Show Us The Way Whakaaturia Mai Te Huarahi naa Hirini Moko

Te Ao Hou, March 1962, Page 14

Show Us The Way Whakaaturia Mai Te Huarahi naa Hirini Moko Translated by Sid Mead E titoro ana ahau ki te rangi. I mua ake nei e whiti ana te raa. Inaianei kua weto, kua aahua poouri. Ka mea atu au ki taku hoa-wahine, “Ei, e tata ana te tae mai o taa taaua manuhiri!” Ka kii mai ia ki aau, “Kei te pai. E maa ana te whare inaianei. Kua mutu taku horoi i ngaa tamariki, aa, qua mau oo raatau kaakahu papai, kua hoatu he aikiha moo teenaa, moo teenaa. Naa, e noho reri ana taatau inaianei. Kaua emaamarahara.” Ka meat atu au, “Tonoa aa taaua tamariki kia haere ki waho taakaro ai ka poorearea noa iho i konei, ka kitea atu ngaa ihu huupee.” Kaatahi au ka rongo atu i te motokaa e tuu ana. Ka whakarongo ahau. Ka huakina te kuaha, ka katia. Naa, ka rongo atu au i ngaa waewae e takahi ana ki runga i ngaa koohatu. Ka haere atu au ki te mihi ki te tangata nei. Ka mea atu au, “Teenaa koe, e Pire! Nau mai I was looking at the sky. A short while ago the sun was shining. Now it is out and it has darkened the land a little. I said to my wife, “Our visitor will soon be here!” She said to me, “It is all right. The house is clean. I have washed the children they are dressed in their good clothes and each has been given a handkerchief. Now we are all ready. Do not worry.” I said, “Send our children to play outside. They'll only be a nuisance here and besides their dirty noses will be seen.” Then I heard a car stopping. The door opened and then shut. Then I heard feet tramping upon the shingle. I went out to greet this man. I said to him, “Greetings, to you, Bill! Welcome to our home. Not that it is much of a home, nevertheless it is a home.” He greeted me, “How are you, Rapa! Why be

ki too maaua kaainga. E hara i te mea he kaainga tootika, he anoo he kaainga.” Ka ui mai ia, “E peehea ana koe, e Rapa! hei aha te aawangawanga moo too whare. Ki taku titiro atu he whare tiro aataahua toou. Titiro atu ki ngaa putiputi e kanapa mai raa!” Kei te kuaha maaua inaianei. Ka mea atu ahau ki taku manuhiri, “Kuhu mai ki roto.” Ee tuu mai ana taku hoa-rangatira, aahua whakamaa ana. Ka kii a tu au ki a Pire. “Kaaore a no koe, i tuutaki noa i taku hoa-wahine. Ko ia teenaa e tuu mai naa.” Ka hariru raaua ka uru atu maatau ki roto, ki te noho. Ka kite atu ahau i aa maaua tamariki e piinono mai ana ki te tauhou—ko ngaa karu anake ka kitea atu! Ka ruuruu atu au i taku ringa, ka kore ngaa karu. Ka huri ahau ki taku manuhiri, ka mea atu, “E hia inu ana koe, e Pire? Ka nui te inu kei aau engari kaaore ahau e moohio ana mehemea koinei te momo e pai ana ki a koe!” “Ka mea mai ia.” Ahakoa he aha te momo, e Rapa, he paid katoa ki aau. Koinei te pai o tenna Paakehaa ki aau, he ngaawari. Ka ringihia he inu maa maatau, ka tahuri maatau ki te koorero. I te tiimatatanga kaaore he tino kiko oo aa maatau koorero. Heoi ano he koorero kia hipa ai te waa. Naawai aa, ka huri ngaa koorero ki te iwi Maaori. Kaatahi ka mahi ngaa hinengaro ki te whakaaro hoohonu. Ka mutu te tirotiro haere a Pire ki ngaa whakaahua oo aa maaua tamariki, oo aa maaua tiipuna, e irio ana i ngaa pakitara o te whare. Ka kii ko ia, “Ki taku moohio ko ngaa tikanga Maaori kei te kukume whakamuri i a koutou, i te iwi Maaori. He pai kee atu me whakakore atu aua tikanga. Kaatahi pea ka taatata atu te Maaori ki te iwi Paakehaa.” Ka mea atu au. “Nui noa atu ngaa tikanga Maaori kua ngaro ki te poo. Ko eehea atu me whakakore?” Ka kii ko ia. “Ko te tangi teetahi tinkanga me