Te Pipiwharauroa 115

Te Pipiwharauroa 115

No. 115

1907/10

(Maori Version at NZETC.)

[1] Te Pipiwharauroa, He Kupu Whakamarama, Number 115, Gisborne, October 1907

A VERY WICKED THING

It is a matter for heartfelt gratitude and praise that the Maori have a good name for not molesting women, from the time of the arrival of the Pakeha in the land of the Maori up to the present time. This is something spoken of by the Pakeha and is one reason why Maori are spoken of as a noble people. An elderly Pakeha boasted of how an elderly Maori cared for his wife when he had to go to a different place.

He left it for that elder to look after his wife after he had gone. The Maori knew that this was a great honour. The Pakeha lady slept in a native house and at night the Maori slept across the door of the house with his taiaha in his hand. Anyone wanting to get to that Pakeha woman would have to cross over his body. Wiremu Eruera told us about Hone Heke’s taking of the Government flag at Kororareka. When they got there, there were two women in the house. The soldiers had fled to the town. When the women cried out in fear of Hone Heke’s warriors, he put his hand on the shoulder of one of the women and said: ‘Wai iu karai? Iu tingiki me kira wumene?’ Then Hone Heke told some of his warriors to escort the women to the town. His action was that of a chief!

This was not the case with a man from Waipiro called Tuhata Makarini. He met a Pakeha woman and demanded that the woman kiss him. When the woman would not consent he rode his horse over the woman and also struck her. When the woman fell he got down. Then when a man appeared Makarini ran away. At his trial he was sent down for four months, but the judge said that should he molest that woman a severe sentence would be imposed on him.

We are very concerned that such behaviour by Maori towards Pakeha women should be allowed to occur. It would result in Maori being vilified by Pakeha. Pakeha think highly of Maori. Perhaps no other native people is held in such regard as we are by the Pakeha. In America, if a black person molests a white woman he is not taken to court but is burnt on a fire. The Pakeha have a great hatred of the blacks; the same attitude is held by some other peoples. By a disgusting actions like the above Maori and Pakeha will be driven apart and live in enmity and with ill-will.

[2] 

 But a man should not think that he should only be wary of Pakeha women while there is no need to be concerned about Maori women. If a man does not love his own, will he be able to love others? About the time the Pakeha woman was assaulted at Waipiro, a Maori woman was followed on the beach at Whareponga some five miles from Waipiro. The woman was rescued when a man arrived. Her attacker ran into the bush, and hanged himself. Later on, one day a Maori woman was struck by two Maori men. The accounts say it was bad but these two have yet to be tried and have their sins brought home to them. At the same time a young man from Manawatu was gaoled for a year, and to be punished with two strokes of the strap each month. This was a very wicked offence; the girl who was ill-treated was just a child. We have no desire to recount these disgusting offences, however we have publicised them to stir up the Maori People to stamp out this very appalling practice which has arisen amongst us. The men who do such things are men who are idle, ensnared on the verandahs of public houses, and who have no conception of why they were born into the world.

People, we know of only one remedy for this terrible sickness that has grown up amongst us – only one, the Faith alone. Without salt the meat rots; likewise, without faith the people go bad.

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Pakeha and Maori have strongly supported this motion. Many Maori motions have been launched on this subject, but because of the difficulties of implementing them they have not come to fruition. However we hope that the Government, seeing the simple way this motion is set down, will find it easy to implement.

[The above paragraph appears to have been misplaced from page 8. -Barry Olsen.]

DOMINION

September 26th was a great day for New Zealand. It was the day when it was baptised afresh, the name ‘colony’ was done away with and it was called the Dominion of New Zealand. The concept of a colony is of a land gathered under the wings of the parent country. But in these days New Zealand has grown up and is being left to govern itself, making its own laws and maintaining itself, and so it is right to abandon the name colony and to be called a Dominion, that is, a sovereign nation. Canada was the first country to be called a Dominion and New Zealand is the second. While Mr Ward was in England last year he voiced his opinion that since New Zealand was now a mature country it should be called a Dominion, and at the Parliamentary session this year a bill was passed providing for New Zealand’s new designation. That bill was submitted to the King and on 26th September the King authorised that designation. This is the King’s statement.

‘Because we have taken thought, having received the petition of the Parliament of the Colony of New Zealand asking that New Zealand be designated a Dominion and that the designation Colony be dropped, with the agreement of our Privy Council we have decided that it is right and proper to issue this proclamation, by which we have arranged and given notification and proclaimed that from 26th September 1907 the Colony of New Zealand and all its associated parts shall be the Dominion of New Zealand, and by this we inform all the offices of the people. Given on this ninth day of September at our home, Buckingham Palace, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and seven in the seventh year of our reign. God save the King.’

The Prime Minister received a telegram of congratulations from the King: ‘I have been instructed by the King to send to you, to the Government, and to the people of the Dominion of New Zealand, his congratulations as their land takes on the status of Dominion, and his hope is that the peoples of New Zealand may live in peace and joy.’ Greetings have also been received from Sir Alfred Deakin, Prime Minister of Australia, [3] General Botha, Prime Minister of Transvaal, Mr Moor, Prime Minister of Natal, Mr Bond, Prime Minister of Newfoundland, Wilfrid Laurier, Prime Minister of Canada, and congratulations were also received from other prime ministers under King Edward’s rule.

