Te Pipiwharauroa 147
No. 147
1910/07
[1] Te Pipiwharauroa, He Kupu Whakamarama, Number 147, Gisborne, July 1910.
‘As clouds deck the heavens, so feathers enable the bird to fly.’ [cf. Nga Pepeha 352 but also He Konae Aronui p.13]
‘KUI! KUI! WHITIWHITIORA.’ [The cry of the shining cuckoo.]
KEEP UP THE STRUGGLE.
In 1908 the Maori produced a petition which asked the Government to give them power to vote on alcohol. That petition was a request that Maori be given the power to vote on the prohibition of the sale of alcohol and, if that was not possible, that they be given the power to vote on their own situation.
The thinking behind that request was that the Maori voting areas are the council areas: if most of the Maori in a council area voted to prohibit alcohol then they would be prohibited from purchasing alcohol, that is, they would not be able to drink alcohol, but the hotels would remain for the Pakeha – only the Pakeha could close down the hotels. The Maori vote as envisaged in this petition would affect themselves only. There was good and bad in what this petition sought, however, after come consideration this appeared to the Government to be the easy option and they took it but did nothing at all. This petition was presented to the Prime Minister at the Maori Hui held in Wellington in 1908, and his response was that he would consider it. It is still under consideration at present. There was recently a big meeting in Wellington of those committed to prohibiting the sale of alcohol. The Maori position on the issue was advanced at this meeting and the following motion was passed: ‘Since every gathering of Maori and of Pakeha also have affirmed the justice of Maori being given the power to prohibit the sale of alcohol, we ask the Government to formulate a law for those Maori living in Pakeha electorates making possible what they desire: that Maori in those areas be given the power to vote on the issue of the sale of alcohol only at the same time as the Pakeha vote so that there is a combined vote of Maori and Pakeha on the matter.’ On careful consideration, this is the good approach. We have no desire to advocate either of these two possibilities or to seek the good or the bad in either. Our desire is to stir us to think about this important matter. Our Pakeha friends are making strong representations to the Government to give us the power to vote, but the Government is still considering the matter. Why has the Government been so slow to give us this power? We think it is because the people have not shown the Government that this is what they want. It is true that the people did give an opinion in 1908, but [the Government] will not be troubled by a single challenge, it needs to be frequently repeated, and when it sees that this is the will of the majority of the people they will grant it. This is the practice of the Government. It will not grant something in response to a single request, but if it is brought forward frequently, no matter what difficulties prevent it, they will find a way to do it. Since we have the way proposed by the [2] above petition, let us assault the Government with the petition. Do not stop until it is granted and when it is granted then we can stop. ‘Keep up the struggle.’ This is our slogan. If we want this thing, which is similar to what we put forward in 1908, let us keep up our struggle. Challenge the Government to listen to the suffering, and not with a single challenge which just smoothes things over. As a final word, it is right that we should help in the things we are fighting for. The Pakeha is fighting, and what is good for him is good for us too. What should we do? Should we just look on? It is alright to look on because we do not have a voice, but the best thing is to give assistance in the fight – help with money, help with advice, help with work. There were some children who played at soldiers. They all stood in line and one disabled boy called out, ‘What can I do?’ Their general answered, ‘Climb onto that verandah and clap us as we go.’ Likewise, let us not just look on at our Pakeha friends as they fight for us but applaud them and assist them. This is one way of struggling. Keep up the struggle.
A DEATH
There has been heartfelt sadness and pain for one of the men of Te Rau College who has been taken by the strong [?reinga] of his Creator. At six o’clock on the evening of Saturday, 19th July, he entered upon the long sleep. This man was still a young man of only 22 when he died. His name was Ngira Wahirangi Kauika, a son of Wiremu Kauika of Nga Rauru, Waitotara, and Ngarongo, sister of Tutanuku of Ngati Maru, Purangi. Sadness descended on the College at the death of this young man. He was loved and lamented for many reasons. He was a friend to everyone who met him, a young man who would speak to everyone, Maori and Pakeha. He was a young man who had begun to have status in the large gatherings of his tribe, Taranaki. He had been discovered by his tribe and they fastened on him. When Te Whiti died at Parihaka, he wrote a fine article for Te Pipi about that man. When the large gathering of the Taranaki Association was held at Te Aroha he was the Secretary and this year he wrote an account of that meeting for readers of Te Pipi. He was able to write things down clearly. Secondly, he was the first person from Taranaki to search out the fruits of this tree standing here, Te Raukahikatea. The elders of the tribe and the learned and important people still followed Te Whiti and Tohu; this young man gathered up his ideas and came to Te Rau. When he had become mature in stature and in his work he took the broad path of death. Thirdly, he was a young man who died in the pursuit of the faith. It was his heart’s desire to complete the good work he was doing, and it was good work. In our hearts we have the thought that the Church has lost a great deal with the death of this leader. Fourthly, he was a young man who died while awaiting his parents; it was not given to them to close his eyes in sleep. We have deep sympathy for them; they did not see their son. They are suffering pain. Only the God of peace can bring comfort to their hearts in this great sorrow. Our sadness is that we shall miss all he did, and it is for those he has left behind only, because all is well with him because he has met his Creator and he is now sheltered from the evil winds of this world. Although from the world’s point of view he was an unripened fruit, God alone knows his purposes. He has been taken into his greenhouse to be matured. Although he was a flower which had not yet bloomed he has been taken into his greenhouse to blossom and reveal his beauty. Although he did not work in this world he is now working in his Father’s house. He has ascended from being gazed upon by human eyes to the gaze of his heavenly Father. That is an altogether greater thing for him than dwelling even on the good things of this sad world. Go friend to your home to work there while we continue our work here, until the day comes when we are all there together. May God protect and bless us all, you in the everlasting home, we in our travellers’ camp, we your older and younger brothers in the work, and your parents and younger brothers according to the flesh.
