Te Pipiwharauroa 37

Te Pipiwharauroa 37

No. 37
1901/03/01

(Maori Version at NZETC)

[1] Te Pipiwharauroa, He Kupu Whakamarama, Number 37, Gisborne, March 1901

TE PIPIWHARAUROA

To the supporters of this bird, Te Pipiwharauroa: Friends, this is my appeal to you to give your strong support to our bird. This is our cigar, to be enjoyed. Don’t be slack. Don’t begrudge the five shillings it costs to have it sent as it is clearly five shillings for a whole year. Enough, from your sailor friend here.  

Hone H Harimana, 
Opononi, Hokianga.

[During the journeying of the staff of Te Pipiwharauroa this summer they were concerned to answer friends’ questions, and to understand better their words. Friends, don’t be upset. We are continually aware that we make mistakes. However, we wish to remind you not to send expensive stamps but only halfpenny or penny stamps. If a person requests a paper do let us have your name if you have not already sent it. Do not hesitate to write if there are problems with the delivery of your paper. If we receive widespread support from the people for our paper then we can include pictures in each issue and increase the number of pages. Some people ask if we can increase the number they receive of a single edition one month if they send more than five shillings. They do not appreciate what is involved in the printing process. The most intensive work is the setting of the type. What is involved in the printing of one paper is the same as in the printing of perhaps one thousand. There are answers in the last pages of the paper to some of the questions put to us. Greetings to all our supporters and everyone. Greetings on the occasion of the death of our Queen. - Editor.]

A MEMORIAL TO QUEEN VICTORIA

It is proposed to build a memorial to Queen Victoria in Wellington in the form of a stone statue. It is said that this project should be supported by the whole people. It is proposed that the Maori people should collect for that statue. But Tamahau Mahupuku thinks that the Maori people ought to set up their own stone memorial and has contributed £22. We support the idea that the Maori people should consider some way of commemorating our Sovereign Queen who has been parted from us without blemish and in peace, but we do not think a stone is the appropriate memorial to the Queen. Whatever the pleasure of the eyes in looking at a stone, it passes. It is the case that if Maori contribute to the statue to be erected in Wellington, Wellington alone benefits in that it beautifies only that town, and most of us Maori will not see it. If we have a separate stone for the Maori people only, where should it stand? Only the place where that stone stands will be enhanced and other villages and tribal groups will not benefit.

The appropriate memorial for us as Maori to contribute to and to help is that proposed by the Bishop of Auckland to his Pakeha people, a School for Maori Girls in Auckland. People should look carefully at the challenge of the Bishop which follows this article. [2] The advantage of this proposal are for us Maori particularly, for all the hapu of the island. Although the school will be in Auckland children from all the hapu will be able to go to it, and they will be able to report to their people what the memorial to the Queen is like. This kind of memorial is good for the eyes, the body, the heart, the soul, and the whole people. Good mothers mean good children and good children (when they grow up) become good parents and good parents benefit the whole people. We published last year in Number 28 the Governor’s speech about this school in which he said that it was most important to teach Maori girls. We published in Number 34 and article concerning ‘Mothers’ saying that theirs was the great influence in raising children.

The Pakeha have begun the collection for the school for the benefit solely of Maori, so let us make an effort – the greatest effort – as we Maori collect, the hapu, the families, the parents of children; let us all collect, even small amounts, so that the Pakeha may see that our hearts are sympathetic, and then they will open their baskets. We will publish all the amounts given for this school. Send contributions to us or to the ministers in your district, Pakeha or Maori, for them to send on. Follow the example of Irene Donnelly. She gave one of the first donations, £100. What a fine lady!

Te Pipiwharauroa.

THE QUEEN VICTORIA MAORI GIRLS’ SCHOOL

The message of the Bishop of Auckland to the Pakeha people.

There are people in many places who wish to set up a permanent memorial to our beloved Queen who has died. I wish to put to you a proposal which I think is excellent, a proposal which all in this colony will not hesitate to support.

The proposal is to set up a school for Maori girls like Hukarere, Napier. We have seen the great benefits of that school, but we are also aware that it is too small for the two islands. Each year it is completely full, and it is not able to accept all the girls who wish to attend. A few years ago discussion began about erecting a school in Auckland in celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. It would be called the Queen Victoria Girls’ School. However, because all the people wanted to benefit the Maori people, the whole colony wished to take up this project, not Auckland only. Some £10,000 needs to be raised to ensure the beginning of the school.

The General Synod of the Church of England took up the subject when it met at Napier and agreed this motion:

‘This Synod warmly agrees with the proposal to build a school for Maori girls in Auckland, to be known as Queen Victoria School, as New Zealand’s perpetual memorial to our beloved late Queen, and the Synod urges all members of the New Zealand Church to support this project. We want this project to be swiftly brought to completion and so we ask all the people of this land to help.’

These are the reasons we urge the support of this proposal:

(1) It is a great proposal. We have an obligation to teach our Maori girls the Christian precepts. We have seen the importance and the good results of teaching boys in some places in these islands, but we have not made efforts to teach girls. It is not right that we should wait expecting an improvement in the condition of the people in the villages if the girls of this present generation are not taught Christian understanding. This alone is the means of raising up the people.

(2) In recent years Pakeha women have done little for their Maori sisters. This is a way of them showing their love by taking up this work.

(3) A school for Maori girls is a very appropriate memorial to our beloved Queen. It is in accord with the wishes of her own heart, the betterment of every people under her reign.

(4) Auckland was chosen as the right place to erect this school because:

(a) there are many Maori in this Province (18,000), and this town is surrounded by many large hapu;

(b) there is less school work done in this [3] area than in others;

(c) the organisation of the school has begun in Auckland.