There was great joy throughout New Zealand when the King’s proclamation was announced. It was particularly celebrated in Wellington. A banquet for the members was held at Parliament Buildings on the evening of 25th. There were many speeches, greetings and toasts. The Prime Minister proposed the toast to the Maori People. After Mr Ward’s words of commendation, Apirana Ngata stood to respond and was applauded. He spoke of his heartfelt gratitude for the great respect expressed by the Prime Minister for the Maori People. Maori were delighted to learn that the status of New Zealand had been raised from colony to Dominion. At this point Apirana called out ‘Kia ora to the Dominion,’ and performed a haka.

This day was celebrated in Gisborne too. Reweti Kohere proposed this motion which was seconded by Kani Pere: ‘The Maori of Turanganui and the whole of Tai-Rawhiti congratulate the Government on raising the status of New Zealand from that of a colony to a Dominion.’

The same day the Prime Minister’s reply arrived: ‘Please pass on my heartfelt gratitude to the Maori of Turanga and the whole of Tai-Rawhiti for their telegram of congratulations to the Government on the day when our new status was born. We are very grateful for their words of greeting.’

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The Bishop (of Waiapu) intends to ordain the following men from Te Rau on 22nd December – Reweti Kohere, Riwai Tawhiri, Wi Paraire Rangihuna, Paraone Turei, and Hekiera. Two others are going to be ordained by the Bishop of Auckland on 6th December – Peni Topi and Mutu Kapa. We hear that there will be many more from the school next year.

HAWAII

By Col. John Tamatoa Baker.

Hawaii is name of the largest of the islands known by the Europeans as Sandwich Islands. There are thirteen islands, the largest being Hawaii, Maui, Oahu and Kanai. All together they cover 3,840,000 acres, while New Zealand covers 77,968,000 acres. They are 3000 miles from America. In 1778 Captain Cook discovered them, and he estimated that there were 400,000 native people in those days. These islands are mountainous and volcanic; Mount Kilauea is 13,953 feet high and Mount Roa is 13,760 feet. Hawaii is not Hawaiki. The Pakeha think that Hawaiki is rather in Tahiti and that the ancient name of the island known as Raiatea was Havaiki. However the natives of Hawaii are related to the Maori People. The other peoples related to us are those of Samoa, Rarotonga, Tonga, Tahiti, Hawaii and Easter Island.

When Hoanai Tamatoa Peka visited us the Editor asked him about his country and his people, so let him tell us about his land. The Editor asks the questions and Col Baker replies.

What is the population of your islands?

There are 15,000 indigenous people and 45,000 other people – Europeans, Chinese and Japanese. The indigenous people of Hawaii are disappearing and the Japanese are the people who are increasing in numbers.

Do the indigenous people still hold on to their lands?

No. Our worst problem is that we have no land; the Pakeha have taken all our land. We are very much aware that we have no land. But you Maori are a people who are alive to the need to hold on to your lands, although you have the problem of not having money to improve your lands. But there is a great deal of money if only you stop up the holes in your bags. No persons or people who waste money are going to get rich. If a Maori saves money and seeks to obtain Government land then he will prosper. The ancient Hawaiian practice was that all land belonged to the king. When there was no way for the Pakeha to purchase the land they urged the king to divide up the land amongst the people and when all the land was split up then it was taken by the Pakeha. My people now live without land.

What occupies people in your country?

[4] 

The main occupation in my country is growing sugar. Hawaii sends much sugar to the mainland. Another important occupation – and this is something new – is growing pineapples. Yet another occupation is growing fibres for making hats and ropes. The indigenous people are participating in this work.

Are the native people of your country involved with shop work?

No. Our native people don’t know about shop work. They are ignorant about getting this thing called money. The native people don’t know how to look after coppers, and when it comes to the pounds they disappear along with the pennies. The native people cannot compete with the Chinese and the Japanese in the retail business; those people are very skilled in these occupations.

How do your people live? Have you taken to living like Pakeha?

No, they are like Maori in the way they live. Those who have plenty live in big houses and those who are improvident have small houses.

What sort of schools do you have? Do the indigenous people have colleges?

The schools are similar to those I have seen of the Maori people.

What is your main food?

Our main food is taro. The taro is pounded and left to stand. After it has been pounded it is called poi. I always pound my own poi. It is a very good food. One scoops it up in one’s hands and it is delicious.

What sea foods do you have?

We have fish which we cook or eat raw. Another food is opihi which clings to the rocks (limpets). There are no eels in my country.

Do you eat rotted things?

No we do not leave food to rot, but we do soak food to remove the skin.

Are the Hawaiians absorbed in horse racing?

We do not race horses, nor do we breed them.

Are there tattooed people amongst you?

