chorused farewells of the gailygarbed people, whose miuds will ever retain vivid memories of this all too brief visit to the lake side home of the Arawas. amongst bailing springs of the historic Ohinemutu kianga.