whakakore atu. Koinaa teetahi tikanga moumou taaima, moumou moni, moumoukai.” Ka whakaaro ahau, ana anoo teetahi Paakehaa mo te whakakore atu i te tangi, ko taku hoa e koorero mai nei ki a au. He aha raa i peenei ai? Me huri koia taatau ki ngaa tikanga nehu tuupaapaku a te Paakehaa? Me peehea e ea ai te aroha o te Maaori mo oona whanaunga? Ka kuutia te roimata, te koorero, kaaore e ea, kaaore e noho pai ngaa whanaunga. Kua kite ahau i te noho mokemoke a te tuupaapaku Maaori i runga i ngaa tikanga Paakehaa. Kua kite ahau i ngaa koroua, i ngaa kuia e rapa ana i teetahi huarahi e maringi mai ai te roimata, te koorero, ki taa te Maaori tikanga. Kaaore i kitea. Kaa raruraru ngaa whakaaro, ka puritia te poouri. Ka aroha atu ki te whanaunga mokemoke e takoto mai raa—kaaore i mihia, i moea raanei, kaaore i tangihia, i poroporoakitia raanei. humble about your home? From what I can see, it is a very attractive house. Look at the flowers disporting their beauty!” We were at the door by now. I said to my visitor, “Come inside!” Standing there was my wife who was looking a little shy. I said to Bill, “You haven't met my wife yet. That's her standing there.” After they shook hands we all went inside and to sit down. I noticed our children staring surreptitiously at the stranger—only their eyes could be seen! I shook my fist and the eyes vanished. I turned to my visitor and said to him, “Do you care for a drink, Bill? There is plenty to drink but I don't know whether this is the brand you prefer.” He replied, “No matter what the brand is, I like them all!” That is what I like about this Pakeha, he is easy to please. Drinks were poured for us all and we settled down to talk. At first our talk was of no consequence, it was merely talk to pass the time. However at length the topic of conversation turned to the Maori people. Then did our minds have to do some deep thinking. Bill stopped glancing at the portraits of our children and ancestors, hanging on the walls. Bill spoke, “To my way of thinking, your Maori customs are pulling you people back. It would be far better to sweep such customs away. Then, perhaps, the Maori people will get a little closer to the Pakeha's.” I said, “Many are the Maori customs which have disappeared into oblivion. Which others should be forgotten?” He continued, “The tangi is a custom you can well do without. That is a custom which wastes time, wastes money and wastes food.” I thought, well, here is another Pakeha who would do away with the tangi, he is my friend who is here talking to me. Why should this be so? Should we adopt the burial rites of the Pakeha? How can the love of the Maori for his relatives be given full expression? Constricted will be the tears and speeches, the debt will not be paid and the relatives will be troubled. For I have seen the utter loneliness of the Maori dead when following the Pakeha rites. I have seen our elders seeking a way by which the tears can flow and the speeches be heard, according to Maori custom. The way is not found. The thoughts became troubled, confused, and sorrow was withheld. One pitied the lonely relative lying there—he was not greeted nor was he kept warm, he was not wept over, nor farewelled. Then they arrived at the cemetery. No longer could sorrow be contained. The tears rushed out like a waterfall. Loud wailed the mouths, to weep the traditional weeping of the ancestors of long ago. Then uncertainty reigned, for fear of transgressing and being wrong. Then there was silence. The tide of tears had ebbed.