(5) It is believed that the Maori are in full agreement with the proposal and will support it.

My heart is fully committed to this objective.

By the Primate of New Zealand, 
W G Auckland.

Money for the Maori Girls’ School £ s d

Various donations 106.0.0

Lord Ranfurly *5.0.0

Lady Ranfurly *5.0.0

Irene Donnelly (Mrs G P Donnelly) 100.0.0

An Auckland Pakeha 100.0.0

Archdeacon Williams, Te Aute 100.0.0

Two Maori from Hastings 3.0.0

Whanganui Pakeha Girls’ School 1.15.0

Williams’ Station at Te Aute 56.0.0

* Given last year.

A CHALLENGE!

Mr James Williams has said that he will give a £ for every £ collected by all the people whose land he leases, Waipiro and other land. That is, if those people collect £100 for the school, Mr James will give £100; if they collect £1000 he will give £1000; if someone gives £1 he will give £1. So, people, rise to the challenge of this Pakeha and don’t be disappointed! A book of contributions has been placed in the store at Waipiro.

MAORI TOHUNGA

Although the Government has made known its opposition to the works of the Maori tohunga, some people persist in deceiving the Maori people with their erroneous activities. Not many Maori tohunga were put in prison, put away by people. If a person is lucky enough to live, people say that he was healed by such-and-such a tohunga. But it the person dies from the work of the tohunga that is ignored. The family of the person who died are not angry but they believe what the tohunga says when he denies responsibility saying that he died because his instructions were not followed. A man will boast about his healing by the tohunga (even though he may not have been seriously ill) but will fall silent when asked why his grandchildren died. Do not leave it for the Maori tohunga to explain it to the policemen later.

A man, Hone Poti from Te Wairoa, has been put in prison for six months for his activities. He deceptively told people that he would heal their sicknesses and demanded to be paid for it. One elder in receipt of a Government pension was commanded by Hone Poti to give him the pension in case it was the cause of his illness. The judge spoke to Hone Poti, saying, ‘These tohunga activities are a cause of evil to the Maori and an evil that is being addressed by the law. In the course of investigating your wrongdoing it was seen that many evils resulted from your work. You are not being judged because you have killed people, but it is clear that your deceitful claim that you have power to heal, along with the faith of Maori, in their ignorance, in these deceptions, have led Maori not to go to the real doctors, and instead they have subjected their bodies to your deceptions and have suffered as a result. You will not be released. Should you be released, perhaps you will say, and the Maori will believe, that it is because of your requests to your gods or your spirits that the court did not send you to prison. Should you or any others of your company come again before a judge, be aware that you will suffer greatly.’

On that day policemen also arrested an elderly woman tohunga, Harata Paretiti of Te Muriwai, for the death of a man. That man was ill with typhoid fever. The doctor was treating him and things were getting easier. Then Harata said (according to the testimonies in court) that if she were treating him he would be better, with the result that the sick man was taken to that elderly lady. When he arrived, although it was evening, he was submerged by the tohunga in the sea. Twice the sick man, weakened by fever, was taken on foot to the sea. Afterwards he was made to drink two full pannikins of flax water. Twenty minutes after drinking the second pannikin this man died. The doctors said that since the man’s stomach was distended by the typhoid fever it was not able to deal with the flax water. Harata was committed by the judge to be tried in the Supreme Court. In accordance with what the Judge said to Hone Poti, Harata remains in prison. The law is outraged by the activities of tohunga.

[4] 

EASTER

Easter [the Day of Resurrection] falls on 7th of the coming month, so let us speak of some of the reasons we call that day the most important day in the Church year. According to Paul, the Resurrection of Christ is the veritable foundation of our faith (1 Corinthians 15.17). Are we clear about our reasons for our faith in that great event?

We believe that Christ has risen because the Bible tells us so, a story written down for us by the Apostles. But the message was not of their own devising, rather they were chosen by Christ to be witnesses of that event, and they were commanded to go and proclaim to the whole world that Christ had risen. The first sermon by Peter in the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles was spoken for us; the Resurrection of Christ is the basis of that sermon. Those by Paul at Antioch (13.30,34) and also at Athens (17.31) were the same. If we look carefully at the letters of the Apostles to each Church we see that it is that event, the Resurrection of Christ, that they speak about to them all. And what they proclaimed was not idle speech inasmuch as they knew what they were talking about. They had seen him after his Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15.5-7); they had eaten with him (Luke 24.43); they listened to him speaking (John 20.16-21); he breathed on them (v.22); they touched him (v.27).

According to the Jews the disciples stole the body of Jesus (Matthew 28.13-15), but theft is not the work of someone who is afraid and the disciples were certainly afraid (John 20.19). The Pharisees had arranged for soldiers to guard the tomb lest he be stolen away (Matthew 27.66). The disciples also did not believe that he had risen (Mark 16.13; Luke 24.11; John 20.9). If the disciples had stolen the body they would not have been so brave as to give themselves up to suffering for saying that he had risen.

Now, when they saw him they were happy (John 20.20). They were happy because their Lord had risen from the dead. We can enter into their joy. We also have reasons for joy that were not immediately clear to the Apostles: this is the basis for our faith (I Corinthians 15.16); it is the sign that God has accepted the sacred offering for our sins (Acts 2.27; Romans 1.4), and by this we know that we also shall rise (1 Corinthians 15.20). This joy of ours is something that lasts; it is the great joy given by Christ (John 16.22).

From the above statements it is clear why we call Easter the most important feast of the year. Christmas Day [the Day of Birth] is important, but it is the beginning of the humiliation of our Lord; this day, the Day of Resurrection, is the beginning of his entry into glory. Let us be joyful, but joyful in spirit, knowing the basis of that joy.

