MAORI PROVERBS AND SAYINGS by Rev. K. Ihaka NGA WHAKATAUAKI ME NGA PEPEHA A TE MAORI He maha nga whakatauki e rangona ana i tena marae, i tena marae, mo nga tini aitua, mo nga mate hoki. Kei nga tangihanga ka rangona te hohonutanga o nga korero. Na, e whai ake nei etahi o aua whakatauki: “He matua pou whare, e rokohia ana; he matua tangata, e kore e rokohia.” Kei te marama te takoto o nga korero nei. Ko te pou whare ka tu tonu, ahakoa pehea te tawhito. Ko te tangata, kua oti ke te korero mai e Rawiri: “Nga ra o o matou tau, e whitu tekau tau; a, ki te whai kaha, a ka waru tekau nga tau: Heoi he mahi mauiui, he pouri to ratou kaha.” Ko te pou rakau ka tu tonu, engari ano te tangata he rite tonu te hinga i tena ra, i tena ra. “Ehara i te ti, e wana ake”: Ko te rakau nei ko te ti, ki etahi he kouka, he kauka ranei, ki te tapahia ana, e kore e roa i muri mai, ka kitea nga pihi e tupu mai ana i te taha o te tumutumu. Otira he maha nga rakau e penei ana te ahua. Ahakoa pehea te tapatapahi a te tangata, ka tupu ake ano. He rereke te tangata. Ki te hinga te tangata i tetahi mate, e kore ano ia e ara mai. Na reira te tika o te whakatauki nei: “Ehara i te ti, e wana ke.” “He matua waka e taea te raupine mai; he matua whare, e taea te ropiropi e te ringaringa; he matua tangata, ki te mate ana, e kore rawa a taea te raupine mai e te ringaringa.” Ko tenei whakatauki ataahua, na Kingi Matutaera, ko tona ingoa e mohiotia nuitia ana ko Kingi Tawhiao. He whakahoki nana ki a Kawana Paraone mo te tono a te kawanatanga ki a ia, kia rangi- Throughout the ‘maraes’ of the Country, are heard several proverbs and sayings in connection with deaths. Indeed it is at ‘tangis’ that orations of exceptional quality are given. Here are a few of the sayings commonly heard in connection with deaths: “The main ridge pole of a house may be found (i.e., it will always stand); not so an adult.” (Note: It is well to point out that a Maori proverb loses its quality and full force when it is translated into another language. In some instances, the translations are very ‘free’, but in all cases, the principle of the proverb is retained. Then too, there are a number of well-known Maori words which are best left untranslated to preserve euphony, e.g., “Tangi” is more appropriate than “utter a plaintive cry”, and so on. The reader who is a non-Maori linguist, is therefore requested to learn the proverbs in Maori, but refer to the English version and explanations for the meaning.) The intention of this first saying is to convey the fact that whereas ridge poles of a house may and will last some considerable time, provided that they are properly ‘cured’ and cared for, man has a limited life here on earth and the Psalmist has declared, “the days of our age are threescore years and ten, and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years, yet is their strength then but labour and sorrow; so soon passeth it away, and we are gone.” A ridge pole can stand erect for years, but man is called to his eternal rest daily. “Unlike the ti (cordyline), it will never bud.” The various species of the cordyline are noted for their ability to survive in spite of the serious prunings they receive. Even one cut to ground level normally produces young shoots. Moreover, they can easily be transplanted from cuttings. Man is quite the opposite. Once he falls (dies), he will never rise again. “A canoe may be repaired; a house may be fashioned by hand; a man whom death claims, can never be restored to life by human hands.” The three treasured possessions of the early Maori were his canoe, meeting-house and life. Without his canoe, he was almost helpless. Without his meeting house, he was regarded as a ‘commoner.’ Without his ‘life’ he would not exist! It was therefore natural that a number of his early sayings were closely allied to these three. In this