PROVERBIAL AND POPULAR SAYINGS OF THE MAORI NGA WHAKATAUKI ME NGA PEPEHA MAORI Na KINGI IHAKA “Kotahi te kohao o te ngira e kuhuna ai te miro ma, te miro pango, te miro whero.” Ko tenei korero na Kingi Potatau. I te tau 1858, ka tu tetahi hui nui ki Ngaruawahia, ara he whakawahi i a Potatau hei Kingi Maori. Na Wiremu Tamehana Tarapipi a ia i whakawahi. I reira ka tu a Te Heuheu, te rangatira nui o Ngati-Tuwharetoa, ka ki a ia: “Potatau, i tenei ra, ka whakawahingia koe e ahau kei Kingi mo te iwi Maori. Ka kotahi korua ko Kuini Wikitoria. Ko te haahi o Te Karaiti hei uhi hei tiaki i a koe; ko te ture whenua hei whariki mo o waewae mo ake tonu atu.” Ka whakahokingia e Potatau: “Kotahi te kohao o te ngira e kuhuna ai te miro ma, te miro pango, te miro whero. I muri nei kia mau ki te aroha, ki te ture, me te Whakapono.” Ka pai te korero nei. No enei tau tata ka pahure ake nei, ka kitea ai, e 35 nga momo haahi kei waenganui i te iwi Maori, na ahakoa te maha o enei karangarangatanga, kotahi unga atu, ara ko te Atua. Ko te ngira, ko te Atua. Ko nga miro, ko nga tangata katoa o te ao, ahakoa pehea te ahua. Na reira kahore e tika kia whakahaweatia e tetahi te Whakapono o tetahi. Tukuna nga waka o te Whakapono kia tere. E hoe tena i tona waka, i tona waka. Kia kotahi he taunga ara ko te Atua. “Nga uri o Kiki, whakamaroke rakau.” Ko Kiki he tohunga no Waikato i mohio whanuitia i nga rohe katoa o Tainui. Mona te whakatauaki nei, a mo ona uri hoki. E ai ki nga korero, ka maroke i a ia te rakau, a ki te whakatata te ope taua ki tona kainga, ka mutu noa tana he titiro atu i roto i tana whare ki taua ope, ka mate te katoa. He maha nga korero mo tenei tohunga “There is but one eye of a needle, through which white, black and red cotton are threaded.” This is comparatively modern and was quoted by Kingi Potatau the first Maori King. In the year 1858, a large gathering assembled at Ngaruawahia for the religious ceremony of proclaiming Potatau as King. The rite was performed by Wiremu Tamehana Tarapipi. Present at the ceremony was the high chief of the Tuwharetoa Tribe, Te Heuheu, who during the course of his oration said: “Potatau, today I anoint you kingi for the Maori people. You and Queen Victoria are today united. Let the religion of Jesus be your mantle to protect you; and may the laws of the land be the mat on which to place your feet for ever.” To this, Potatau replied: “There is but one eye of a needle, through which white, black and red cotton are threaded. Hereafter, hold fast to charity, uphold the laws and be firm in the Faith.” In recent years a survey revealed that 35 various Church denominations exist amongst the Maori people, but in spite of these many divisions, there is but one Person to which all pay their allegiance, namely God. We who live in a so-called Christian land, should allow our various beliefs to continue, on the understanding however, that our main aim is to lead one another to God. The primary object of a needle is to sew, and in the words of the present Bishop of Aotearoa (The Rt. Rev. W. N. Panapa), let us all sew all Churches, all tribes and indeed everyone together, and eventually to God. “The descendants of Kiki, cause trees to wither.” Kiki was a famous Waikato chief noted especially for his mastery of ‘tohungaism’ or the practice of casting a spell on others. It is said that during his day, he could with his supernatural powers, approached his village, all he had to do was cause a tree to die, and that when a war party appear at the doorway, recite an incantation and all in the party would die. Hence this well known saying throughout the Waikato territory which clearly indicates his special powers in this respect.