MET IN PUBLIC

Te Ao Hou, Spring 1952, Page 14

MET IN PUBLIC The idea of holding sittings in meeting-houses, or places accessible to the public, proved to be an excellent one. It gave our people the opportunity of listening in, and of making some contribution to the work of revision. Further-

more, it gave the new edition of the Maori Bible the necessary publicity, to the extent that it was being discussed through the whole Island. Critics who voiced their opinions from afar, and were not interested enough to attend in person one of the many sessions held all over the country, were condemned out of their own mouths. Our experience was that anyone with a real contribution to make did come, and was entirely satisfied, whether his suggestion was adopted or not. Looking back on this self-imposed procedure, I know it certainly entailed more work, and took up much more time. But I feel strongly that none of us on the committee would have had it otherwise. It gave complete satisfaction to ourselves and the Maori people as a whole. The work proceeded apace, according to schedule. By the year ended November 30, 1947, the society was able to report as follows: ‘The revision committee has gone on steadily with the task, and the typescript of the revised New Testament is now in London, and proofs have been promised within the next six months. Work on the Old Testament revision is well forward, and the members of the committee have given a great deal of their time ….’ The committee members were all given an individual share in the task of revision. As a beginning, each member was allocated one book each of the New Testament, and told to carry on his revision verse by verse, in accordance with a few simple rules. Special forms were printed at Bible House, Wellington, according to instructions from the committee. Notes and comments were made on these forms by each reviser. Here is an example of the actual notes of Sir Apirana on the revision of St. Matthew's Gospel: Notes on Maori text In. Insert Del. Delete Re. Recast as in revision Ref. Refer to Sub. Substitute Trn. Transliteration A.V. Authorised Ver. (E) R.V. Revised Ver. (E) 87 Maori 1887 H.W. Maori 1925 W.D5 Williams Dict. 5 Edit. Ngi Ngapuhi matiu Chap. Ver. L. Note 1 1 1 In Ko at beginning of verse. 3 2 Del., after Tamara 5 2 Del., after Rahapa Bishop Panapa meeting the people of Ruatoki (November, 1951). 5 3 Del., after Rutu 6 2 Alter cap W to w 6 3 Del., after Uria 8 3 Sub. Ohiaha for Utia. Ohiaha in 87 A.V. Ozias. Better transliteration. These notes were sent to our typists, who retyped the entire Maori Bible according to the instructions given. Eight copies were taken, so that the proposals made by the revising member could be put before all committee members separately. I shall quote some verses from Matthew I. as they came from the typists' hands. ko te rongopai ki te ritenga a matiu Upoko 1 Ko te pukapuka o te whakapaparanga o Ihu Karaiti, tama a Rawiri, tama a Aperahama. 2 Whanau ake ta Aperahama ko Ihaka; whanau ake ta Ihaka ko Hakopa; whanau ake ta Hakopa ko Hura ratou ko ona tuakana, ko ona teina; 8 Whanau ake ta Aha ko Iehohapata; whanau ake ta Iehohapata ko Iorama; whanau ake ta Iorama ko Ohiaha; 16 Whanau ake ta Hakopa ko Hohepa, ko te tahu a Meri; whanau ake te Meri ko Ihu, e kiia nei ko te Karaiti. Upon receiving his copy of the typescript, each member would study the new revision, and make notes for submission to the next session of the full committee. So it may be of interest to readers to know that the final revision of those four verses above after the session of the committee was as follows:

Ko te pukapuka o te whakapapa o Ihu Karaiti, tama a Rawiri, tama a Aperahama. 2 Na Aperahama ko Ihaka; na Ihaka ko Hakopa; na Hakopa ko Hura ratou ko ona tuakana, ko ona teina; 8 Na Aha ko Iehohapata; na Iehohapata ko Iorama; na Iorama ko Ohiaha; 16 Na Hakopa ko Hohepa, ko te tahu a Meri; whanau ake ta Meri ko Ihu, e kiia nei ko te Karaiti. My own suggestions on these verses, finally adopted by the full committee, reads: ‘It is worth while going back to the original, as in the 1844 edition, it is more Maori, simpler, and reads better, while still retaining the implication of “begat”. Actually, the only place where “whanau ake ta” applies is in verse 16, where it can be said that “whanau ake ta Meri ko Ihu”….’