There are no men or women with tattoos, but it is said that one King of Hawaii called Kahekiri had all his warriors tattooed although he himself was not tattooed. He chose as his warriors only big men. When there was fighting he would not send out his warriors, but if his people were being defeated then he would send them out and no matter how large the person he could not stand in the presence of the warriors of King Kahekiri. If the Maori People migrated from Hawaii, I think their ancestors were Kahekiri’s warriors.

Are your kingly lines ancient ones or do they date from Pakeha times, since Maori did not have kings?

Our breed of kings is very ancient. The first dynasty was that of Kamehameha. The last dynasty is that of Kalakaua; the living descendant of Kalakaua is Queen Liliuokalani. She is a widow of 50. Hawaii is under American rule and Liliuokalani has a Government pension.

How did the native kingship in Hawaii come to an end?

When there were many white people in the islands they sought some way to be involved in the running of the affairs of the country and so they set up a white administrator under the queen. Soon his authority had increased. The indigenous people were distressed and begged the queen to pay no heed to the government and to take up her ancient authority. The people were prepared to fight, but I saw that that would be no good and that the indigenous people would gain nothing. When the day arranged came the chiefs who said that the queen should fight changed their minds. This was when America finally took over ruling Hawaii and Queen Liliuokalani fell.

And what is the condition of the indigenous people of Hawaii under American rule?

There is no difference in the condition of the indigenous people except that we have lost our power. We went wrong. We should have thought better. Some were sweet-talked by the Pakeha or were bribed, so that we lost out. Had we been thinking straight, the indigenous people would have taken control of the running of parliament. The Pakeha in their wisdom allowed the indigenous people to seek unity but they instead were divided so that no proposals emerged.

A Hawaiian man and his wife visited New Zealand, and it was said that the man was a prince. Do you know that man?

Yes, I know him. He is Prince Cupid. His native name is Kalanianaole and his wife is Urulani. Kalanianaole is our spokesman in the American Senate. He is rich. When his aunt died she left her wealth to him. He is not actually of kingly descent; it is through his marriage that he became a prince.

Are your chiefs rich?

Some are wealthy and some are not. They are chiefs in name only. It is the go-getters who have money.

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What Churches are in Hawaii, and are you a people of faith?

The largest and oldest Church is the Roman Catholic Church. There are also Methodists, Seventh Day Adventists, and more recently the Church of England. The young people of my country are not adhering to the faith, their thoughts are on all the things of this world. I am very happy and I wonder at seeing so many young Maori embracing the faith and training to be clergy. The half-castes are the most problematic people in my country. One of our half-castes is a minister.

Are the Mormons there?

They are there. Hawaii is close to Utah, the land of the Mormons. Mormonism spread quickly in Hawaii and it declined quickly. They have some different teachings. I have no time for the Mormons.

Is the language of Hawaii like the Maori language?

Maori and Hawaiians share their origin and they share their language although, having been separated for many years, there are now differences. Also one must take into account that a language is not unchanging. We do not have the r, the t, and the ng; the r with us is l, the t is k, and the ng is n. So our mountain is Mauna Loa while with you it is Maunga Roa; the tama with us is a kama; a village on the island of Maui is called Kaupo, which to you would be Taupo. We have Waimanu, your Waimea, and our main city is Honolulu which in the Maori language would be Honoruru.

You say that your grandfather came from Tahiti. Tell us something about that country.

They are a thriving people with plenty of land. Their problem is laziness. The indigenous people of Tahiti got lazy because they had so much food available to them. They have no culture of work because they have so much food, and we are not like the Pakeha who heap up money as food for the moths. Tahiti is under French rule and the French leave the people to their own ways of doing things. There are no taxes or rates. One of my names, Tamatoa, is the name of the King of Raiatea (Rangiatea), and island of Tahiti.

Is there much intermarriage between the native women of Hawaii and the Pakeha?

Yes, very much. Many of our leading women married Pakeha, as the Pakeha sought to get hold of land. It is a good thing about the Maori People of New Zealand that Maori marries Maori so that Maori retain the Maori lands.

Didn’t Captain Cook die in Hawaii?

Yes. Gisborne here was where Captain Cook first landed on New Zealand and Hawaii was his last landfall. There he was killed by the Hawaiians. It was his fault. When his boat entered a river he ordered that no native canoe be allowed to cross that river. He was afraid his boat might be surrounded. But one native chief did not know about this, crossed over, and was shot by Captain Cook. This is why Captain Cook was killed.

Farewell, as you go to those other Maori people.

Goodbye. Should you happen to come to Hawaii look me up at my village of Hilo, Hawaii. I have been heartened by coming here to Gisborne and seeing you. Tomorrow I set out for my home and will see my people and be sad. Aloha!

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During September two missions were held in Heretaunga and much good resulted. The first was at Moteo and the second at Pakipaki. The speakers at these gatherings were the Rev. A F Williams, Katene, Pereiha and Hera Stirling. A Bible Class was set up and a Confirmation Class. People were very receptive. We look forward to the time when such gatherings will be held in every part of this Diocese.

A NOTICE

I give notice that the Hui of the Te Aute Association will be held at Orakei (Auckland) in February, 1908.

