The Future of Maori Chant IN AN ARTICLE in a recent issue of ‘Te Ao Hou’ (No. 48) Mrs A. Mihi Hill argues that Maori chant is unlikely to survive, ‘because not enough younger Maoris care sufficiently to help it survive’. She also says that ‘today if you want to learn Maori you have to be really keen, and once you have learnt Maori you have to be fanatic to learn the old chants. They are not easy to learn and, many would say, not easy to listen to’. In my opinion this is such an important subject that all Maori culture group leaders should discuss it thoroughly with their groups and submit their findings to this magazine.

Maori Groups Increasing in Number Personally, I do not sympathise with her sentiments, and I sincerely hope that not too many will. Maori culture groups are more numerous today, and will continue to increase in number and popularity. All these groups are concerned with the preserving and teaching of our culture. Some people (including some Maoris) erroneously believe that Maori culture is only a matter of hakas, action songs and poi dances. By neglecting the other branches of our culture, we have neglected to rectify this misconception. Hakas, action songs and poi dances are the most popular and best known aspect of Maori culture but they are not the most important part of it. From my own experience I feel absolutely certain that no student will derive satisfaction from learning just one branch of any chosen field. Since the majority of students are inspired by their leader, they will eagerly and happily absorb whatever he is willing to impart.

The Damage is Not Irreparable Unless we are prepared to learn all branches of our culture, we will become foreigners in our own country. Pakeha culture has played havoc with certain branches of our culture, but the damage is not irreparable. In my own group the ambition of all is to learn whaikorero, for we all realise that this is the supreme test. One can be a tohunga in every other branch of Maori culture, but if one's whaikorero is not up to standard, one's prestige or mana is lost. For this, knowledge of our history and customs is a big help, but knowledge of whakapapa, whakatauki, waiata, pao and patere is practically essential.

Enthusiasm and Pride We are making slow progress, but we are progressing! What is more important is that the enthusiasm of the group has developed into pride! Where once we sniggered at tape-recordings of the old chants, we are now attentive listeners, absorbing every word and note and enjoying them. Consequently the opportunity to ‘test’ ourselves is eagerly anticipated. We do not find it difficult or monotonous to listen to the chants, nor could we be deemed ‘fanatics’. We are proud of our Maoritanga, so our love for all that is Maori is natural and automatic. For a start, eighty per cent of our members could not speak their own language, and did not care one way or the other whether they learnt or not. Today, it is a different story.

The Need is Greater Mrs Mihi Hill also stated that ‘because of the impact of the new society there was not the same need or opportunity to gather and sing together’. With so many young Maoris being compelled to migrate to the cities, I think the ‘need’ today is greater. Make no mistake about it, crime and delinquency is our national problem today. Government-supported Maori culture groups and sports clubs would give teenage Maoris somewhere to go and something to do with their leisure hours, for boredom and too much ‘time to kill’ make them vulnerable.

Culture Groups Not Publicized Readers will say. ‘There are hundreds of these groups all over New Zealand’. I agree. However though many will deny this, Maoris have an inferiority complex and it is more pronounced in the cities than anywhere else. With their natural shyness and awareness of colour discrimination they soon give up the