MARRIAGE

Te Ao Hou, December 1959, Page 19

MARRIAGE The few days rest was to prove a turning point in the lives of Gotty and Puhiwahine. During these leisurely days Gotty found time to observe with increasing interest her graceful manner and charming ways. Puhiwahine was on her best behaviour, and in a happy mood she fairly glowed with the joy of living. Before long Gotty declared his love and he began his wooing with Teutonic fervour. He kept on putting off his return to Wanganui, and continued with his courtship until he made her his wife.

By this time he had agreed to the tribe's invitation to remain with them and to make his home with them. He built himself a home at Miringa and set about clearing the land around it. After some months he went through to Wanganui, and on his return he brought a canoe load of house-hold goods, seeds, plants and tools. By the following summer he had established an orchard. By this time he had come to the conclusion that the great distance that separated his home from the European settlements was a handicap that he would be faced with for a very long time, perhaps all his life; and when his wife told him she was an expectant mother he made up his mind to return to Wanganui without any further delay. Puhiwahine expressed a wish to go with him. A canoe was obtained and the two set off down the Wanganui river on a journey which was to take them several days. At all the principal villages they were invited ashore and were welcome guests of the chiefs and tribes of the river. All these people knew of Puhiwahine's romantic life, and at three villages the chiefs declared their love of her in the poetical and classical language of the race. It was, perhaps, just as well for Gotty's peace of mind that these declarations were made in this manner—the expressions used were well beyond his limited knowledge of the language. On arrival at Wanganui, Gotty lost no time and in a short while he had a home ready and they went into occupation. Some weeks later Puhiwahine told her husband when her time was near she wished to be taken back to her mother's people. He was an understanding man, and some months later he brought her back to Miringa; and it was there, in the house he had built, that their first-born child—a son—was born. He named the child, John or Johann, after himself, and for a second name he called him Wolfgang. This event is recorded in a newspaper article as having taken place in 1847. After the birth of his son Gotty returned to Wanganui. There had been outbreaks of fighting in various parts of the country; and Gotty on arrival lost no time in offering his services to the armed forces. He had had military training in Germany and was an expert swordsman. The fighting died down and ceased altogether after Governor Grey had gone through to Wanganui, accompanied by Te Wherowhero (Later first Maori King) and the Ngapuhi chief Waka Nene. These two powerful chiefs, who had been erstwhile enemies, were able to persuade the chiefs of the river tribes to cease fighting. Gotty had been given a contract of supplying the armed forces—a particularly dangerous undertaking, as he had to go through hostile territory at times in order to fulfill his contract. When the fighting ceased and other arrangements had been made for supplies, he returned to civil life. He then sent word through to Miringa for his wife and child to come through and join him. This was early in 1848, and Puhiwahine went down the river by canoe in easy stages. She finally arrived at Putiki and sent word across to the town of her husband to come over and fetch her. Leave from military commandant, Major Patience, had to be obtained before any resident of the town could cross the river. When Gotty asked for leave the commandant decided he should take someone John Gotty or Johann Maximilian Goethe else with him in case of treachery. A man named Edward Curton went with Gotty and brought back the mother and child to their home. A year or two later Gotty took over the Rutland Hotel, and it was there Puhiwahine gave birth to her second son. This son was named George. When his two sons grew up Gotty placed them in charge of a clergyman, the Reverend Marshall, who acted as tutor for them. They proved to be very apt pupils. In 1860 John was enrolled at the Nelson College, and in 1861 George joined him there. On account of ill-health George only had one year at the college, but his elder brother remained there until the end of 1863. For a year or two, after settling down in Wanganui, Puhiwahine seldom saw any of her own race. There was unrest among the tribes in various parts of the country, and isolated incidents had led to some fighting between the troops and Maori guerilla bands. On account of this state of affairs most Maoris were looked upon with a great deal of suspicion. This was especially the case with anyone of standing among the tribes who were involved in the fighting or allied to

them. It was a well known fact that Puhiwahine was a person of some consequence who had relatives among the disaffected tribes. Her tribal affiliation to the restless and warlike Ngati-Toa—who, under the leadership of Te Rangihaeata, the nephew of the redoubtable war lord, Te Rauparaha, had made raids on Wellington—was a fact she never attempted to hide. It was under these circumstances that she pondered and brooded over the fate of her kinsmen, and out of this mood emerged her song of war; a song of which the theme is far removed from her previous compositions. For one who was a coquette the song may be considered as unusual:—