While I live
And when I die,
When I ascend
To the unseen world,
Famous Rock,
Shelter me.
[While I draw this fleeting breath,
When my eyelids close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgement throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Presbyterian Maori Service Book Hymn 64]
[3]
SHEEP FARMING
By Apirana T Ngata.
The Basics of Sheep Farming.
Sheep Farming is a Way of Making Much Money.
These articles have not been written to be read by a person who raises sheep just for pleasure, but for the person who is seeking to make a living for himself or his family. The essence of this occupation is making money: the Pakeha knows that it is money which enables a man to purchase most of the things needed to sustain his life – food, clothes, housing, and land, and also the education by which his children will be able to earn a living for themselves, and also other things that he needs. Therefore sheep farming is undertaken in the hope that by embarking on that way he may make plenty of money. Therefore all the activities involved in that work should be organised so that as little money as possible is spent on unavoidable difficulties, and the flock will yield much profit, and much will be retained as profit for the owner of the flock.
The Health of the Sheep.
If the food is right for the sheep its body will be healthy.
If its body is healthy then its wool will also be good quality.
If the wool is of good quality it will sell at high prices.
If the flock is in good condition, the wool of the whole flock will be in good condition, and it will bring in large amounts.
If the parent is healthy then its lamb will be healthy. If the lambs are healthy the whole flock will do well because there will be sheep to replace those that are sold. If there are a large number of lambs then the man will feel free to select those sheep that can be sold. If many sheep can be selected from the flock for sale then much money will accrue. That, added to the amount received from shearing the wool, will mean a good profit for the owner of the flock.
If the sheep are healthy then they will be desirable to those wishing to purchase sheep, who will pay good prices. If the adult sheep are large as well as healthy the price received will be good. If the wethers (castrated rams) are fat the payment will also be large.
Therefore the truth is this, the Alpha and the Omega of sheep farming is the grass which sustains the sheep – feeding the sheep so that they are healthy – and managing the sheep so that they get the best out of the pastures, and protecting the grasses so that they grow properly during the year and the sheep will be healthy. This is the foundation of all the practices explained below. Although you, the person reading this article, know how to shear sheep, and know how to separate good sheep from bad, and know how to separate out the various kinds of wool, and know how to go about the [?tipinga - ?docking] of the sheep, and how to build fences and yards and sheds – although you have all this learning and can do these things, if you are ignorant about how one feeds sheep to ensure that they are healthy then your learning is wasted; you have overlooked the basic thing on which the whole enterprise is founded. You will not get the benefits of sheep farming. It is a waste of time sweating over shearing emaciated sheep, it is a waste of time sorting out bad wool, it is a waste of time working to ensure that you have many mature sheep in the flock and good rams for them and to hope that they will have many lambs, if you do not have feed to ensure the live birth of the lambs and to ensure that the lambs that are born will flourish. Money spent on mustering and [?tipinga - ?docking] and working with skinny sheep is wasted. It is good to try to get a good breed of sheep, a good type of wool, but you will get more money from a healthy sheep whatever its breed than from a sheep of an excellent breed if it is emaciated.
So, learn this, the first and the last principle of sheep farming – make sure that the sheep are well-fed so that they are healthy.
Make sure that the breed of sheep is right for the land on which they will live.
Although all the sheep are healthy, one sheep will be better than another of the same breed, the sheep of one breed will be better than the sheep of another breed: the land of one area will suit one breed while the land of another area will suit a different breed.
There are many different breeds of sheep in New Zealand. I shall not write about Te Waipounamu but confine my writing to Aotearoa [the North Island] here. These are the breeds of sheep mostly bred on this island: Lincoln, Half-bred, and Romney Marsh. There are other breeds but these are the ones I will speak about.
(1) The Lincoln. This breed is raised on very fertile land, fairly flat land, and land that has long been improved. This breed grows much wool but it is not wool that fetches high prices in the markets; but although the prices per pound may be low, in some years the profit from its wool will be higher than from some other breeds, because it produces so much. [4] If one takes into account the whole flock, the weight of the wool from each sheep (excluding lambs) can be ten to twelve pounds. These sheep are large and heavy. Their fault is that if they are in good condition it can be because of a build-up of fat and kidney fat in some parts of the body only. The problem of this breed is with the young in that as hoggets they can be afflicted by the cold, as well as by a lot of mud. (The hogget is not a breed of sheep but it is a name for a sheep after it has been shorn of its lamb’s wool and is going into the second summer after its birth.) If a lamb comes through the winter of the year following its birth it is reckoned to be a live sheep.
This Lincoln breed is not suitable for new land, for clearings where there are trees lying about. Nor is it good for lands with poor growth or where the sheep has much work to find food; it will not have much energy for travelling because of the weight of its wool. Nor is this breed any good for damp areas or where there is heavy rain. Its body is not sturdy enough to battle with winds and storms.
This breed is being used to cross with other breeds. The Lincoln ewes can be mated with the rams of another breed, or its rams can be mated with the ewes of another breed. And so it is being crossed with Romneys to increase the wool of the Romney and the bodily strength of the Romney helps the issue to mature and to be healthy. It is also mated with the Merino to produce a half-bred. We shall speak later of this breed. It is also crossed with the English Leicester, the Shropshire or the Southdown to bear young for the frozen meat market. But this only happens in places that are near Freezing Works.
An uninformed person should not raise this breed. It should be done by a person who knows sheep farming, someone who knows the work required throughout the year to remove the dirt from the sheep, and how to move sheep that are declining to parts of the land where they will regain their health – he is the one to get this breed.
(2) The Half-bred. This is not a distinct breed like the Lincoln, but a mixture of the blood of the Merino and the Lincoln, or of the Merino and the Leicester or Border Leicester. The essential part of this cross-breeding is the Merino.