Naa, ka tae ki te urupaa. Kua kore e taea te pupuri o te aroha. Kua maringi mai ngaa roimata peenei i te awatere. Kua umere ngaa waha ki te tangitangi i te tangi a ngaa tiipuna mai noa ake. Kaatahi ka haere mai te aawangawanga, kei tuupono kei te hee taa raatau mahi. Kua kore e hamumu ngaa waha. Kua timu te tai te roimata E oaa too hau he wini raro He hoomai aroha Kia tangi atu au i konei He aroha ki te iwi. (71) Ngaa Mooteatea. Kua roa ahau e whai ana i te huarahi o aku whakaaro inaianei. E tatari mai ana taku hoa ki taku whakautu moo aana koorero. Ka mea atu au, “He aha anoo eetahi tikanga hei whakakore atu?” Katitiro mai ia, ka mea. “He pai ake pea me whakakore atu ngaa hui. Mehemea hoki he huitoopuu kei te Waipounamu ka haere te Maaori. Ka whakareerea ngaa Mahi. Mehemea he hura koohatu, he huaki whare hou raanei kei Wharekauri, ka whakaeke te Maaori. Ka whakareerea ngaa mahi. Eenaa haere katoa he whakapau moni—pau katoa! Kua kore hei utu i ngaa nama. Kua raruraru i te toa, kua kore e hoatu he nama. Naa, pai ake te whakakore atu, kia kore ai e raruraru.” Ka haere anoo ngaa whakaaro. Ko aaku nama katoa e taea ana e au te utu. Ko ahau anake te Maaori e peenei ana? Ki taku moohio kaaore. Naa, waatea ana eetahi herengi mo te haere i te hui. Ko aua herengi naa i mate i te mate rangatira, kaaore i moumou, ana, ki tooku nei whahaaro. I whakarongo ahau ki ngaa koorero hoohonu e koorerotia ana i te marae; ngaa koorero e paa ana ki a taatau. I maatakitaki ahau i ngaa mahi whakangahau—te haka, te poi, me eeraa tu mahi aa ringa. Ka paa mai te ihiihi o te haka i a au maatakitaki ana, tae noa ki ngaa roro o aku wheua. Ka oreore te mana Maaori e takoto nei. Kua whaangaia. Naa, kua hiahia te arero ki te whaatero, ngaa karu ki te pukana ngaa uau ki te ohorere, te reo ki te whai i te rangi o te haka. Naana i tiki mai Whakawhiti te raa! Aa upane Aaa upane— Ka mea atu au ki taku hoa, “E hoa, he mahi uaua teenei, te whakakore i ngaa hui Maaori. Mehemea kaaore e piirangitia ana e te iwi kaaore raatau e haere. Naa, kei te moohio tonu koe, ki te tini o te Maaori e whai ana i aua hui.” Ka kii mai ano ia, “Ae, engari kei te hee tonu. Naa, ko te tino hara o aua hui naa te mea ka haere wehewehe taatau. Ka haere ngaa Maaori ki a raataunei hui, ka haere hoki ngaa Paakehaa ki a raatau. Ko te tikanga me haere tahi taatau, he iwi kotahi nei hoki taatau—te iwi o Niu Gently blows the wind from the North Bringing loving memories Which causes me here to weep Tis sorrow for the tribe. Nga Moteatea, No. 71. For sometime now I had been wandering along the path by which my thoughts were leading me. My friend was waiting for me, for my answer. To him I said, “Are there any other customs which you think should be abolished?” He looked at me, and said, “Well, it would be far better to abolish the huis. Now if there should be a hui-toopu at the South Island the Maori people will go to it. They leave their work. If a memorial stone is to be unveiled, or a new house opened at the Chatham Islands, away will go the Maoris. Those journeys consume money—the whole lot! None is left to pay the debts. This causes trouble with the shops who will refuse credit. Now it is better to abolish these meetings so there will be no financial troubles.” Away again went my thoughts. I am able to meet all my debts. Is it possible that I am the only Maori who can? I doubt this. I am able to spare a few shillings to go to a hui. Those shillings die the death of chiefs; they are not