OTHER MEN'S QUARRELS

Te Ao Hou, October 1956, Page 45

OTHER MEN'S QUARRELS During the meeting it is said that Kawiti uttered the now famous saying “E te whanau, i tu au ki te riri ki te atua o te po, a, kahore au i mate. Na reira, i tenei ra takahia te kino ki raro i o koutou waewae. Kei takahia e koutou nga papapounamu a koutou tupuna e takoto nei i te moana. Tirohia atu nga tuatea o te moana. Hei poai pakeha koutou i muri nei. Kia mau kite whakapono. Waiho mate kakati o te namu ki te wharangi o te pukapuka, ka tahuri atu ai. Whai hoki, te tangata nana i tatai te kupenga, waiho mana ano a tuku, mana ano e kume”. “My beloved people. I have stood before the God of Darkness, and I was not destroyed. Therefore, from this day, trample hatred under your feet. Do not dishonour your ancestors' peace memorials in greenstone that lie on many seas. Observe the white objects of the ocean. You shall be pakeha boys. Be firm to retain religion, turning only when the sandfly bites upon the page of the book. Also, whosoever weaves a net let him set it himself, and let him draw it in himself.”

The last clause, an ancient proverb, conveys the meaning that the net maker knew best how to float his net and is also best able to draw it in. A warning is made against taking part in someone else's quarrel. In this case it was Hone Heke's quarrel with the British for the loss of his harbour dues from shipping that used to call at Kororareka; and Pomare's quarrel because he no longer collected payment from American ships that called at Otuihu across from Opua, to the south. After the signing of the treaty, Pomare found that the monies received from the American shipping agent ceased to come to him. On enquiring he was told to “behold the flag that flies above Kororareka”. So that was the cause. Hence Kawiti's instructions to cut off its hands and feet.