This breed, the Half-bred, is good for hilly, dry land where there is little rain. There is a problem with the hooves of the feet if the land is wet. This breed can survive on places where there is little vegetation and little Pakeha grass. This kind of sheep is being farmed in inland areas of the country – in Patea (Mowhango), Ruahine and Tararua, in Taupo, and in the hilly inland parts of Mohaka and Te Wairoa.
Its wool is light but it fetches high prices – the Merino is the best wool in the world. By crossing with the Lincoln one gets a long staple but it is thick and gentle and soft to handle; this it gets from the Merino side.
On open, undulating country which is very fertile and gets plenty of rain and which keeps the water in the topsoil, this breed is unsuitable. One of its drawbacks is that it is difficult to sell in the country’s markets because the carcase of the sheep is small, and most of the people attending the markets to buy sheep for themselves are looking for large ewes to bear lambs for the freezing works. The meat of this breed is very tasty to eat, a characteristic of those breeds of sheep that live in the hills in places where there is not much vegetation. The wool of this breed, if they are healthy, is very good. But this breed must be left on land that suits them.
(3) The Romney. This is the breed most widely raised in Aotearoa and they outdo most of the other breeds. It is mature, healthy and large whether raised on dry land or wet land, or on rich pastures or on land with little food. It is large in body; the ewes are good at producing live lambs in large numbers in proportion to every one hundred adult sheep in the flock. Its wool is lighter than that of the Lincoln and heavier than that of the Half-bred and it fetches high prices and has been competitive with that of the Half-bred over the past seven years in the English markets.
The Romneys are the most expensive sheep in this country. From the Wairarapa to Waiapu, from Wellington to Whanganui, in Opotiki, in Waikato, and in the King Country, and in most of the newly settled areas of Northland, this breed predominates.
It likes all kinds of country. The land on which it was bred overseas in England was swampy, so it thrives on wet land with plenty of rain. It likes very much land with plenty of pasture, its wool grows well, it has large lambs and they fatten quickly.
The ewes are good for mating with the rams of other breeds to give birth to lambs for the freezing works. They give birth early to healthy and multiple lambs which fatten rapidly. [5] Some expert sheep farmers say that it is good to cross Romneys with Lincolns since it has been found that the wool of the Romney tends to be light or short: but there should only be one mating with the Lincoln bloodline and then the Romneys should be returned to the Romney flock to keep the maturity of the conformation on the Romney side.
I am right to advise Maori of every place who are starting to put sheep on their lands to choose this breed. Ngati Porou has stuck with this breed for many years. They are praised by those who are knowledgeable about working with sheep and maligned by the ignorant, but they go on flourishing. This is a good sheep for the newcomer and the ignorant in that it is strong to cope with any mismanagement while its boss is learning the way to farm sheep, and should it just be left on pasture land it is remarkable how healthy it remains, how good the wool is, and how many lambs it bears.
I am not saying that one should only raise this breed of sheep. There is land on which the Romney will flourish but on which the Half-bred will do better. There is land on which the Romney will flourish but on which the Lincoln will benefit more. But for most of the land here in Aotearoa nothing disastrous will happen if one selects Romneys as the breed.
The Pakeha expert who taught me most of what I have written in these articles says that one will get more return from a flock of a thousand Romneys than one would get from a similar sized flock of another breed.
To make sure that the breed of sheep right for the particular type of land does well.
If a man puts his chosen breed of sheep onto his land, his first task is to increase the number of his flock to utilize all his land in accordance with the amount of fodder it produces. There is nothing he can do at that stage to improve the sheep of his flock. Rather let him do the jobs the property requires such as completing the fencing of the separate areas within it so that there is not a wide area for his sheep, and he can begin to put some of them out so that they can be seen and then one can sort them out so that only the good sheep are on the land to eat the vegetation. But all sheep are good and a valuable source of income. But within the flock there will be some sheep that are better than others. The worse sheep can eat just as much of the growth as the good sheep, therefore it is right that only the good sheep should be in a position to eat the grass. Good sheep are those with a strong growth of wool, wool that fetches a good price, and which fetch a good price when sold for meat, or are good at producing excellent lambs. A bad sheep is one with little wool, wool which sells cheaply, and a sheep with a conformation that people do not like if it is put up for sale.
[The continuation of the exposition of our subject is found below under the fourth chapter. The heading of that chapter is ‘The Flock.’]
Increase your income by ensuring that you complete a lot of work for as little cost as possible.
The difficult thing about working to improve the land is choosing what it is important to do in relation to the amount it will cost. If the land is yours alone you will not be apprehensive about using money to erect nice buildings, to dig drains, to plant trees, to erect permanent fences, and do other things of lasting value on the land. Those are improvements which will not be wasted, and if you sell the land, those improvements will be included in the valuation of the property. If the land is leased to you then some time in the future it will return to the person who owns it and you may be fearful of making improvements which you cannot take away with you when the years of the lease expire, but you will do those things which enable you to complete the work needed during your time. It is for you to choose.
But the important thing is that much work is done for little cost, and to take the short way of completing the work in few days so that the minimum amount is spent, and to arrange the work so that doing one job helps with another, or to ensure that many jobs are done in a short time. These are all ways of increasing one's money. An important thing is to choose the right time for doing a job. And remember, too, that if money is spent on a fence and the sheep are not moved onto that pasture for another year then that is a waste of money because the land has lain idle for the year. It is better to organize the completion of the fence just before the time you are going to move the sheep in; in this way the money does not lie idle.
