CALISTHENICS — — MAORI STYLE

Arty AnTiDote, Issue IX, 6 November 1943, Page 5

CALISTHENICS — — MAORI STYLE

CELEBRITIES IN A NOBLE ART

Brought to New Zealand by the intrepid Polynesians who first peopled our land, the art of Calisthenics, Maori stylo, is one of the few that has sun v i d hi s modern world, and, indeed, is the only one that has made any sembla 1■ c e of P r ogre ss□

The ancient Moriori was an expert teacher and the various movements (or rather’ lack of movements) were handled down through the ages. We have their teachings preserved in the

songs and verses of that period, extolling their prowess. The Maoris in turn passed it .*to the Pakeha who proved more adept with each succeeding generation. So, now we have a race more proficient than any yet.

With the advent of the war, the cream of the nation’s manhood went to fight with the glorious 3rd Division and with them went the greatest exponents of the art. After a time there came a purge, and only the best men were retained while the lesser artists were relegated to the infantry, With this final sifting of talent, the Artillery Training Depot, consisted entirely of men who had made names for themselves at horizontal or Maori P»T.

Never before were so many talent*" ed artists gathered in one unit, and the rolls were illuminated by the names 0 f such on as "Loathe rhead the loafer", "Tired Tim Trigonometry", "Flea Bag Fox" and "Stick to the Stinker Stewart". Truly an array of talent to make the press reporters go wild -e ye with excitement.

Many books have been written on this art. The most noble literary contributions include "Maori P.T. in Necal", ano.exc client, concise hand - book by that expert and author, Sgt

"Nugget” Robinson, now gathering material for a new book on "Foxholing and Fleabagging in the? Solomons* The author of the well-known book "Bed sores, and How to Aggravate them", Bdr G.P, Greig is also gather tag material up above. These authors are accompanied in their peregrinations by the greatest exponent the world has ever known, Butch Armitage, They form the spearhead of a movement to popularise Maori P.T. among the Melanesians. With so many books written on the subjects! by more competent pens* than mine;, it is not necessary for me to discourse on the positions, but in closing I earnestly recommend that all students Pt ad at least two books of those mentioned above. If the LEWS library cannot supply you with copies, I will be only too pleased to lend you my own autographed first editions. — R.T.S,