WAIKATO TANIWHARAU by Apirana Ngata In our last issue, we printed the late Sir Apirana Ngata's comments on Waikato and the origin of the King movement; here we have an appraisal of that important historic figure, King Mahuta. This article is reprinted from Pipiwharauroa, of the year 1900, and the translation is by Rev Hohepe Taepa. The photograph of Apirana Ngata (left) and Peter Buck (right), taken about the time the article was written, is from the Turnbull Library. He tangata te kingi o Waikato e tau ana hei hapai i te ingoa rangatira, hei whakatopu i nga whakaaro o nga iwi i roto i te porotaka o Te Kingitanga. Haunga ake te waihanga o te tinana, kaore he wahi hape, engari ko nga whakaaro. E titiro ana au he tangata marama, he tangata hohoro ke te whawha i te kupu tika engari e tupato ana ki te whakaputa, e araitia ana pea e nga tikanga nunui kei te takiwa o Waikato. Kei mua ona whakaaro i o tona iwi ki taku mahara, e whai ana ki te hopu i nga mea pakari e ahu ana mai i te taha pakeha hei painga mo tona iwi, otira e tino uaua ana a Waikato ki te whakapiri atu ano ki te taha o te pakeha, na reira ka mate whakaroto nga whakaaro o nga tangata e titiro ana e taea noatia ana e te Maori te pupuri nga wahi pumau o tona maoritanga i tuku mai i ona tipuna: engari i te mea kua ara ake he aronga hou i te taenga mai nei o te pakeha me tiki atu ano i te pakeha he ringaringa he kaha he matauranga hei whawha i enei mea tauhou. The King of Waikato (Mahuta) is a personage who can well bear the honourable title, and in whom the hopes of those within the circumference of the King Movement may well be centred. He has personality, but more he is a thinker. To me he is keen to discern, quick to consider good advice, and diplomatic, perhaps somewhat stunted by the authority of custom prevalent in that Waikato region. I think he has shown initiative in advance of his people, striving to turn to their advantage those things of worth in the European way of life; but Waikato is reluctant to co-operate again with the European which is a burden the other people confident in the retention of their cultural heritage. Since with the advent of the European a new way of life has been introduced, the new problems created must be met with European methods and education.