I have seen a fence erected by Maori; it was made to separate the part for the young from the part for the ewes. Now in the middle of the boundary the work stopped. The fence was well constructed – the posts were large and sunk securely in the ground and the wires well attached; the people who built it were experts. What was wrong was that it ended in the open, it did not fulfil the purpose for which it was built – to separate the sheep of the flock. The reason it was not finished was that the money ran out. In another year maybe that fence will be finished. It would be better if the money was devoted to some other project which could be completed or if one waited until one had the money to erect the fence in one go. I have also seen a fence which was erected and finished [6] but, because the work was done badly and the wires were loose, the sheep kept getting out. The way in which that fence was erected simply marked the boundaries of the land and did not encircle it and prevent the stock from escaping.
The continuation of the explanation of this subject comes under the heading of ‘The ordering of the work required to improve the land.’
Look to the future to determine clearly the work required at any time.
One should not think that sheep farming is easy and that the basics can be ignored. Watchfulness is the right way and his companion is carefulness which means being active when activity is required and being watchful when watchfulness is required.
To clarify this part of our article, consider this. In the winter the bush is cut down, in the summer it is burned, the fire blazes and the trees become ash. At that time one does not think of sowing grass. After the burning one looks for seed and after some time one finds it. By the time it is sown the clearing has grown gorse, Canadian fleabane, and other weeds, and the right month has passed for growing root crops. And what happens when it is sown? One did not remember that there is a man with animals – sheep, cattle or horses – nearby, and because there is no fence to stop them his animals trample on the new grown grass and the roots are destroyed while what remains is choked amongst the useless weeds which cover the ground.
The mistake was not to look ahead. Thought should have been given as to the whereabouts of the grass seed when the bush was being felled so that when it was being burned the seed was on hand for sowing. When it was being sown the man should have been thinking about carefully enclosing his clearing so that it was contained by a fence or a wire fence, or saplings should be put in place to prevent the animals escaping; the important thing is that something is in place to prevent the animals from getting out. While the man is working in the place the animals will not be able to wander and he will see no purpose in soon erecting a fence. Only an unexpected disaster happening to the man will wake him up to look ahead.
It is the same with the management of sheep. A careful person will put his mind to ordering his work. He will quickly take the wool off the wethers he is thinking of selling so that their bodies will quickly improve; he will also quickly take off the wool of the ewes to lighten them when their lambs are racing over the ground and they are not very strong; and he will not hold on to sheep destined for sale for long and who would otherwise eat the grass designated for the sheep he is keeping on the land, or who would eat the grass at the time of year when the new shoots are springing up. All these things will be accomplished when a thoughtful man sets his mind to it and looks ahead.
(The next edition of the paper will contain the fourth chapter on this subject, ‘The Flock of Sheep’.)
A MAJOR DISASTER IN AUSTRALIA.
On 18th July there was a major disaster in Richmond, Melbourne. Ten people died immediately, many suffered severe injuries and it is thought that many of them will not survive. The disaster was a train crash. On the morning of the 18th the fog was very thick and it was not possible to see what was in front of you. Because of the fog the Brighton train was late. The train at Richmond was stationary, waiting for the fog to clear. As it was starting another train was coming. That train did not know that there was a train standing at the station and it could not see it because of the fog. The driver became aware that he had come upon it when it began to move. The front of the train smashed against the rear carriage of the other and the carriages crashed into the carriages in front, getting entangled with them. Richmond is a large Melbourne station. At the time of the disaster it was full of people going to work in the city. The guard on the first train said that he had only just got on board when the second train came along; he jumped down and survived. The driver of the second train said that as his train was late he was going fast. He knew that there were problems on the line at Richmond so he was listening for the sound of the siren [piukara – bugle] from the station to tell him that there were problems. It was not until he was right on top of the train at the station that he saw it. It was a massive collision; it was heard all over the town as was also the weeping of the injured, a frightful thing. After the collision the station was covered with people. Because of the fog and the steam from the trains it was not easy to find the injured – they were located by their groaning. They worked for a long time to find the people. It was pitiful to see the crowds of people weeping for their relatives who were on the train.
[7]
LETTERS RECEIVED.
(The Editor takes no responsibility for what people submit to Te Pipi to be printed. Those people are responsible for any controversial matters they raise in their writings.)
THE PATIENT AND THE NURSE.
To the Editor of Te Pipiwharauroa.
My friend, greetings. I would be grateful if you would be so kind as to give me space in your paper to answer the things Henare Mahuika said about me.
I agree with your ‘comment’ on Henare’s statement: ‘Let us not be misled by what Henare says.’ I would also add that Henare Mahuika is very mistaken. He was very wrong. Perhaps it was because he is ill. But his jibes at me, his child, are fine. But I saw some other strong words directed at another person. But that person will not cause trouble for Henare for the grievances he expressed. Perhaps Henare is mistaken and it is the wise elderly he is challenging. His is a feared voice in the gatherings of Waiapu. His voice has become engaged in the things he is accustomed to doing, in ‘cut and thrust’, in the things that arise in this matter – the battle of words, but one must be careful.
I beseech the readers of Te Pipiwharauroa not to blame the people who were derided by Henare Mahuika on the basis of his article only. Had Horoera Poraka been judged on the basis of Te Harawira’s statements for the Kopuni side, and had there been no-one from the Karuwai side there, then Henare Mahuika would have appealed against that judgement so that his side could be heard. Likewise in this instance let us suspend the judgement of Henare, let him listen along with all his people and the people as a whole, without this man saying a word. He is just one man, say the elders. Listen to the other side so that you are well-informed and then the people will make their judgement. I shall respond now to Henare Mahuika’s attacks on me.
‘He [Tutere Wi-Repa] has abandoned his Maori people, the people for whom he should be untying the food from his basket.’ How does Henare Mahuika know that I have abandoned my Maori people? Is what he says right or is it false? Who sees what a person does or knows the thoughts of his heart - his close friend. This man, Henare Mahuika, is not someone I have lived close to. During the past three years Gisborne has been my home. Should the people of Gisborne vote that I have abandoned my Maori people then Mahuika’s accusation will be justified. I point out my work amongst the Maori people over the past three years to parry Henare’s accusation that I have abandoned the Maori people.