WHITI WHITI ORA! [The call of the Pipiwharauroa.]

Someone said, ‘God’s most important people in the world are first, ministers, second, newspaper editors, and third, doctors.’

John Milton said:

It is not knowing far away things

Things not to hand, making one sad or oppressed, but knowing

Things that lie in our presence day by day,

That is true learning.

There are thinking people who say that good is bad and bad is good, who think that they know more than God; God says evil is evil and good is good, better in this world and reaching to the next.

It is the case with some churches that the only things pointing to heaven are the steeples.

What saddens Satan is not when someone goes to church but when he goes to Christ.

Some people will not get to heaven, not because of the narrowness of the road but because they are just too lazy to make the journey.

There are no rooms in heaven set aside only for chiefs.

Some wicked people think that all the people in the world are the same, and just like them.

A foolish man does not acknowledge his sins; to his way of thinking he is one of the wisest men in the world.

Some people ate to live; some people lived to eat.

To some men their mothers and wives are just saddlebags.

If someone began a conversation with you not for his betterment or yours, be careful lest you be disappointed.

The faith of some people is like their clothes. On Sunday they put on beautiful clothes and on ordinary days they put on their disgusting clothes.

[5]  

THE TANGI FOR QUEEN VICTORIA

The leaders of Porourangi and others gathered at Te Kawakawa to pay tributes to Queen Victoria on the occasion of her death and burial. First, a picture of Queen Victoria was placed amongst the pictures of Maori leaders to be wept over by the Porourangi people of the Tai Rawhiti. On February 2nd, the leaders of Turanga, Uawa, Tokomaru, Waiapu, Tauranga, Te Arawa and Tuhoe, gathered at Te Kawakawa. At 8 a.m. they met on Hinerupe marae to raise the Union Flag which had been sent by the Queen as an appreciation of Ngati Porou’s loyalty to her. The Queen had sent that flag on 20th November, 1900. It had been worked by her own maids. That flag was awaiting the time arranged by the Government when one of its ministers would raise it and would read the letter from the Queen praising the loyalty of Ngati Porou to her and the commitment of the Tai Rawhiti chiefs to taking up arms in the time of fighting. The flag was sent from England to the Governor of New Zealand along with the message explaining the significance of the flag. When the flag arrived at Te Kawakawa there was with it the Governor’s letter. This is what he wrote:

To Te Hati Houkamau and all the chiefs of Ngati Porou. This Union Flag is sent as a lasting memorial of the loyalty of Ngati Porou to the Government. The first flag was sent by the Government as a memorial to those leaders of Ngati Porou who died defending the authority of the Queen, as were the swords of honour. Set up a flag pole in preparation for the day when the flag will be raised. The Government will send a Minister to raise it and to speak about the two flags.

Because the Queen died, we did not wait for the arranged day. It was right that the flag should fly over her bones. The flag is 30 feet long and 14 feet across.

When the flag was raised the commemoration began. The remaining elderly soldiers fired their guns; after five volleys they stopped. Rawiri Karaha was the first to stand and make clear the good things the Queen had given us. In 1814 came the Church of England which cleared the undergrowth of New Zealand. In 1840 we were given the Treaty of Waitangi. Afterwards Parliament was set up making Maori and Pakeha one. In 1887 we were given the power to frame laws which were completed by the House in 1900; this law remains as a tribute to Queen Victoria. And so it is right that we should lament greatly [the death of] this old Lady. Farewell, Lady!

Such love cannot be consumed by fire.

[?It is carried by Ngatihokopu

The volcano standing in the South.]

The Queen is far away; but still

Your fame dashes upon us.

Hone Waitoa. Minister:

My spray of white heron feathers is scattered,

My shield against great peoples,

The canoes sailing in the East,

For me especially a great house has fallen!

Hati Houkamau:

Farewell, Lady. For you have done well in laying down laws for the well-being of your Maori people and your Pakeha people. We pray to God that in days to come he will confer much good on this descendant of yours who has been seated on your throne.

Go, Lady on the path of the warrior,

On the path of death!

You leave behind your chiefly descendant…!

Tuhaka Kohere:

I feel great distress as I hear all the things said about the death of our gracious Queen, but I wish to add these words for our new King, that he may be blessed and enjoy length of days. Farewell, Lady. Farewell. Here before you are the chiefs of Ngati Porou who upheld your honour in the days of fighting.

I did not see you in the flesh.

We stood apart. The cliffs crumble.

When Spring leaps, allow me to show love

To the Queen, lest your spirit returns

To your land, to the great people.

Hori Mahue:

Go, Lady, to your people, to your hosts.

Farewell, Lady – you, our parent,

Pulled from the heart of the flax.

You stand in the front rank,

My immensity, my greatness, my boast

To heaven. Leave the privileged people in anguish.

Hemi Kauta:

Farewell, Lady. Go to your people who have passed on!

My love goes out to you, Lady,

Parted from us….!

Many people stood to say farewell and to sing laments to the Queen; altogether 250 people attended.

[We thank Rawiri Karaha for this report which he sent to us. Because the paper is very full we have had to leave out the names of people. We were also unable to print the tributes to the Queen from M H Wharanui of Te Whaiti, and Pine Tuhaka of Te Horo, Waiapu. – Editor]

[6] 

THE MONTHS

Many people do not know how many days there are in a month – 30 or 31. There is a rhyme written for English children which explains this but it is not possible to translate it into Maori. However there is a way of remembering which works for both Maori and Pakeha. It is this. Say the names of the month so that they correspond with the knuckles on the fingers as well as the space between the fingers. Begin naming at the index finger; when you reach the little finger begin again with the index finger. The long months coincide with the knuckles and the shorter with the spaces between the fingers.

