THROUGH THE UREWERA.

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume 30, Issue 5, 1 July 1939, Page 1

THROUGH THE UREWERA.

Warmth of Maori Hospitality BISHOP^LEHER Bishopscourt, Ist July, 1939. My Dear People, As yet I have not recorded my journeys m the "Gazette," for there are many things to say each month, but those of June I think may be of special interest. For I have taken the opportunity of going to districts less easily reached from Napier. A happy and eventful week was passed at Tauranga for the festival of the Holy Trinity. An outstanding event was the gathering of ninety men of the parish under the leadership of the Rev. O. S. O. Gibson, who is a keen G.E.M.S. enthusiast, and represented this Diocese at the New Plymouth Conference. Over a hundred mothers attended the Mothers' Union service. Church life is strong m Tauranga and the assistant clergy, the Revs. H. Irving (late of Polynesia) and J. Tamahori (Maori Mission) have ample opportunity of gaining experience.' The latter has played Rugby football for the Tauranga representatives. The Diocese owes a debt of gratitude to Miss J. Birley for the establishment and maintenance of the Tauranga Maori Mission House, where Holy Communion was celebrated m the Chapel. Happily my visit coincided with that of her brother, Major Birley, from India.

AN EXTENSIVE PASTORATE

I was met by the Rev. Manihera Taumatahi. This priest administers a pastorate, which is Diocesan m extent. From his home at Mourea on Lake Rotoiti he journeys to islands m the Bay of Plenty and into the heart of the Urewera Country, where he was to act as my pilot for several days.

An early start on Friday, 9th June, enabled us to attend a meeting of the Bay of Plenty clergy at the residence of the Rev. and Mrs EL A. McCutcheon on the outskirts of Rotorua. Leaving at 2.30 p.m. we traversed the Kaiangaroa Plains and

passed through the extensive State forests. At Murapara we picked up Captain Withers, our Church Army missioner, and after paying a visit to Mr and Mrs Cawte, where we just missed meeting members of a Women's Institute committee, we arrived for dinner at the cookhouse of a forestry camp. As it was now dark and raining hard we much appreciated rations, light and warmth. The evening was spent with several young men who are earning their keep for the winter as foresters. They were engaged m other seasonal work during the summer, were educated and seemed ambitious to acquire permanent employment m industrial or commercial occupations. They were conducting a small canteen and treated us to supper. As it was now too late to disturb residents we all turned m to the C.A. Caravan, which proved equal to the strain, a third bed coming down from the wall and spare blankets from lockers below. After an early morning tramp, and bathe m a river, breakfast was enjoyed at Mr Bird's boarding house and the weather cleared.

RANGITAHI PA VISITED

Then followed a visit to the Rangitahi Pa for Service, lunch, and speeches of welcome, led by Mr W. Bird, jnr. In addition to the more familiar chicken the repast included a special "bush fowl." sacred food of the Maoris.

A round of visits was made to the homes of Galatea settlers, with whom the Captain was m touch, including members of the Neilsdn, McGill, Sutherland, Payne, Jones families, Mrs Gould, and Mr Roche, the school master. The fields were recovering from a dry summer, but presented an attractive contrast with the native scrub and fern of undeveloped country nearby. Attendance at a football match between Te Whaiti and Waireke teams enabled us to meet Mr and Mrs Tom Iki, who with Mr Joe Katene invited us to hold service on the morrow at the Warinaki Pa. Acceptance of this invitation spelt disaster, as we mis-

judged the time required for attendant hospitality and on the morrow defaulted at another service to which one woman had walked with her daughter five miles and back.

On the way to Te Whaiti a call was made at Mr Tuna Te Hau's home for an adult Baptism, before the drive over a range m wet and darkness. This helped us to appreciate the hot dinner and blazing fire at the home of Mr Taylor Mason, whose house became our Urewera headquarters. This loyal Maori family has remained staunch to the Church of England from the early days despite the coming and going of various religious movements, and they are anxious to see a church erected m their district.

BAPTISMAL SERVICE

On Sunday morning, 11th June, the Holy Communion was celebrated at the Waikotikoti Pa and m the Hine-nu-ti-po Meeting House, there being a representative attendance and 14 communicants. A light lunch was served and we sped back to Murapara, enjoying the mountain scenery by daylight. After the service, Baptism, and reception we failed to reach Te Whaiti for the 3 p.m. engagement m spite of a desperate dash ahead by the Captain, who waited m vain m the wet and cold with two fretting babies and Baptismal parties. However, we seemed to be forgiven and subsequently baptised m all four European children m the homes of employees of the timber mills, and made a pilgrimage to the home of Mrs Dale, who had walked so far. The little people's names were John Mills, Marlene McCurdy, and the children of Mr and Mrs Lynch.

A lantern service by the C.A. acetylene plant was the last official Sunday fixture, but it did not terminate the day's activities. An informal conference took place by Mr Mason's fireside until nearly midnight. It was decided to proceed asearly as practicable to the" Tatau Hoata Pa at Ruatahuna, where a tangi was m progress and most of the people still adhered to the Ringa-tu faith. We would pay our respects to the relatives of the deceased, friends, and assembled, people of the district. .