1. In 1908 I arrived in Gisborne. Every Sunday it is my job to go to preach to Maori groups. My subject is ‘Thinking Together.’ I started at Poho-o-Rawiri. Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti are there and Ngati Konohi at the subdivision of Whangara. Afterwards I went to Te Arai, Pouawa, and other marae of the Turanga area.
2. I lecture to the people of Te Raukahikatea about caring for the sick.
3. I attend all the Maori gatherings in Turanga and am welcomed there.
4. In the year in which the election of Apirana Ngata (for the second time) was being canvassed, I was Secretary of the Organising Committee.
5. I was President of the Turanga Branch of the Te Aute Association in 1908. During that year many of the Maori from other parts who were attending the Te Rau College joined that group.
6. I set up the practice of having a monthly debate at Te Raukahikatea attended by the elders, Wi Pere and his people, Heni Materoa and her people, Pitau and his people, and others, to share our thoughts on contentious matters. This was a way of teaching the young people to speak for the welfare of the Maori People.
7. I make collections for all the Maori hui here in Gisborne and for others held at a distance which people from here are attending and to which they are taking a contribution. Pitau knows.
8. I am one who has been designated by the elders to speak on these marae.
9. I have been chosen to lead services in the Manutuke church. The clergy, Rangi and Chatterton, proposed that and it was agreed by the people.
10. I was to be a lay representative for Rangi, the Gisborne minister, at the hui for the new Bishop at Te Araroa. Difficulties prevented me from attending.
11. At the Uawa Hui at Christmas 1909, Nikora Tautau and Timutimu Tawhai agreed that I should choose the topics brought as gifts to that hui.
12. When Peneti the minister had a meeting in Gisborne attended by the elders, I was one of the spokesmen for the people.
13. At the hui at Te Kuri a Tuatai, 1910, it was my motion that was passed, namely, to give the collection of £91 for the minister’s house. The matter was disputed but my motion won the vote. Pine Tamahori, the minister of Te Raukahikatea, was present.
14. On the death of King Edward, I was asked by Mr Chatterton, teacher at Te Raukahikatea, to preach on that subject at his service at Whakato.
15. When the Minister for Schools and Mr Bird, Inspector of Native Schools, came to Te Araroa in 1908, I set down the basis of a speech for Paratene Ngata in support of Maori Schools. In the speeches that night, some Pakeha and some Maori too expressed strongly the idea that Maori Schools should be done away with. The Minister’s response was in line with Paratene Ngata’s speech for which I had provided the basic arguments.
I point out these matters to Henare Mahuika to show that I have not forsaken my Maori people. But as for him, all Ngati Porou know that Henare forsook the people at Waiomatatini, the tribal marae. The tribe’s house, Porourangi, stands there. It is right that Henare should look after that house. At the second dedication of that house in March, 1909, Henare was not present. He abandoned the people, although he was only at Taumata-a-Manu, only 20 miles away, he did not come. When the money Henare had carried to Taumata-a-Manu was sought he left the tribal marae. [8] The whole tribe should be clear about this. Waiomatatini, which Henare writes at the bottom of his letter, is not his home. That marae belongs to the people. That man is living in a different forest. That man says that to live ‘in a house standing in the open, is to be food for a fire.’ [cf Nga Pepeha 838] Yes, Henare was after money and the back of his head was black as he ran amongst the trees whence he looked at the tribe. He himself is his acquisitive dog which one finds in his article. Also, Taumata-o-Manu belonged rather to Henare Te Owai and he took it for himself. He jeers at the fragrant side of us while his side too is fragrant. The people of Aotearoa should all know that this man, Henare Mahuika, is a half-caste. It was his fragrant side which led him to charge into the forest when his nose got a whiff of the Maori hui at Waiomatatini. He speaks highly of the faith but there is no church in Taumata-o-Manu. Surprisingly he has left the church at Waiomatatini. Perhaps tomorrow we shall hear that my father has become a bishop! Or his anger may be a sign of illness!
I list some instances to show that my thoughts are firmly with my Maori People. I seek a way in which I can be set apart within the Maori People. I am not weak. But the ways have been closed off. My ancestor, Tamaterangi, says: ‘As clouds deck the heavens, so feathers enable the bird to fly.’ [cf. Nga Pepeha 352 but also He Konae Aronui p.13] I have no heaven to be decked with the cloud. This bird has no feathers.
Peneti, the minister, asked me if I wanted to work amongst the Maori people. If so he would bring the matter to those who had money and it would be arranged. I answered, If I were given £400 and a house, I would agree. I have as yet heard nothing about Peneti’s payment or his answer.
I asked Arthur Williams, Secretary of the Maori Church, if they wanted a doctor. He replied that I should go to Melanesia.
I asked Timi Kara, Minister for Maori Affairs, what the Government’s thinking was about increasing the number of Maori doctors and he replied that he did not know.
I put that same question to Apirana Ngata and he replied that Dr Mason, Head of the Department of Health, had not agreed to appoint another Maori doctor.
When the call went out for a doctor for Te Araroa, I put in my application. This village of Te Araroa, the Maori people of Aotearoa should appreciate, is where the people of my own hapu of Ngati Porou live. The hapu is the Whanau-a-Tuwhakairiora. Most of the people there are Maori. The Maori of the selection panel voted instead for a Pakeha. From the discussions of that matter outside I learned that my hapu had not supported me. Henare Mahuika was then one of the people of that village. Maori people of New Zealand, my prospect of being chosen was thrown out by Henare Mahuika and Te Whanau-a-Tuwhakairiora. It should perhaps be clear to the readers of Te Pipi that I have made great efforts to find a way to be with the Maori People but because of ‘the blocking of Mangatawhiri’ I have not as yet achieved it.