wasted, at least, that is what i think. I heard the wise and sensible words spoken upon the maraes, words touching upon our troubles. I watched the entertainments—the haka, poi dances and other posture dances. Then, as I watched, the strange spirit of the haka touched me, penetrating to the very marrow of my bones. The life principle of the Maori, lying quiescent here, was stirred. It was being fed. Now spontaneously my tongue wants to dart out, my eyes want to dilate, my muscles jerk and I want to plunge into the haka. Twas he who brought it here And made the sun to shine Aa upane! Aa upane! I said to my friend, “It is quite a difficult thing to abolish the Maori hui. If these were not wanted by the people they would not patronise them. But you know very well that hundreds of Maori people go to them.” He said, “That is so, but it is still wrong. Their greatest sin is that they separate us, making us go our separate ways. The Maoris go to their huis and the Pakehas go to theirs. We should really go together for we are one people—New Zealanders. It is right that we should stay close together, work together and journey together on the byways of the world.” Now this made me a bit angry. I felt like chiding my visitor. My wife must have noticed my anger for she shook her head at me, signalling not to be angry with our visitor. I spoke, “Yes, perhaps you are right.” But my thoughts denied this. It is not right. We all know that we are not one people. A Maori is a Maori and a Pakeha is a Pakeha. We have customs and

Tiireni. E tika ana kia noho piri taatau, kia mahi tahi taatau, kia haere tahi i ngaa huarahi o te ao!” Naa ka aahua whakatakariri ahau i teenei koorero. Kua hiahia ahau ki te kohete i taku manuhiri. Ka kite mai taku hoa-wahine i taku riri, ka ruuruu mai toona maahunga. E kii mai ana kia kauaa ahau e pukuriri ki too maaua manuhiri. Ka koorero ahau, “Aae, e tika ana pea taau.” Me taku whakaaro ano. Tika ki hea? Kei te moohio tonu taatau, e hara taatau kaaore e pai ana ki te iwi Paakehaa, aa, he tikanga aana kaaore e pai ana ki a taatau. Ko te puutake o aana koorero mo te kotahitanga he whakarere, he maka, he whiu i ngaa tikanga Maaori. Naa, ko te hanga mema paaremata nei te hunga koorero i teenei koorero he iwi kotahi taatau. Ko raatau kei te paanui ki te ao i ta taatau noho kotahi i runga i te aroha, i te rangimaarie. He moemoea naa te matakite teenei koorero, ki tooku nei whakaaro. He wawata naa te hunga haere ki te karakia. Ka whakaaro ahau, aue, me mutu eenei whakaaro kino i au. He rerekee mehemea he rongoa mo eenei aahuatanga. Naa te mea kaaore, pai ake te nohupuku. Ka kii atu au ki taku manuhiri, “He inu anoo, e Pire!” Ka inu anoo maaua Ka puta taku hoawahine ki te mahi kapu-ti maa maatau. Kua rongo atu au i ngaa tamariki e whawhai ana. Kua aue te waha o teetahi. Ko te tangata nei ko Pire he hoa mahi nooku, he hoa koorerorero. Kua moe wahine ia, aa e rua a raaua tamariki. He whare hou toona, he motokaaa. Te nuinga o ngaa taputapu miiharo mo te hiko kua riro mai i a ia, araa, mehemea e tika ana aana koorero. Kaaore anoo hoki ahau kia tae noa ki toona kaainga. Kaaore ahau e moohio ana he aha maaua i piri tata ai, ki taku moohio hoki kaaore oona hoa Maaori i tua atu i a au. E moohio ana ahau kaaore anoo ia kia kite noa i ngaa mahi a te Maaori. Engari kua rongo ia i ngaa koorero moo te Maaori e koorerotia ana e eetahi Paakehaa, araa, te maangere oo te Maaori, te paruparu, te poro haurangi, te aha, te aha. Kua tae mai