Index Finger

January 31

August 31

Space
February 28

September 30

Middle Finger
March 31

October 31

Space
April 30

November 30

Ring Finger
May 31

December 31

Space June 30

Little Finger July 31

Before the arrival of the Pakeha the Maori had no such problems in that they awaited the arrival of the New Moon as the mark of the beginning of the month. The days were named as follows [?he]:

1 Whiro 14 Turu

2 Tirea 15 Rakau nui

3 Hoata 16 Rakau matohi

4 Ouenuku 17 Takirau

5 Okoro 18 Ongohi (Oika)

6 Tamatea kai ariki 19 Korekore ti whiwhia

Tamatea ananga (kani) 20 Korekore te rawea

Tamatea aio 21 Korekore piripiri ki Tangaroa

More Tamatea Mutu 22Tangaroa-a-mua

7 Huna 23 Tangaroa-a-roto

8 Ari 24 Tangaroa kiokio

9 Ohua 25 Otaane

10 Mawharu 26 Orongonui

11 Hotu 27 Mauri

12 Atua 28 Omutu

13 Maurea 29 Mutu whenua

The appearance of Matariki [Pleiades, The Seven Sisters] marks the first month. These are the names of all the months.

Te Tahi of Pipiri - The First of Pipiri

Te Rua o Takurua - The Second of Takurua

Te Toru Here o Pipiri - The Third Here of Pipiri

Te Wha o Mahuru - The Fourth of Mahuru

Te Rima o Kopu - The Fifth of Kopu

Te Ono o Whitianaunau - The Sixth of Whitianaunau

Te Whitu o Hakihea - The Seventh of Hakihea

Te Waru o Rehua - The Eighth of Rehua

Te Iwa o Ruuhi-te-rangi - The Ninth of Ruuhi-te-rangi

Te Ngahuru o Poututerangi - The Tenth of Poututerangi

Te Ngahuru ma tahi  - The Eleventh

Te Ngahuru ma rua - The Twelfth

These names were brought by the ancestors of the Maori from Hawaiki, and these names are preserved here and on some other islands of the ocean.

Then Pakeha owes his names for the months to the Romans. But they were ignorant and mistakenly thought of the year as having ten months. Their year began in March. The first four months were given names. The rest were called the fifth month, sixth month, up to the tenth. Afterwards they agreed to add two months, January and February, but the number of days in each month was not correct. Soon after the time of Christ a king called Julius Caesar ruled in Rome. He was a knowledgeable man and set about correcting the mistakes by fixing the length of the year at 365 days each year, with 366 days every fourth year. I said also that the days of the month should number 30, 31, 30, 31 to the end of the year But if this were to be the length of all the months then the year would be 366 days long, so he decreed that one day be taken from February except for every fourth year. This was how the year looked:

January 31 May 31 September (7) 31

February 29 June 30 October (8) 30

March 31 Number five 31 November (9) 31

April 30 Number six 30 December (10) 30

This seemed to finish things off but there remained the problem of the retention of the names of the six months at the end of the year as if there were only ten months in the year. The names were given as the seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth, whereas those months should be the ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth.

The people were pleased with the new arrangement and they proposed that his name be given to month Number five, and so that month was called July in memory of the man who set the year right.

When Julius died, his nephew Augustus Caesar succeeded him. Augustus was a conceited young man and, when he noted that one of the months had been named after his uncle, he was jealous. He thought that the people despised him because he was not given a month. However the people agreed to name month Number six for him. Whereupon he was angry, saying that this was a sign of their dislike, insofar as there were only 30 days in his month and 31 in that of his uncle. So they stole one day from the poor month of February, with the result that the year was like this:

January 31 May 31 September 31

February 28 June 30 October 30

March 31 July 31 November 31

April 30 August 31 December 30

Then they saw that there were 31 days in July, August and September. So the number of days in the months at the end of the year were 30 for September, 31 for October, 30 for November and 31 for December. In this way Augustus upset the good arrangement of his uncle, Julius, and we have his month as a reminder of how he messed up the year.

JOTTINGS

Hone Taotahi and Muri Motu Hohaia of Matauri have told us that nine people, four men, four women and one child have been struck down with fever [shaking illness] after eating honey. The people of Matauri are greatly distressed and they do not know if those poisoned by the honey will live or die. We suspect that the bees may have gathered their nectar from poisoned flowers growing perhaps in places where sheep have been treated. The best thing is to cook the honey carefully before eating it.

A Tuhoe Death

Tiopira Tamaikoha has written telling of the death of one of the great chiefs of Tuhoe, Rakuraku Rehua. He died at Waimana on 6th February. He was 79 when he died. There was a large funeral for him with people coming from Ngatiawa, Te Whakatohea, Ngai Tamatea, Tuhoe, Te Arawa and Whanganui. 600 gathered for his burial. Rakuraku was one of the leading supporters of the Ringatu Church. He was a close friend to Te Kooti Rikirangi. Although Rakuraku did not follow the path we would have liked, we weep at the death of this Maori leader. We have also learned of the death of Mereana Peraniko, a chiefly woman of Tuhoe.

The Trip to Melbourne

Perhaps the Government saw what Tamahau had written about his wonder at what he saw in Port Jackson. He was saying that it would be a good thing if the Government should take some bright Maori children to see the large towns of other lands, to observe special occasions, so that they can grasp understanding and wisdom from what they see and can return to their families and tell them about the things they have seen. This is a very good idea. This is what the Japanese do. If what is said is right and 500 Maori are to go to Melbourne, we say that the Minister of Maori Affairs should give instructions that some of our bright children should go to increase their understanding. Don’t just send people who will glut their eyes and their stomachs and not their minds.