But stop, how shall we grow feathers for this bird? How shall I be sheltered from the gales and storms of winter? Perhaps I should put them on. Henare Mahuika, the prophet of Taumata-o-Manu says to farm and let the sweat pour down from one’s forehead. This is also why I am working as a doctor for the Pakeha and for the Maori too – in order to be paid in these days. I am seeking feathers. If I had a sheep station like Henare Mahuika, I could be a doctor to the Maori People without needing to be paid. It is as if a man came to ask Henare Mahuika for a cow. If he pays for it he takes it away. His livelihood depends then on the gifts from his cows and his sheep. Henare does not deride him for asking payment for his cow. Likewise, my way is still my knowledge of illness. If I am paid I go. But perhaps Henare is the only one who loves the people. Hey! The farm of his ancestor Karuwai at Horoera covers one thousand acres. Secondly, perhaps we will hear that, because of his charity, Henare is distributing his sheep and cows to Ngāti Porou as feasts for his people out of his great love. Alas! The love of Mahuika. His kind of love resounds like the waterfall! It is unbounded!
As for the Maori side. I am accommodating when I work with the Maori of Gisborne. They will tell you that I do not ask for payment according to the scale set down by the ‘New Zealand Medical Association.’ I make my charges far lower. I have also made clear to the Maori of Gisborne ways in which the doctors can accommodate them. I am a poor man. So, if Henare Mahuika has a heart sensitive to the sufferings of the Maori People, let him provide me with £400 a year, a house and medicines, and I will go and treat Maori wherever he wants me without payment. But perhaps the love of Henare for the Maori People is only an evening love which disappears with the dawn.
‘This young man has however has returned and made his way amongst the Pakeha people, a healthy people, untying the knots of his basket.’ Henare makes this jibe without knowing whether I am amongst the Pakeha or the Maori. As it happens I am here in Turanga at Te Karaka. There are more Maori than Pakeha. The Maori hapu are Ngai Tuketenui, Ngai Taupara, Ngapotiki, Ngai Tamatea, Ngapuhi and Ngariki. These are hapu of Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki. It is their decision whether to come to me or not. Further away are Ngati Kohuru and Te Whanauakai. Farthest away are Rongowhakaata and Tamanuhiri. All these hapu know me and the work I do among them. It is 25 miles from Te Karaka to Te Arai. If I get a call from Te Arai I go. The payment set down by the New Zealand Medical Association is 5 shillings a mile, which would be £6/5/0 over and above the doctor’s fee for treating the sickness. Enough, let all the people of Aotearoa be aware that I do not ask more than £2 for travel. However if a person is reluctant then I resort to the charge specified by the Medical Association. I am not a doctor to the Pakeha only. I deal with both. Maori may not come to me, neither will they be rebuffed. Perhaps because he lives in the bush Henare thinks that the Maori of Turanga are Pakeha.
For another thing, I do not have a preference for treating Pakeha though I go to them sometimes. [9] I am always seeking my way. I pay for my house, my horse paddock, horse-feed, and all the things for my home. Would it be possible for me to live from the Maori only when they owe me £300? I know that the debt owed by some Maori to Henare Mahuika is not even £20. You can see that this Kiwi cannot survive from the Maori people only but must dip [?kahu – sic] his beak into the rivers of the Pakeha. The situations of the Maori and the Pakeha are the same. With the Pakeha, if he gets value from a person, he is thankful; with the Maori, if he gets value from a Maori, he is envious. This is not an allegation. It is something we see.
‘The goodwill, the desires, and the hopes of the people for this young man have been wasted.’ Let Henare point out what the desires and hopes of Ngati Porou and Te Whanau-a-Apanui are for me. Then I shall hear what the desires and hopes of my tribes are for me. Tell me, so that I shall soon know. How many years have I wandered around amongst my people of the Tai Rawhiti and those people have never pointed out that such-and-such were their wishes for me and their hopes were like that? Therefore, be careful, Henare, lest your moaning be wasted within Awatere. ‘I am not the food that causes your throat to sin.’ [cf Nga Pepeha 447] I am still strong enough to answer you. If my tribes of Ngati Porou and Te Whanau-a-Apanui point out to me that such were their ‘wishes’ and such their ‘hopes’ then I will say to scrape some dried kumara and roast some karaka berries to sustain the thing you ‘wish’ and ‘hope’ and then sit down on your behind. Presently we may find that it was Henare who had his desires and he mistakenly thinks he is Ngati Porou and he is Te Whanau-a-Apanui.
‘This young man has not remembered his own words spoken at the many gatherings, etc.’ Henare mistakenly thinks that the world has come to an end. The world still goes on as do people’s thoughts. My ideas for the people were not given me by Henare or by anyone else. Wherever I am I am still a Maori and my thoughts are Maori thoughts. While I live here my thoughts return to the words of the past. Henare and the many under him will not recognise that my name in the list of names of the Maori people is Te Karati. Then we shall not grow old in vain. We are still growing. When a man stops growing then it will be known whether the words have been fulfilled or missed.
I end my response to Henare’s jeers at me. I want the people of Aotearoa to be clear that:
1. I have not forsaken my Maori People.
2. I have tried unsuccessfully to find ways to be with the Maori People.
3. As I develop the Maori People will be my ultimate concern.
Perhaps some time I will speak on the subject of Henare Mahuika’s deriding of Maori who live amongst Pakeha and work at proper jobs. This is a big subject. Maori and Pakeha have thoughts on that matter. Secondly, afterwards I shall point out to Maori ways in which they can ensure that doctors are considerate to them. Best wishes to the whole people.
From your loving friend.
Te Tutere Wi-Repa.
‘MATE ATU HE TETEKURA, WHAKAETE MAI HE TETEKURA.’