ia inaianei ki too maaua kaainga. Ka moohio ia peehea te noho a teenei huunuku Maaori. Teeraa pea ka kii mai ia me haere atu maaua ko taku hoa ki toona kaainga, kia kite atu maaua peehea te noho a te Paakehaa i roto i oo raatau kaainga. Ka inu tii maatau, ka kai keke. Ka mutu ka huri anoo ngaa koorero ki te Maa Maaori ki te Paakehaa. Ka koorero ano a Pire, “Ki taaku nei titiro ko te huarahi hei whai maa taaatau ko teenei. Me whakakotahi te Maaori me te Paakehaa. Me kotahi ngaa ture, ngaa tikanga, ngaa whakaaro. Me whkakore atu ngaa mema Maaori o te Paaremata, me patu te Tari Maaori kia rite rite ai taatau. Kotahi tonu ngaa ture moo te iwi katoa. Ki te kore e peeneitia ka noho wehewehe tonu taatau peculiarities which don't find favour with the Pakeha people, and he has some we don't like. The essence of his argument for unity is that we should leave behind, throw out and abandon our Maori customs. The politicians are the culprits who give voice to the idea that we are one people. They are the ones who publish to the world that we live together in brotherhood and goodwill. To my way of thinking this is the dream of a seer. The idealistic longings of people who go to church. Then I caught up with myself and thought that I must cease such bad thoughts. It would be different if there was a remedy for this situation. Since there isn't, I must keep my thoughts to myself. I said to my visitor, “Have another drink, Bill!” We drank again. My wife went out to make a cup of tea. Then I heard our children fighting. One started to cry. Bill was a workmate of mine, a friend to converse with. He was married and had two children. He has a new house, a motorcar. He had bought most of the marvellous electrical gadgets one can buy, that is, if I can believe what he has told me. As yet, I have not visited his home. I don't know why we should become friends for to my knowledge I am his only Maori friend. I know he hasn't seen much of Maori life and customs. But he has heard the usual opinions held by some Pakehas, I refer to such statements as—the Maori is lazy, he is dirty, he is a drunkard, and so on. Now he has come to our home. He will see how this Maori family lives. Perhaps at some future date he will invite my wife and me to his home, so we will see how a Pakeha family behaves in its home. We had some tea and cakes. As soon as this was finished back went our conversation to the Maori-Pakeha issue. Bill was saying, “In my opinion this is the path we should follow. Let us regard the Maori and Pakeha people as one. Let us have the same laws, the same customs and similar thoughts. Let us do away with the special Maori members of parliament, let us put an end to the Maori Affairs Department so we will be all the same. Let there be one set of rules to be observed by everyone. If this is not done we will continue to be separated as we are now. Our differences will divide us and cause friction. “Abolish the Maori schools so all our children will be taught exactly the same way. Why bother with special scholarships and with Maori colleges! Their only function is to pull the Maori people along a tangent so that they finish up on a different plane. Now Rapa, what do you think about my thoughts on the matter?” The thoughts came pouring like an avalanche. Very quickly I denied all these statements. But, the longer I considered the less sure I was of what was right. Should I subscribe to my own views, or shouldn't I? Should all these things be killed!