A Collection of Money

Heta te Kani told us a spooky story from Te Arai. A boy saw a mynah’s nest in a tree, then he assiduously set about fetching that nest. When he got to it there was a pound note in the nest. Perhaps the bird had found it and carried it to line its nest. What is happening to making money when the birds start collecting it!

The Marriage of Children

We have received a letter from Tukuru Whareroa of Tairua drawing attention to something that troubled his area, namely, the marrying by a man and his wife of their sixteen year-old daughter to an older man of forty-four. The girl’s relations seized the girl – they were sad because she was so young. But the mother returned that child to her elderly husband. A man will be put in prison for sleeping with a girl who had not passed the age of sixteen. This is a disgusting matter. On 28th February a Pakeha from Dunedin was gaoled for 15 years for this kind of offence. The judge also said that he should be lashed with the whip.

A Woman of Stature

The daughter of the richest man in the world, Rockfeller [sic], has married a lawyer who teaches Sunday School. He has no money. On the day they married they had great wealth but they kept their wedding celebrations small; nothing ostentatious was done. The father of the woman gave his daughter a gift of £10,000,000. The wedding of the son of Vanderbilt, another very wealthy man, was very different. He gave his bride a ring worth £8,000. Some man!

[8] 

THE JUBILEE AT CHRISTCHURCH

Tipi-whenua.

Apirana Ngata has deputed me, Tipi-whenua, to complete his account of the Jubilee in Christchurch. He returned to the North Island after Christmas leaving me to wander around Christchurch.

Apirana has written about the good things, the entertainments and the big events of the Jubilee, so my contribution is about the leftovers, and there is not very much to write about.

Although we did not see great events such as we saw at the Federation of Australia our visit was a very pleasant one. We were delighted by the many things we saw and by the welcome given by the Pakeha. And a special pleasure for us was meeting up with new and different tribal groups and new faces and hearing different dialects within the one camp for three weeks. For three weeks we lived together, slept together, ate together, talked together and travelled together. How could this fail to draw out the love of our hearts?

The kindness shown to us by the Pakeha was not insignificant, from our arrival until our departure. And that, despite our being on exhibition while eating; think of it as a kindness for the eyes. There are foolish Pakeha in our towns who hassle Maori every day and who despise Maori. Why do they do this? But here are some of the kindnesses we experienced. We did not have to pay for our fares on the trains or the ships coming or going. We did not have to pay for our accommodation in Christchurch. Some days there were tram trips organised for which we did not have to pay. We went to the Exhibition and to the sports and entertainments there without having to pay. We saw some sports outside, the band competition, the [purei kupenga ?lit. play nets - ?tennis ?netball], and other Pakeha pleasures without having to pay. When we meandered on the train to Lyttelton we did not have to pay. And at many of our billets outside the camp we did not have to pay. On Jubilee Sunday a great outdoor gathering was held. The tower of the Cathedral was closed to the Pakeha as a place from which to look down on everything, but it was opened to the Maori, and in the evening some Pakeha were removed from their seats to make them available to the Maori. The children amongst us were welcomed and taken into the buildings. Is this not a real welcome? The Bishop of Wellington is right when he says that the Maori of New Zealand are of all the native people of the world the most favoured by the Pakeha.

After Ngati Porou and Ngati Kahungunu had returned on board the Hinemoa, the camp was moved from Addington to the park in the town - a flat site belonging to the Pakeha. We lived in tents. Some groups stayed behind to wait for the regatta at Lyttelton on 1st and 2nd January at which time our canoe which we had brought would take to the water. While we were at Addington haka were performed every night for a week. The proceeds went to the Committee but some was given to the Maori. The Pakeha came eagerly to see. There were also very good performances in the Exhibition Hall where the excellence of the poi was noted. Hundreds of Pakeha were not able to get into the hall and some even got into the area reserved for the kapa haka only. Why? Out of a desire to see what Maori can do. Erueta Rangiuia was highly praised for his playing of the piano and his English songs. He wore Maori dress when he sang, and the Pakeha woman who played the piano for him wore a korowai cloak and a headband in respect for things Maori. The huia poi of Otaki was enhanced by the red lights. The daughter of Te Kakakura, Utauta, the leader of the poi, excelled in the beauty of her stance, the control of the poi, and the excellence of the flow of the strands of her piupiu. The Pakeha women were overawed by the poi.

When I was questioned by some Pakeha about my impressions of the show, the exhibition, I answered in this way, ‘It is an amazing huge shop.’ Because the building is so large, people went astray in it. Maori especially praised the smaller pastimes inside the exhibition house. One paid sixpence to go into each room but the Maori paid nothing. From my birth my ears have been fed stories of ghosts, now I have grown a beard, and it was through the Pakeha of Christchurch that I first saw a real ghost! Live Pakeha were going into a coffin. After they had been there for a little while, all that stood there was the skeleton with the teeth showing in a grin. Some people’s thoughts might turn to the sighting of the spider lady whose body and legs were those of a spider but whose face was distinctly that of a woman who spoke and who laughed at people. One Maori stood for over an hour looking at that strange being. We also saw some little birds, a whole lot of them, pulling the train and pumping water and setting off cannon! No wonder the Maori thinks, ‘The Pakeha! The Pakeha!’