‘AS ONE CHIEF DIES, ANOTHER ARISES TO TAKE HIS PLACE’
[cf Nga Pepeha 1766]
In my opinion the Tetekura does not originate from the canoe, that is, from the carved image at the front of the canoe; the Tetekura originates from man. That’s that. God made men in the first place and the canoe came from them. Men made the canoe and men gave names to each part of the canoe. We now know that the appellation Tetekura was applied to the chiefs of each tribe and hapu before men built the canoe. That’s that. The tree was prepared; that was completed. It was called a canoe. Then a prow was made at the front of the canoe. It had the image of a man on it – the head, the eyes, the ears, the nose, the mouth, the tongue, the teeth, the jaw, the tattoos, and the throat. Then some pigeon feathers were placed on the head and the cheeks as hair and beard, and it was called a figurehead. That’s that. The first thwart [taumanu] behind the figurehead was called a [tauware – thwart, seat for paddler]. The chief was not permitted to sit in that part of the canoe; only the common people [ware] could sit there in that part of the canoe. Each thwart of the canoe as far as the [?ruiroa - ?stern] had a name: that place, the stern [kei], is where the fugleman of the canoe stood and it was the most sacred part of the canoe. A wooden structure was placed on the stern and carved images in the likeness of a man were placed on it. Again feathers were used as adornment to provide hair and beard for the images. Three or four were placed on that stage. It was given the name of sternpost [taurapa] and its work was to look for the part of the sea where the canoe could travel smoothly avoiding the large breaking waves of the sea and to seek the rivers where the canoe could find anchorage. Only the Tetekura could sit in that part of the canoe. It was the place from which he captained the whole canoe, and there was the steering paddle which set the right path for the prow to cut through the breaking waves of the sea. If there was no steering paddle neither the prow nor the body of the canoe could survive; it would end up capsized or dashed against the rocks and smashed. That’s that. Now the names given to the parts of the canoe are clear to us, therefore I ask where the place is which provides a haven for or is occupied by the Tetekura. [10] Is it on the carved image on the prow? That little place has been smothered with many names as explained above. And what is the name given to the carved images on the stern post, the stern? That’s that. Now let me address the human Tetekura. In which part of the chief is that name to be located – the head, or the stomach, or the feet? I shall answer my own question. No particular part of the chief is designated by that name, Tetekura, but it covers the whole body from the soles of the feet to the head. Likewise there is no obvious part of a canoe to which that name, Tetekura, can be given or applied, such as the part of the canoe identified and given that name by my friends before me. Therefore it is clear that the canoe is only a reflection of the human Tetekura. If a name like that was given to the canoe then it would signify the same as in the case of the man from whom that name originated and Tetekura would apply to the whole of the canoe. If it was painted with red ochre then it would be red, like the red of a person. So I reinstate the Tetekura with the human body to support the above explanations to inform and to explain to my friends and others that that name indeed originate from people. It is certainly not the case that the name of the object was given to the man but that the name of the man was given to the object. This name, Tetekura, was not given to all men but it was for chiefs who were courageous in battle, for chiefs who were gifted speakers, for chiefs who had a commanding presence and who spoke on the marae, for chiefs who brought the peace their tribe or hapu desired, who were energetic, who could speak on this matter and that matter. Kura are the red feathers. They are a very precious possession, a thing much sought after, something not distributed to all the chiefs, but by that sign which some of the chiefs possess they are designated as the Tetekura. I shall explain a little of that name, that is, the tete. That word came out of the time of fighting; it would not have come into use if there had not been a reason. When a warrior approached another they brandished their weapons at each other and shouted at each other the words, ‘Te Tetetee, te Tetetee’, and dilated their eyes and poked out their tongues. And that word was used in speeches on the marae only when chiefs spoke in a war dance. He would run on from the end and leap in the air; when he came down he would utter the words, ‘Te Tetetee, te Tetetee’. Those words were also used when the contingents of fighters were being challenged – the war party and the local people. Now, when the challenger cuts off the path, he brandishes his weapon, he runs forward and he utters that phrase, ‘tetetee, tetetee’, and casts the weapon at the party. Let me take up now part of the story of the war party which came from Whangara, to explain this treasure, the red feathers. When that party reached Anaura, a chief of the party, Raramatai, was killed. A chief of the local people, Rangitarewa, struck him. The war party rose up and killed Rangitarewa. Rangitarewa’s red feathers were taken by Tahania. He chewed them in his mouth, he smashed the head and consumed the brains. When Tahania’s children were born they were called ‘The mouth that eats red feathers’ and ‘Brain-eater.’ It is clear that the red feathers belonged to the man. That’s that. I must also add the kaka bird. If there are one hundred kaka in the flock there is only one chief amongst them – only a small bird and his appearance differs and his feathers differ from those of the rest of the flock in that they are red. He is the great kaka, the Spokesman of the flock. Therefore people have given him the name of Red Kaka; he is also the supreme chief. If the man hunting kaka takes this bird first he can catch the whole flock; if this bird starts up then the whole flock will start up and he will not catch one. It is clear to us that the name Tetekura originates from men, since people have named the kaka a Red Kaka – not all kaka but the single kaka; the supreme leader of the flock was given the name of the human chief. I finish here. The reason why I have written about the origin of this is that the explanations given by my friends in Te Pipi may otherwise be left unchallenged, and lest those be thought by generations to come to be the agreed explanations pf this matter. If there is no agreement with my explanations of the origins, I should say that they come from one of my elders from Ngati Porou here, Mohi Turei, because he is the leading elder still living who knows the old stories, the proverbs, the accounts of the canoes and the battles, and all the ancient things. Enough.
Henare Mahuika.
Waiomatatini, Port Awanui,
14th May, 1910.
AN ADDITIONAL WORD.