peenei inaianei. Ka noho oo taaua rerekeetanga hei whakawehewere, hei whakararuraru i a taaua. Me whakakore atu ngaa kura Maaori kia rite tahi ai te whakaako o aa taatou tamariki. Hei aha ngaa karahipi, ngaa kaareti Maaori. Kaa aa rattau nei mahi he kukume whakateetahi taka i te iwi Maaori, ka tau he waahi kee. Epeehea ana eenei whakaaro ki a koe, e Rapa?” Ka ngahoro mai anoo aku whakaaro Tere tonu taku whakahee i eenei koorero. Engari kia roa ahau e whakaaro ana kua kore ahau e tino moohio me peehea, me peehea. Me haangai raanei ki ooku whakaaro, me peehea raanei. Me patu raanei eenei mea me peehea raanei. Ko taa wai e tika ana? Ko taana, ko taaku raanei? Ka mea mai anoo a Pire, “Naa, he aha too whakautu?” Ka kii atu au, “Kaaore ahau e tino moohio ana mehemea kei te tika koe, kei te hee raanei?” Ka kii ko ia, “E moohio ana ahau e tika ana aku koorero.” Ka mea atu au, “Ae, teeraa pea kei te tika koe. Ko wai e moohio ana!” I teenei ka tuu a Pire ki runga ka mea mai, “Kua haere ahau inaianei, kei kohetetia ahau mo te whakaroaroa. Tino pai a taaua koorero. Ka pai hoki a taaua inu. E noho raa koorua!” Ka mea atu ahau, “He aha hoki te pai! Taihoa, a teetahi waa, me hoki mai anoo koe Haere raa, e hoa.” Ka puta a Pire ki waho ka haere atu ki toona motokaa. Kua kite atu aa maaua tamariki kua whakatata atu, ki te titiro maakutu. Aa, ka haere te manuhiri. Ka hoki anoo ahau ki te ruuma, ka noho taumaha ki raro. Kua eke mai te poouri ki runga i a au. Kua kimikimi whakaaro ahau. Ko teehea raa te huarahi tika hei whai me te iwi? Ko te whakaaro kei te whakararuraru i a au inaianei, ko teenei. Mehemea e hee ana te whakatakoto kupu hei arahi i a taatau, ko taatau anoo ka koohurutia, ko aa taatau tamariki, ko a taatau mokopuna. Maa wai e whakatakoto nga kupu? Ma taatau anoo, maa ngaa taangata maarama raanei o te iwi Paakehaa? Ki te hee, riro maa wai taatau e koohuru? Ka kaha koia teetahi ki te kii, me peenei, me peenaa, me te whakaaro anoo mehemea ka hee ia, ka hee katoa te iwi Maaori! Ko taatau ka mamae. E mamae nei ahau inaianei. “E haere noa ana, E Karanga noa ana, ee u ee! Ka inoi ahau. “E te Atua, mehemea kei a koe Te maaramatanga, whakaaturia mai Te Huarahi, hei whai ma maatau, Kia kore ai maatau, te hunga Maaori, EE taka ki te he.” Whose opinion is the correct one? His or mine?” Bill asked again, “What is your opinion?” I said to him, “I don't quite know whether you are right or wrong.” He said, “I know that what I have said is correct.” I answered, “Yes, perhaps you are right. Who knows!” At this juncture Bill stood up, saying, “Well, I must go now or I shall be growled at for loitering. Our talk has been most enjoyable. And the tea was very nice. Well, cheerio!” I said, “It wasn't really so nice! Wait perhaps at another time you will return. Cheerio, my friend.” Bill went outside and walked towards his car. Our children spotted him and approached so as to have a better stare. At length our visitor went away. I went back to the room and sat down heavily. A cloud of darkness had descended upon me. I began searching my mind for the right thoughts. Which is the right road for us to follow? What troubled me most was this. Supposing the policy laid down to guide us was wrong, all of us would be murdered, our children and our grandchildren. Who should lay down a policy? Should we ourselves, or should we rely on the enlightened members of the Pakeha people? And if it should be wrong, who would be responsible for our decimation? Is one able to say, that we should do this and do that, bearing in mind the responsibility that should he be wrong, the whole of the Maori people will also be wrong! We are the ones who will feel the pain. And I am already in pain. “He is wandering aimlessly And calling so hopelessly Ee, u ee!” Then I began to pray: “O God, if you are the keeper Of all knowledge, Please show us the way That we should follow, So that we the Maori people Shall not fall into dark oblivion.”