Tactfully but firmly I was advised by the Maori members of the party that I would be called upon to deliver an impressive spiritual message, and that an address of the conversational Sunday school lesson type of teaching would be inadequate. This admonition was undoubtedly m keeping with the psychology of our native race, and I felt grateful for this frank expression of their feelings. The material circumstances of our European civilisation tend to dull one's perception of the Maoris' desire for direct approach to spiritual truths.

NGATI WHARI VISITED.

We received much kindness from ]V£r Pera, an influential chief of the Ngati Whari people, who inhabit the Urewera. As a small boy he said he had played with the missionaries' children more than 50 years ago. He conducted us over the site of the old station, now a wilderness of trees and undergrowth, where once a large house had stood m a beautifully laid out garden. He pointed out the little European burial place whose surrounding fence was almost demolished, and suggested the advisability of repairs to this monument and a recording of the early activities of our Church at Te Whaiti. Not far away were inspected two deep holes m the ground, worn, according to tradition, by the feet of a great warrior engaged m a long series of single combats. His name was Wharipakao, and from him are descended the Ngati Whari and Ngati Manoa people. Mr Pera accompanied us to Ruatahuna and introduced our party at the tangi there.

In addition to the Rev. Manihera we had with us also Mr Mate Wharehuia, of Murapara, a fluent speaker both m Maori and English. He acted as my interpreter. The weather was threatening when we arrived by 1 p.m. at Ruatahuna (altitude 1550 feet) and snow was not far away.

After crossing a deep stream with a rough ford, we drove into the marae and dismounted from our cars just" after the funeral itself was over. Approaching to within thirty yards of the assembled mourners we stood for about half an hour while sympathy was expressed by wailing m the traditional manner, which was acknowledged by them. Next we sat for an hour while speeches of intro-

duction, acceptance and welcome were exchanged between the members of our party and the local chiefs. As there was a wind and the temperature was steadily falling some friends had placed coats and rugs across our shoulders meanwhile.

These preliminary challenges over, we were greeted by the Kuatahuna people with handshakes accompanied by the time-honoured ceremonial of rubbing noses, and admitted to the interior of the meeting house, where we were to make our home for the next 24 hours. We were soon made warm and comfortable with mattresses, rugs and even a hot water bottle supplied by some of the ladies. By the time that dinner was served the assembly numbered almost 50. Food was distributed by the young men, who had cooked it well m the hangi, or pit of hot stones. A dish particularly favoured m the locality was the meat of the piripiri bird preserved m fat, while haunches of pork, potatoes and home baked bread formed the basis of our repast.

RELIGION PROMINENT

Religion takes a natural prominence at important Maori gatherings and early m the evening some psalms were recited by members of the Ringa-tu faith after which Manihera and I were invited to hold a church service. He was ably supported by the rest of our party and Anglican visitors from other parts familiar with our worship. I endeavoured to explain the doctrine of the Trinity, a stumbling block to some of our hosts, while Manihera quoted Te Kooti's words to his followers bidding them join the Mother Church of England should they ever decide to become Christians again. Witty speeches of welcome and religious discussion continued far into the night. The Captain, who was no stranger to Ruatahuna, dozed off after his arduous labours, and just before 1 a.m. oblivion blotted out for me the reception of some late-

comers

Next morning we were taken down the valley to see a magnificent meeting house built by Te Kooti and recently restored. It is wonderfully carved, has hunting pictures painted on the beams of the roof, and contains fine greenstone meres. We saw also a "whare purii," where mothers and small children keep

warm m a low building and grouped round a brazier of hot coals. Outside the hills were capped with snow. A final service m the meeting house at 3 p.m. concluded our activities m Ruatahuna.

RETURN TO THE FOLD.

A happy family occasion marked our last morning at Te Whaiti. A son of our host and his bride, brought up at Nuhaka m the Mormon belief, desired to return to the Church and receive the rite of Christian marriage. Manihera was prepared for just such an emergency and had all the necessary documents. At 8 a.m. we assembled m the hall before an improvised altar complete ,with white cloth, cross and candles. After the office for adult baptism we proceeded to holy matrimony and then cele* brated the Eucharist, at which parents and clergy received the Communion. Breakfast followed. In the back-blocks one can appreciate the value of the Book of Common Prayer and the debt we owe to those devoted missionaries who translated it into the Maori tongue.

Brief calls were paid to the Presbyterian Missioner, Mr Johnson, and the Te Whaiti Scout troop> conducted by the schoolmaster, before we parted on our various ways, Manihera and Withers to continue their sterling work m ministering to both races m many outposts, and I to come back to Hawke's Bay. Snow lay beside the road for many miles until Lake Waikaremoana had been passed and I arrived at Tuai accompanied by Mr A., Paraki, a Urewera Maori who came to introduce me at the pas.

A service was arranged for the afternoon of Sunday, 18th, necessitating a trip up again from Nuhaka and down to Wairoa between prearranged fixtures. This made it possible to bring up the Revs. H. Huata, W. Huata and T. Pohatu as supports.

European fixtures at Tuai arranged for me with the Vicar of Wairoa, the Rev. C. E. Hyde, included a lantern service m a camp cookhouse, Holy Communion m Mrs. Millar's drawl-ing-room, a baptism, visiting and a tour of the construction works with Mr. Alcock, the superintending engineer. •"• Amongst kind hostesses were Mesdames Bocock, Millar, Nicholls, Mead and others. Yours sincerely, .: G. VINCENT WAIAPU.