I did not go to Kaiapoi when most folk went to be welcomed by Kai Tahu. It is said that it was a very pleasant trip. There were many haka, poi, songs and speeches. On returning from Kaiapoi we stayed in Christchurch for the New Year, to handle the poi [Note: In this paragraph the writer uses Ngai Tahu dialect e.g. ka poi – nga poi, i te hokika – i te hokinga, kahau – ngahau, tikaka – tikanga, hakaka – hakanga. haereka - haerenga], and to do haka to raise money for ourselves. In two weeks there were two dances. But there was not really any need for our money was not used up in travelling to this strange land.

New Year’s Day was a great celebration in Lyttelton. The newspapers said that nearly 30,000 people travelled by train to Lyttelton. Then there were the residents of Lyttelton and others who travelled by other ways. There were many sports in the course of two days. The best by far were the canoe races. On the first day there were four canoes – Tiupiri, Te Hapara, Putiki, and another. Tiupiri came first and won the £30. On the second day Te Hapara came first and took the £30. The crews were all naked except for short skirts. The fuglemen stood up, their hands quivering. They really flew, urged on by the Pakeha. A special delight was when the canoes crossed a fence; when they reached one side of the fence they would tip up.

Let me also tell of our worship on the last Sunday in Christchurch when 2000 Pakeha came to our camp. Reweti Mokena Kohere led the worship and preached. The first hymn was accompanied by the Otaki Band. Worship was in Maori but the sermon was in English. Kohere’s sermon was praised by the Pakeha and by the newspapers and was printed. Kohere said that it was worldwide practice for native peoples to follow the practices of wise people, and so the Pakeha should be setting a good example to Maori. People who mocked worship and prayer, in doing so were mocking Queen Victoria and Lord Roberts who truly believed in worship and prayer. Our Maori hymns were appreciated. The collection was more than £15.

On Friday, 4th January we sailed from Lyttelton on board the decorated ship, the Moana. All Ngai Tahu came to Lyttelton to send us off. There was weeping, songs of affection were sung and handkerchiefs were waved. [9] It was a great farewell from Maori and Pakeha. The ship whistled. Handkerchiefs and umbrellas were waved until our ship disappeared from sight. Moana is different from Hinemoa in the way she moves and in other ways. The girls of Ngati Raukawa did poi on the ship and they were appreciated by the Pakeha. At Wellington Ngati Raukawa departed and. at Woodville, Whanganui left me, so that I went on alone to Te Aute, a solitary travelling party, a thing abandoned, a bird flying aimlessly without a landing place.

‘Sigh within me, heart,

Weep, my spirit…..’

(The End)

THE SOLDIERS OF INDIA

The 21st of February was a great day for Gisborne, a day when we saw here something the like of which had not been seen before, the arrival here of the Native Indian soldiers. Just after sunrise their ship, the Dalhousie, arrived from Auckland along with the Tutanekai. On board the Tutanekai was the Prime Minister and his family, the Honourable Ward, Taranaki te Ua, and others. While the Indian soldiers were still at sea we saw the red of their uniforms and when they landed we saw the the glistening. Perhaps there have never been such gorgeous uniforms, or ever will be in the future.

Their coming up the river on board the Tuna was also impressive. A thousand people were on the wharf to welcome them. As we saw it they were very different from those in the stockade where they had put their horses. The horses belong to local people, the saddles are their own. Each officer had a batman. All these people were specially chosen, and are all officers from the sixty Indian regiments. The job of the batmen is to cook food and to care for the saddles and the horses of their superiors. The superiors and the batmen differ in appearance. The superiors are very splendid while the batmen are small and very insignificant in appearance. The uniforms of the officers are very fine, in all the colours of the rainbow and shining with gold. The clothes of the batmen are thin and revolting; some have no stockings. The headgear of these people is different; it is wound around the head, but is fine to look at, indeed it is a beautiful headgear for a soldier to wear and serves to enhance the appearance of the man – and how! They have their own saddles. The whole back of the horse is covered with leather and decoration. When the officer mounts the horse the servant comes to wash the boots and the leggings, and to set right the bits of the saddle. It is said that these people are excellent on horseback.

These soldiers were chosen from amongst the 500,000 soldiers of India, and these were the only ones who came to celebrate the Federation of Australia. Our Government invited them to come here and to travel around. These men are real soldiers, as one can see from their chests which glisten with the medals indicating the wars in which they had participated. There are 312,000,000 people in India; but they are able to live peaceably protected by the soldiers stationed in every place. There are many tribes, languages and skin colours – some are fair-skinned, others are very dark. One of the men is the supreme elder. One of them is a prince who is also their colonel, a fine man, educated as a youth in the large schools which are set apart for leaders only. The reporter from Te Pipiwharauroa spoke at length to that man and, to our ears, his English was not as good as that of some of our Maori children. His name was Colonel Dadbha and his was the most splendid uniform. He is the brother-in-law of Ranjitsinjhi, the prince who is very good at cricket. Colonel Dadbha said that he would not have come of his own choice. He does not like travelling, especially on board ship.

In the parade through the streets the Gisborne soldiers went first, followed by the cavalry and the foot soldiers, old and young. Some of the Indian soldiers were mounted and others marched. It was very good to watch. The best division was the group carrying spears. The Whataupoko Band, made up mainly of Maori, led the Indian soldiers. At Karatitana Road there were some elderly Maori women who gave a powhiri for the visitors. The ladies were applauded by the Pakeha.

The most important happening was the speeches when the parade arrived at the meeting place. The Prime Minister, the Mayor of Gisborne and the Honourable Timi Kara spoke. Timi Kara delivered an excellent speech, our own Maori representative, from the raised platform. Afterwards the visitors waited but there was no Maori haka, [10] something they were hoping for. We were embarrassed by people urging us to do a haka. Some of the Pakeha did likewise. But some of the “hirapu” [?] spoke to us so that we were left standing on the marae nursing our anger. But there would have been a haka if we had not been misled by one of the men on the committee. That Pakeha was one of the heads of the race meeting that day and in his concern to get the people to his races he declared that there should not be a haka. Our haka would have been good. The Indian soldiers and Colonel Dadbha were sad that they did not see the haka. So you other people, make sure you give our visitors a proper welcome.