Pine Tamahori,

Secretary.

[6] 

MAORI SICKNESS AND PAKEHA SICKNESS

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

Greetings to you who send out Te Pipi’s articles so that the whole Country can see the stories from each place.

I have seen the lament of Te Pipi for his Maori people who are descending to death, and Te Pipi is seeking the cause of the decline of us Maori. It is clear, if a person has faith in the prophecies of old, and the words of God declared by him to his people, the children of Israel, that our problem, the people’s problem, is a rejection of those words. Indeed, God said to Abraham, ‘Your descendants will be like the sand of the sea and the stars of the sky in number’, and that word of God proved true and Israel was like that. But afterwards God gave them laws which they disobeyed, and they began to experience God’s punishment so that 3000 were killed at Mount Sinai. They were again punished by God at Kibroth-hattaavah. At Mount Horeb the punishment of God came again upon them and many died. Because of the disobedience of Israel they were given into the hands of Shalmaneser, King of Assyria. Now we see from these, God’s punishments of people, that they are punished for disobedience. Similarly, I think that people continue to do the same nowadays – they disobey the commandments of God. Secondly, I think that our decline can be put down to Maori things. We have a two-edged sword. So before the arrival of the Pakeha the Maori did not suffer many sicknesses. The causes of death in those days were witchcraft, rheumatism, falling from trees, being burned in the fire, being drowned in water, and [?kai mana]. So we had witchcraft [makutu], rheumatism and kai mana, and Maori had treatments for curing these sicknesses. Then with the arrival of the Pakeha the Maori suffered many more illnesses. They were afflicted by fever, typhoid fever, [?peke], [?puruata], and many other Pakeha illnesses The Pakeha doctors had the medicines to cure these illnesses. But the Pakeha doctors did not have the cure for the native illnesses, and the Pakeha said that those native illnesses were fabrications. However what is wrong is decreeing that something true is a fabrication, as when a Maori sickness is said to be illusory by Pakeha. Now, as I see it, if there are indeed sicknesses peculiar to Maori, then the patient ought to be sent to the Maori doctors in the first instance. If the Maori doctor says that it is a Pakeha illness then he should be sent to the Pakeha doctors. But these are my thoughts which I send for my friends in various places to see. We Maori are suffering much sickness, Maori sickness and Pakeha sickness. I finish here.

From your friend,

Hone Paama,

Whananaaki,

Whangarei.

[What Hone Paama says is perhaps a response to the address given by Doctor Tutere Wirepa to the Hui of the Te Aute Association held at Te Awapuni last April when the doctor said that there were no peculiarly Maori illnesses, and his statement was supported by the Hui. Who can separate the symptoms of illnesses into Maori sicknesses and Pakeha sicknesses? Our friend says that the tohunga can do so. We ask, where is the Maori tohunga’s certificate which qualifies him to boast that he has the power to discern between the sicknesses? Some of our tohunga have set themselves up as tohunga after they have been released from gaol. Perhaps their stay in gaol is their certification? When a Pakeha has passed examinations he is issued with a licence to practise as a doctor and this is because the Government is careful lest ignorant people set themselves up as doctors. If it is left for the Maori tohunga to discern between illnesses he is not going to concede that an illness is a Pakeha sickness so that by the time the patient gets to the doctor the illness has become serious. It is better that the doctor should distinguish the illnesses if there has to be a differentiation. We have not yet heard of a doctor saying that this illness is a Maori sickness, but we have seen Maori tohunga treating patients with illnesses called Pakeha sicknesses, typhoid fever and other diseases, who have died and who would have lived if they had been cared for by Pakeha. Better to be sick in the hands of a learned doctor than to be sick and be subjected to the mendacious treatment of the Maori. – Editor.]

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One of the motions affecting Maori deals with the activities of tohunga and the evils resulting from them. The following motion was strongly supported by the Hui: ‘This gathering applauds the Government for passing a law to suppress the activities of tohunga and urges the Church to be energetic in combating this evil in places where it is found.’

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 THE LICENSING ACT AS IT AFFECTS MAORI.

At the meeting of the Synod in Napier efforts were made to get the right to vote on the banning of the sale of alcohol extended to Maori. At the beginning of the speeches on that subject the Rev F Peneti was asked to clarify the laws passed by the Government about the sale of liquor to Maori.

When people with a love for the Maori People saw how many Maori were drunk in Hastings, they asked Peneti to speak there and to stop this happening. A meeting was held there for him, notices were put up in the hotels, and on the following day very few drunk men were seen on the streets, and no women.

After the meeting in Hastings, Peneti held a meeting in Gisborne on 10th October. At this meeting it was said that the Government should agree to extend to Maori the right to vote on banning the sale of liquor. The men who spoke at that meeting were Mr Rees, Rev Dawson Thomas, Rev F Peneti, Hera Taringi, and Rev Chatterton of Te Raukahikatea.

Perhaps 200 people listened. Te Taratoa was Chairman.

W L Rees. Mr Rees said that what was wanted was just. As he observed the way in which England’s power was increasing as it took over other lands and their peoples, he thought that this was the hand of God at work. Since great power has been given to the English, it needs to be pointed out that the English have also been given work to do for the people under their rule. The purpose of this meeting is to point out to the Pakeha the good things they need to do for the Maori People; they need to revisit in their hearts the good works begun by George Grey and Bishop Selwyn. Mr Rees said that he had known the Maori People for 30 years and he has observed that alcohol is the main thing making for the downfall of the people. It would be a good thing if the laws forbidding the sale of alcohol to Maori were clarified, but it would be an even better thing to ask that the people be given the power to vote and to fulfil their desire to abolish the sale of alcohol. If this request is made clear to Parliament they cannot fail to agree to it.

Rev Dawson Thomas. Mr Thomas said that he was not familiar with the laws prohibiting the sale of liquor to Maori. He believed that some of the hotel owners had this policy. He is from Australia and, although he has been here only a short time, he has observed that the Maori are a noble people, a people who deserve protection lest they are destroyed. He has seen the evil effects of alcohol on the black people of Australia and if care is not taken the same afflictions will come upon the Maori.

Rev F Peneti. Mr Peneti thanked his Pakeha friends for their words of praise for the Maori People. He said that Maori have reached maturity. He has seen the evil of alcohol and he wants to be given power to determine whether hotels should be set up or banned from his presence. Many Pakeha are ignorant of the law concerning the sale of alcohol to Maori. The Mayor of Hastings said that the hotel owners were not disobeying the law. And when the law was explained to him he realised that such laws were in place. In 1884 the law prohibiting the provision of liquor to Maori women was passed. When the Maori Councils were established a law was passed forbidding the bringing of alcohol onto marae. It was realised afterwards that this law was not very good insofar as the meaning of that word marae was not defined. While he was in Taranaki he saw men erecting tents where they could drink alcohol inside the fence, and when someone had died a cask of beer was set up on the road so that people could drink on the road. For another thing, the sanctions of the law did not apply to Pakeha bringing alcohol onto the marae. As a result of the faults in the second law above, the Government was asked to pass laws to stop these things. In 1904 the law implementing these things was passed (Section 46 of the Licensing Acts Amendment Act, 1904.’) That law says

[Every person (whether a licensed person or not) who supplies liquor to any Maori for consumption off the premises within such parts of the colony as may be hereafter defined by the Governor in Council and gazetted is liable to a fine not exceeding fifty pounds. – The Act]

‘If a Maori (man or woman) is provided with, that is, sold or given freely, alcohol to drink outside of the Hotels within the areas of the Colony the boundaries of which have been gazetted by the Governor, the offender is liable to a fine of fifty pounds (£50).’

Mr Peneti asked if the law was being observed. He said that he knew very well that this law was broken on the day before his meeting in Hastings, [8] but on the day after, when his notice had been delivered to the Hotels, not a drunk woman was seen. The thing we wanted the hotel owners to do, namely, that they should keep the law, was achieved. He also spoke of the evils of drinking alcohol he had seen in Taranaki on the occasions of deaths. He had actually seen a drunk woman pouring a pannikin of beer into the mouth of the deceased, and other things. These things can inflame a person’s heart with anger at alcohol.

Hera Taringi. Hera said that she was greatly saddened by the large number of Maori women getting drunk. Her task is to set up a women’s organization to combat this evil, but the best thing was to remove this evil from the presence of the people. She spoke of how the Hauhau had attacked the town of Whanganui. There were few Pakeha at that time and, out of concern for the Pakeha, the Maori fought the Hauhau. Many of them died but the town was saved. Similarly, in our time the power lies with the Pakeha and it is for them now to help the Maori combat this wrong.

Rev. F Chatterton. Mr Chatterton did not speak for long. He described the good work done by Mr Peneti at Rotorua, and also the need to revisit the request to give Maori the power to vote. This is the substance of that request: ‘To allow Maori to vote to determine whether or not to establish hotels in their areas.’ Their votes are their own concern and do not affect the Pakeha. If they vote to close down the hotel and it is closed, then it is closed to Maori only; it can remain for the Pakeha. And when Maori alone save that hotel it will not continue because Maori are forbidden to enter it.

Mr Chatterton read out Archdeacon Herbert Williams’ letter. He expressed sorrow at not being able to come to the meeting because of his troubles. He explained the benefits of giving Maori the power to vote and he also said that it would be good if the voting areas were the same as those for the Councils.

After Mr Chatterton’s speech, Reweti Kohere moved: ‘This meeting earnestly desires that Maori be given the power to vote for the prohibition of alcohol and, should Maori vote for prohibition, alcohol should not be sold to them within their voting area.’ This was seconded by Mr F C Long.

Mr Peneti moved: ‘This meeting is sad at the large amount of alcohol being drunk by the Maori of this district, and when this district has been gazetted we ask those people with a concern for the Maori People to arrange a means for implementing the law.’ This was seconded by Wi Paraire.

The day after the meeting, notices were taken to all the hotels in the town and the hotel proprietors were very pleased to put up those notices.

NEW ZEALAND NEWS.