The Indians have a strange custom. The soldiers who have come here are not allowed to eat the food prepared by the other people but only what they have cooked themselves. While they were here they ate biscuits, fruit and drank cordial – not food made by other people. The officers and the lowborn did not sit together. They will not eat beef or pork but do eat mutton and poultry if they themselves have killed and cooked them. This is a custom handed down to them from their ancestors. If this custom is not followed then the standing of the person is destroyed and he is separated from his community and despised. We had heard a little of the splendour of the Indian dress; now we have seen it for ourselves. Even though they are a very different people, since we have the one sovereign, and we fight under the same flag, the flag of our Queen, their Queen and our Queen, we are close to each other.

THE DUKE OF YORK

The visit of the Duke of York and Cornwall and his wife to Australia, and then crossing to New Zealand is confirmed. On 16th March their ship, the Opira sails from England. It will be escorted by two warships, the St George and the Juno. When it reaches any place a fleet of ships will come to escort the unique visitor until he arrives in Australia, but the St George and the Juno will sail directly there.

The Governor General of Australia has arranged the following dates for his arrival in each place.

Arrive in Melbourne May 6th

Opening of Parliament 9th

Sail from Melbourne 17th

Arrive at Brisbane 20th

Depart from Brisbane 25th

Arrive at Sydney 27th

Depart from Sydney June 8th

Arrive in New Zealand 11th

Depart from New Zealand 29th

Arrive at Hobart July 1st

Leave Hobart 6th

Arrive in Adelaide 9th

Depart from Adelaide 15th

Arrive in Perth 19th

Sail from Australia for America 24th

They will be seen for seventeen full days in New Zealand. They will arrive in Auckland on the first; then they will go to Rotorua. It is unlikely that they will come to Gisborne because the town is small and the anchorage is difficult. However, be patient and with luck it may not be long before we do our welcome in the presence of the King. Should it happen that the Duke should land here we would be at pains to welcome the grandson of the Queen. All the people of the East Coast would come with canoes to escort the visitors’ ship. There would be haka and poi to welcome them on land. Our hearts would not be heavy. The grandson of the Queen is ‘a heron who flies only once’, and will not come again.

The Government has said that all the Maori chiefs of Aotearoa should assemble in one place, and we have heard that Tamahau Mahupuku has invited people to gather at his house, Takitimu’ at Kehemene, Wairarapa. But perhaps only a couple of people from Ngatiporou will go there. Most will stay on their home patch. For that reason we urged strongly that the Queen’s grandson should land at Gisborne and then go straight on by sea having been farewelled.

The few Maori of Te Wai Pounamu are planning to gather at Waikouaiti for the Duke to meet with them.

From Australia we hear that 1000 New Zealand soldiers will go to Melbourne for the opening of Parliament, and that 500 of them should be Maori. Tomorrow Melbourne will be inundated by Maori. But it seems that this man, Timi Kara, has decided that only his tribe will go to Wellington, being the tribe that in past times upheld the name and the authority of England. This should be a greater day than that at Sydney.

[11] 

THE KING’S TROOPS

The welcome given by New Zealand to the English soldiers who came at the invitation of our Government was unrestrained. From Auckland they wrote their praise for New Zealand:

To Mr Seddon. 

I am not able to leave New Zealand before expressing my heartfelt thanks for the welcome given by the people of this colony to the chosen soldiers from England. The strength of the welcome, the sincerity of the greetings and the beauty of the kindness all touched the heart and will not be forgotten. I express our great thanks to those of the towns we visited for the marvellous kindness they showed us. 

Colonel Wyndham.

The town which did the outstanding welcome was Napier. The Maori cadets of Te Aute College attended that day. In Auckland, more than 35,000 gathered at the cricket ground to see the soldiers. There are many stories about the English soldiers while they were here. Because the trains in New Zealand travelled so slowly, while the train was going some of them got out. The soldiers said that there were two remarkable things about New Zealand – Rotorua and Mr Seddon. They praised the size of the Maori saying that they were the largest people they had seen in the world. But they said that the natives of India were better built. They really liked the haka. At Napier, Taranaki te Ua joined their ship to teach them the haka so that they would know it when they arrived in England. Their leader said while at sea that a competition was being set up and that he was giving a prize of a korowai cloak to the best haka group. It was a noble thought on the part of those people who gave gifts to Colonel Wyndham. Irene Donnelly gave her best horse to that man.

It is said that it was a Maori who first welcomed the soldiers when they landed on Murihiku. His clothes were Maori, and he gave voice to the call, ‘Welcome! Welcome!’. But perhaps it was a Pakeha dressed in Maori clothes.

Because the paper is so full we are unable to print the account by Tipi-Whenua of the Te Aute Association held at Putiki. It will appear next month.

THE WARS

Transvaal

Cameron, a half-caste from here in Gisborne, who has returned from the war, said that if the English are not easily able to move quickly to all places then the war will not soon end. Such is the strength of the Boers that they are easily able to run away. That man also said that Kitchener is the greatest general; Roberts fault was that he was too easy-going and the Boers were able to spring up and continue their disputing.

General Bridge, that warrior, is fed up with the Boers. In one engagement recently nearly 300 Boers were taken prisoner by him along with 6,000 cattle, 10,000 sheep, and 287 Boer wagons.