The Turakina had sailed 1000 miles from Wellington and was 530 miles beyond the Chatham Islands when a fire was discovered in one of the holds. It returned to Wellington. It took great efforts and the flooding of the hold before the fire was extinguished. The Turakina is a large ship of 3210 tons. Most of its cargo was damaged by the fire and the water. Had it caught fire between America and New Zealand no-one would have survived.

Some Pakeha in Opunake thought that a man staying in the house of a woman and her daughter was up to no good. The man had a house elsewhere. They fetched that man, Hill, dragged him out of the house, painted him with tar, decorated him with bird feathers, and then threw him in the river. This crime was sent to the Supreme Court for judgement but it was thrown out by the jury which considers cases and did not come before the judge, though the judge said that it was an appropriate case. People were surprised at the dismissal of this case.

Ariki te Nahu has died. She was a daughter of Te Hapuku and one of the leading women of Heretaunga. She was buried in the cemetery at Te Aute by the Bishop of Waiapu.

Mata Tainui has been released from gaol where she had been sent for her thieving in Christchurch. She said she was Timi Kara’s sister. She had been engaged in theft, from which she got pleasure. She has been arrested 37 times for theft. When the judge sentenced her to prison she called out to the judge, ‘May you be cursed for ever and ever.’

A motion was agreed at the Synod held in Napier in 1906 calling on Maori in each parish to be energetic in collecting stipends for their ministers. We ask that you do not forget this. This is the time to be collecting those stipends, and those people who depend on the guidance and the teaching of their clergy should actively engage in collecting and use all their time for the Church and not for other matters.

[9] 

OUR FISHING GROUNDS

For many months the Government steamer, the Nora Niven, has been exploring all the coast of New Zealand, looking for places where there are plenty of fish which have not yet been exploited. The steamer works with a drag net. Very few places have not been exploited. The places where many fish have been found are the Chatham Islands, Cook Strait and the Bay of Plenty. At present the Norah Niven is investigating the Ngapuhi coast.

Because of this Government activity, Apirana Ngata asked in Parliament about the Government’s thinking about the Maori fishing grounds set aside by the Treaty of Waitangi for them and were Pakeha boats being allowed to violate those fishing grounds, because Maori fishing grounds were tapu and were carefully designated. If they were being violated Maori would be very distressed. Even though he is a Maori he would not trespass on the fishing grounds of other tribes. The Prime Minister in response said that the Government would look carefully into the rights of Maori over their fishing grounds.

RITES OVER THE DEAD

To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.

I saw the words of ‘Te Pipi’ in support of one of the projects of the Te Aute Association, the recording of the stories of the ancestors. This is right. The stories of the ancestors are what show us what our people were like in the time before they had been destroyed by the activities of the Pakeha. From their stories we see a warrior people, a noble people, a thoughtful people, our own people, the Maori People. Therefore families, orators, do not withhold the treasures of our ancestors. Send them to our bird and he will sing them as he travels to the marae of this country. In this way we will hold on to our stories and they can be left as a gift to the growing generation and the elders will not wastefully carry them off to the afterlife and leave our grandchildren without histories. Although the houses of learning which taught the stories have disappeared, that does not stop our bird retaining the remaining stories and he will teach the descendants in our time. Those elders who keep the stories to themselves should be summonsed by us and by the children because they depriving us. Pass on the stories and the wisdom of the past to be our taiaha with which to strike the Pakeha when he says that Maori are ignorant. Don’t leave it to the Pakeha to write up Maori customs in the Pakeha newspapers, but let us Maori write them up in our newspaper, Te Pipiwharauroa. Kia ora!

It is not just stories of fighting and of genealogies only which appeal to the ear, but accounts of how people lived, of food, of entertainments, of work, and all their other customs. In these stories it can be seen that Maori were occupied with many other things, more so even than the Pakeha.

One major problem facing Pakeha now is how to bury their dead. The Department of Health says that it is wrong to place bodies in lead coffins, and that it is wrong to bury them deep. It was condemned because decay would not be fast nor would they be quickly consumed by earthworms and by the bacteria which feed on decaying flesh. So if the deceased died from an infectious disease the infection and the rotten flesh remain in the ground and may get into the water or be carried by winds and return to afflict the living. Therefore what is desirable is that the body of the deceased is rapidly consumed. The bacteria which consume bad things are in the soil but not below a depth of 4 feet. The problems then with Pakeha burial is (1) that it prevents the bacteria having access to the coffin, and (2) that the burial is at a depth of more than 4 feet. For these two reasons the decay of the body is not quick and it remains to infect the living. So, my fathers, you can see how good was the Maori burial practice in the days of the ancestors – there was no coffin and the grave was not deep.

The Pakeha say that graves are where the corruption of death accumulates and in the large cities where the graveyards are full they have not found new land for burial grounds. Therefore experts are saying that the appropriate thing is to burn the bodies of the dead, the ashes can be put in an urn which can be placed in a consecrated building. By this practice the decay and infectious bacteria are consumed by the fire, and the anxieties of the living are done away with. There are large groups of people throughout the countries of the world who are practising this and some Pakeha in this country are collecting money so that they can make similar provision for themselves.

I have heard a rumour that at Motutapu or elsewhere we Maori had a similar practice in ancient times. My Maori heart is happy that we had this practice. And I would like to ask, Bird, the marae that you visit if on those marae the dead were disposed of in this way, by burning in fire. [10] If that happened, why were they burnt? Where did the burning take place and what happened to the ashes? Are there not accounts of the beginning of this practice – proverbs or songs perhaps? Were they only burned during warfare or in the village too? All the circumstances of this matter, the burning of the dead in fire, make a worthwhile subject for us to discuss, Sirs.

Let me also speak briefly of another matter. There was a warrior called Taihuru. His tribe was Atiawa and his hapu Ngati Mutunga. He won many battles. In one battle in Taranaki Taihuru was wounded by a spear. The point of the spear went swiftly. On arriving home he died and was burned in the fire. There are eight generations from Taihuru to me. This is the genealogy:

Turi Kewa

Houtaepo

Ruaputahanga

Uenukutuhatu

Hinetuhi

Mutunga = Te Rerehua

Tiwhakopu

Rehetaia

Aurutu

Taihuru

Wharauroa

Te Rangihiroa

Te Hoe-whakatu

Te Ngahuru Taepa

Wiremu Neera

Nga Rongo-ki-tua

Te Rangihiroa

Greetings to you all. Continue our story.

By Te Rangihiroa, MB ChB

Doctor for the Promotion of Health.

RAKARUAHINE

(By ‘Tipiwhenua’.)

In 1905 in Number 89 I wrote about Te Manuhou whose canoe was swamped beyond Te Kohekohe, a story I heard from Rev Mohi Turei, and that same day I turned aside to Puatai, a village perhaps three miles from Te Kohekohe. Puatai is known proverbially as ‘Puatai Paraariki [Sea drift]’. Because there is so much sea drift in the sea there is a lack of food. When the crayfish pots are pulled up they are full of sea drift and there is no food inside. This account of Puatai may be wrong because there are few crayfish and fish in their fishing grounds at Rehurehu, Wahorire, Tauwhenua, Whitirawea, Kohanga-a-weka, Taoparapara, Matakaroro and Whangaimokopuna. Most of these fishing grounds are lost; only Taoparapara and Matakaroro are known. They are fishing grounds for groper, tarakihi, moki and snapper. If Puatai was a barren village they would not have had so many fishing grounds, and the story I am writing is a story of fishing. Apiata te Hame told it to me.

Rakaruahine was a woman. Her husband was Marinokato. The village where they lived was Te Matau-a-Maui, above Puatai. Her husband’s main occupation was fishing, but he kept for himself the sweetest pieces of the fish - the tahurihuri [small fish] and the whatuaro [the belly fat] while the [?hika sic. ?hiku - tail] he turned over to his wife. When they were eating together Marinokato said: ‘I shall have the head which I caught with my hook and I shall also have the belly fat where my bait lay.’ Again when they were eating together, the basket of food was lying there and the man broke off the [?tahuriri] of the fish and grabbed the belly fat. Presently Rakaruahine was overcome by shame. One day when the sea was calm her husband had gone down to the river, and Rakaruahine also went down. She came upon her brothers pulling their canoe. Their sister said to them, ‘Fellows, let’s go to sea.’ The brothers would not agree to. The woman should not be going to sea lest she be seen by her husband. But the sister persisted and they agreed. She was concealed in the bottom of the canoe. The men paddled but Rakaruahine stayed lying down. When they arrived at Rehurehu they let down the anchor. Once the anchor was in place the woman let down her line. She waited to haul in groper. There were other canoes fishing. Then, lo and behold, there was a tug on Rakaruahine’s line, it went taut, and Raka stood to haul it in. Her husband was watching her from a canoe. As she was pulling she sang her song:

Marino … Marino … ka …to,

It was dug from the pit.

Lad, my family,

It was you who spoke of

The catching of your hook.

The placing of your bait.

I am putting it

On the rock at Rehurehu.
I prepare the tail.

I shall eat it reflectively,

I shall eat it in haste,

Your abundant food here.

A big groper, a long groper,

From Waihorire, from Tauwhenua,

The island near the promontory

Of Whitirawea, ee i!

[For a different version of this story and waiata see Nga Moteatea Part Two pp 316-317. – Barry Olsen.]

[11] 

When the canoes were full of fish they paddled to land. Marinokato got home first. When his wife arrived the knots for tying the door of the house were undone and her husband was inside. She called out but there was no answer. Soon blood began to ooze under the door sill. When Rakaruahine entered there was Marinokato lying dead. He had cut his own throat with obsidian. This man died of shame at his wife going to fish and at Rakaruahine’s song.

I asked the elders at Puatai if any of Marinokato’s descendant were alive. They did not know. But perhaps no-one want to have him as an ancestor because of his meanness, his greed, and his baseness. I was on the shore writing this story while out at sea a fishing boat was anchored. When it came to land a woman was at the rudder. Perhaps she was a descendant of Rakaruahine.