This man has drawn near to the mountain of De Wet recently. After his army had crossed the Orange River it flooded and he was surrounded by the English. However the whole of De Wet’s army swam the river – 1,500 men crossed – leaving behind the carts. They were seen from one side of the river going on horseback and wearing very few clothes.

We have received news that General Porter is thinking about how to end the fighting. When Kruger requested the king of Russia to support the fighting in Transvaal, he was told by the king that it was Kruger who started the war with the English.

Thirty Boers were surrounded by 15 soldiers from Melbourne. All 30 were captured by the 15. None escaped. 

During this month the seventh contingent from New Zealand will depart. All together the New Zealand soldiers who are in or are going to Africa number 2,783. Of all these soldiers four officers and sixty-nine privates have died. Some have finished fighting and have returned home.

{There is no significant news of China.]

THE MARAE COUNCIL OF TAKITIMU

At the elections on 5th of this month the following people were elected: Te Kani Pere, Waerenga-a-Hika; Hapi Hinaki, Whangara; Kaipaka Kingi, Uawa; Mikaera Pewhairangi, Tokomaru; Watarawi Rangi, Uawa, Hoani Ruru, Te Arai; Hemi Tutapu, Te aria; Tare Wherehi, Wainui; Paora Kohu, Muriwai; Watikena Rangitakina, Pouawa; Aranikuaiti; Te Reinga; Matenga Taihuka, Parihimanihi. We cannot [for the life of us] see why some of these people were elected. Perhaps we’ll just have to wait and see the reason.

[12] CALENDAR - APRIL

4th Full Moon 0 h. 50 m. p.m. 19th New Moon 9 h. 7 min. a.m.

1 M Monday before Easter

Morning Evening

Lamentations 1.1-15 Lamentations 2.1-13

John 14.1-15 John 14.15-end

2 T Tuesday before Easter

Lamentations 3.1-34 Lamentations 3.34-end

John 15.1-14 John 15.14-end

3 W Wednesday before Easter

Lamentations 4.1-21 Daniel 9.1-20

John 16.1-16 John 16.16-end

4 Th Thursday before Easter

Hosea 13.1-15 Hosea 14

John 17 John 13.1-36

5 F Good Friday

Psalms: 22,40,54 Psalms: 69, 88

Genesis 22.1-20 Isaiah 52.13-end, 53

John 18 1 Peter 2

6 S Day before Easter Vigil

Zechariah 9 Hosea 5.8 – 6.4

Luke 23.1-50 Romans 6.1-14

7 S Easter Day Athanasian Creed

Psalms 2, 57, 111 Psalms: 113,114, 118

Exodus 12.1-29 Exodus 12.29-end

Revelation 1.10-19 John 20.11-19

8 M Easter Monday

Exodus 15.1-22 Song of Solomon 2.1-10

Luke 24.1-13 Matthew 28.1-10

9 T Easter Tuesday

2 Kings 13.14-22 Ezekiel 37.1-15

John 21.1-15 John 21 15.end

10 W

11 Th

12 F Fast

13 S

14 S First Sunday after Easter

Numbers 16.1-36 Numbers 16.36-end

! Corinthians 15.1-29 John 20.24-30

15 M

16 T

17 W

18 Th

19 F Fast

20 S

21 S Second Sunday after Easter

Numbers 20.1-14 Numbers 20.14 – 21.10

Luke 16 Ephesians 4.25 – 5.22

22 M

23 T

24 W

25 Th Mark, Gospel Writer

Isaiah 62.1-6 Ezekiel 1.1-15

Luke 18.31 – 19.11 Philippians 2

26 F Fast

27 S

28 S Third Sunday after Easter

Numbers 22 Numbers 23

Luke 20.1-27 Colossians 1.1-21

29 M

20 T

DIOCESE OF WAIAPU

The diary of Bishop Williams for March and April, 1901

March 10 Gisborne, Whkpa. [?] Minister.

13 Whangara

15 Uawa (Sunday)

20 Tokomaru

21 Waipiro (Sunday)

29 Kaharau (Sunday)

April 3 Wharekahika

4 Te Kawakawa (Good Friday)

6 Rangitukia (Sunday)

(Hui of the Maori Church)

13 Te Rau-kahikatea

Circumstances and bad weather may cause changes.

Williams (Bishop)

Napier, 19 February, 1901

A NOTICE

Anyone wishing to purchase the Prayer Book or Hymn Book, I now have many copies.

Price: Hymn Book -/6

Ministers wanting hymn books and applying to J Upton, Auckland, will get reduced prices.

(Prayer Books have all gone but some are coming from England and are on the sea.)

I will pay postage to send the books to you.

H W Williams, Te Rau, Gisborne

RULES OF TE PIPIWHARAUROA

1. Te Pipiwharauroa is published monthly.

2. The cost of the paper is 5/- a year, payable by Postal Note or stamps.

3. When the shillings sent in by someone are used up then his paper will be wrapped in red; after two such postings of the paper it will cease to be sent.

4. It is acceptable to contribute articles from anywhere in the land, but it is for the Editor to decide whether to print them or not. Write clearly.

5. Address your letter like this: TO TE PIPIWHARAUROA, TE RAU, GISBORNE.

SUPPLEJACK SEEDS FOR OUR BIRD

£1.3s.3d Boys of St Stephens; 5/- Hori Emore, Pera Pere, Raniera Taoho, H P Waiti, H Tipaata, Ngaki Pene, W Matangi, Hon. Paraone, Tutangata Matekino, John King, Paratene Parinui, Miss Kelly; 2/6 Hone Taotahi, Hemi Kauta; 1/6 Matene Naera.

H W Williams, Te Rau Press, Gisborne.