One sees perhaps in this story the attitude of Maori in ancient time in his putting-down of his wife. For most Maori the wife was a slave of her husband, in the Maori language, a ‘tumau’ – a servant. 

E moe i te wahine hei tumau mou.
‘Marry a wife so you will have a servant.’ 

But in these days, the days of the Pakeha, the days of the Faith, the wife is a queen, the husband is the protector of the wife, of the weaker, and all good things are for the wife, who comes first in everything. At the wedding the man takes the woman’s hand and swears to her: ‘I shall love and cherish you until death do us part.’

[The Editor will be pleased if our kind friends send us stories similar to this one, stories of the Maori, to be printed and preserved. Otherwise, as Dr Te Rangihiroa says, these stories will be taken to the afterlife [Te Reinga]. Te Pipiwharauroa is not printed in the afterlife, and there is no printing press there.

THE WIDE WORLD.

England.

A treaty has been made between England and Russia. One of the main provisions of the treaty is that Russia will not seek to approach the borders of India, that is, it is not to overthrow the lands between them.

The football team – the one that plays for money - has played five games in England and has not been beaten.

America.

During December the American naval ships will sail to the West Coast. The newspapers are saying that they will fight Japan. Mr Taft, the American Secretary of State, is visiting Japan. Japan gave him a warm welcome, and they made much of him.

The Bishop of London, Dr Winnington Ingram, is in America. This man is one of the leading bishops of the Church of England. He preached to some of the richest men in New York. He was the guest of Roosevelt, the President of America, and when they played tennis the President beat the Bishop. The rich people of America thronged to hear Bishop Ingram.

Japan.

The leading soldiers of Japan have been honoured for their battle against Russia. Makuihi Ito, Iamangata, and Oyama have been made princes, General Notohu has been made a marquis, and Generals Kuroki, Oku and Nohi, and Admiral Togo have been made counts.

Newfoundland.

This is an English colony on the East Coast of Canada. The main product is groper. From this comes fish oil medicine. We have heard news that seventy fishing boats were swamped in a great storm and all the men died.

Spain.

There was a great flood at one end of Spain; 12,000 people are living outdoors, 12 towns have been completely destroyed, 100 people were killed, and the cost of replacing everything that has been lost is £680,000.

India.

Arabinda Ghose, the editor of a native newspaper, has been arrested for urging the people to rebel against the Government. At the trial the Editor and the printer were gaoled for three months. Soon afterwards, a leading native lawyer from Calcutta, A C Bannerjee, was arrested for stirring up the Indian Peoples.

When Keir Hardie, a member of the English Parliament, visited India, he said that the Government of India should be the same as that of Canada. He was made much of by the native people who said, ‘he is not a man but an angel’.

Cape Colony.

A black African chief called Morenga has died. For many years this man and his soldiers lived in the bush and terrorized the whites. In 1904 he said that the whites in a German Colony should be murdered.

Canada.

The Government has paid £1,500 in compensation for the Japanese buildings attacked by the Pakeha in Vancouver.

The ill-will of Pakeha towards natives of India living in their places, who undercut working wages and who jeer at white women, led to those Indians being forced to leave Canada, but Canada has now put a stop to compelling them to return to the United States.

Australia.

In the electoral districts of New South Wales, 65 voted for the decrease in numbers of liquor outlets and 23 for their continuance.

When a steamer, the Fortunatus, caught fire it was abandoned and left floating in the sea, being consumed by fire. Ten days later an Indian was seen still alive on board it.

[12] CALENDAR : NOVEMBER 1907

Day 6 ● 10h 9m a.m. Day 20 ○ 11h 34m a.m.

1 F All Saints

Morning Evening

Wisdom 3.1-10 Wisdom 5.1-17

Hebrews 11.33 – 12.7 Revelation 19.1-17

2 S

3 S Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity

Hosea 14 Joel 2.1-21

2 Timothy 4 Luke 22.31-54

4 M

5 T

6 W

7 Th

8 F Fast

9 S

10 S Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity

Amos 3 Amos 5

Hebrews 3.7 – 4.14 John 1.1-29

11 M

12 T

13 W

14 Th

15 F Fast

16 S

17 S Twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity

Micah 4 & 5 Micah (?)

Hebrews 10.1-19 John 6

18 M

19 T

20 W

21 Th

22 F Fast

23 S

24 S Twenty-sixth Sunday after Trinity Use the Collect, Epistle and
Gospel for the Twenty-fifth Sunday.

Ecclesisates 11 & 12 Haggai 2.1-10

James 3 John 8.1-31

25 M

26 T

27 W

28 Th

29 F Vigil, Fast

30 S Andrew, Apostle* Athanasian Creed, Fast

Isaiah 54 Isaiah 65.1-17

John 1.35-43 John 12.20-42

*On this day or on one day this week, except for Sunday, use the prayer for the spread of the Gospel.

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I will pay the postage to send the books to you

H W Williams,

Te Rau, Gisborne

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12/6 Hoani Rangi.

10/- F Gould.

7/6 Miss Blakiston.

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