This is an additional word to those marae visited by this bird, asking that they quickly set up a meeting to discuss the new motion of which you have had notification and which asks for Maori to be given the power to vote on the sale of alcohol. If we quickly agree to this motion then the petition will be sent to the Government asking for this power, in which case it may be given before the coming election. This is why we want you to deal with it swiftly.
[11]
OTHER NEWS.
We shall be seen by some heavenly messengers. Two comets are coming to see us. The first was discovered by Tempel in 1873. It disappears for five years. It was seen again in 1878, 1894, 1899, 1904. This spring it will appear. The other was discovered by d'Arrest in 1851. It was seen again in 1857, 1870, 1877, 1890, 1897. It was not seen in 1903, not because it did not appear but because of the bad time at which it emerged. It will appear this summer. However, these comets may only be seen in England and we may not see them.
Lightning strikes have caused major tragedies in parts of England and Germany. While some soldiers were doing drill they were struck by lightning; five died and ten were injured. The military building in which balloons were made was destroyed by the lightning. The lightning set on fire the dynamite in a dynamite factory in Germany and the whole building was destroyed. The people in that building ran when the lightning began to flash but 80 people in the vicinity of that building died. Many soldiers were struck by that lightning as they went about their work; two died and some escaped.
THE LARGE EARTHQUAKE IN ITALY,
A large earthquake struck the land of Italy in the early days of this month. The number of those who died was not as great as the number who died in last year’s earthquake, but many still died. Many towns were destroyed. Most of the houses collapsed. Many of the people were engulfed in the houses while they slept. The streets were split open. Most of the people are staying out of the towns for fear that the buildings will again collapse. The large Italian cathedral has been destroyed. This was a very old and beautiful building.
The people of Italy say that the earthquake happened because Januarius (a holy martyr) was angry with them. This man, Januarius, was put to death by the Emperor Diocletian. That man was a bishop. His head and two cups containing his blood were taken to the church in Naples. On 19th September and on days on which a disaster happens to the country his head and the blood are carried in procession on the path followed by thousands of people.
These are some of the large earthquakes that have occurred in the following places and the number of people who died:
1732 Peking, China - 138,000 died.
1763 Spain and Morocco, Africa - 62,000 died.
1797 Panama, America - 40,000 died.
1822 Aleppo, Syria – 20,000 died.
1851 Italy – 14,000 died.
1856 Morocco – 3000 died.
1875 Spain – 14,000 died.
1881 Italy – 2000 died.
1885 India – 3081 died.
1886 Tarawera – 101 died.
1893 Persia – 12,000 died.
1896 Japan – 1000 died in the earthquake; 20,000 were overcome by the
tsunami, one town was completely lost.
1902 [?Hana Pia], an American island – 30,000 died.
1904 India – 19,000 died.
1905 Italy – 5,000 died.
1906 San Francisco, an American city – 5000 died.
1909[8] Messina, Italy – between 50,000 and 100,000 died.
The total number of people who died in these large earthquakes was close to 480,582.
A BRAVE MAN.
The newspapers contain accounts of Mokomoko’s swim at Opotiki. This man comes from Opotiki and was going to Torere in his motor boat with some friends. Before they had gone far the sea got rough, the motor stopped, they were battered about by the sea, and they were not able to fix the broken motor. Mokomoko jumped into the sea and swam for the shore. He swam a mile through the waves. When he landed he went to the town to get the small steamship to fetch his friends whom he had left at sea. When the steamer was not able to go he got one of the whaling boats and a crew to row it and they went to fetch his boat. It required great effort before they got back to shore. People watching on shore did not think that they would make it, but their strength and skill brought them through. This man was very brave and it is right that he is spoken of.
SUPPLEJACK SEEDS FOR OUR BIRD.
Raniera Mitingare, 5/-; Miss Brereton, 5/-; Te Tuhi, £1/10; Wi Hunia, 5/-; Tione Kere, 5/-; Rev T Paerata, 10/-; A H Turnbull, 5/-;Rameka E Waikerepuru, 10/-; W Puna, 5/-.
[12] CALENDAR : AUGUST 1910
Day 5 ● 6h 7m p.m. Day 21 o 6h 44m a.m.
1 M
2 T
3 W
4 Th
5 F Fast
6 S
7 S Eleventh Sunday after Trinity
Morning Evening
1 Kings 18 1 Kings 19
Romans 7 Matthew 20.1-17
8 M
9 T
10 W
11 Th
12 F Fast
13 S
14 S Twelfth Sunday after Trinity
1 Kings 22.1-41 2 Kings 2.1-16
Romans 11.1-25 Matthew 24.1-29
15 M
16 T
17 W
18 Th
19 F Fast
20 S
21 S Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity
2 Kings 5 2 Kings 6.1-24
1 Corinthians 1.26 & 2 Matthew 27.1-27
22 M
23 T Vigil, Fast
24 W Bartholomew, Apostle Athanasian Creed
Genesis 28.1-18 Deuteronomy 18.1-15
1 Corinthians 4.18 & 5 Matthew 28
25 Th
26 F Fast
27 S
28 S Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity
2 Kings 9 2 Kings 10.1-32
1 Corinthians 8 Mark 2.23 – 3.13
29 M
30 T
31 W
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. If a person wishes to take Te Pipiwharauroa he should send the money in the letter which notifies us of this. We also point out to those who take the paper that when the money you have sent runs out your paper will be wrapped in red. Be quick to send your supplejack seeds; if you do not do so quickly we will stop sending it. The price is 5/- a year, payable at the start.
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.
A NOTICE
To those wanting a Prayer Book or Hymn Book. I now have plenty of books. The prices are:
Large, soft cover 2/6
Large, red cover 3/-
Large, hard cover 4/-
Large, superior cover 5/6
Small, soft cover 1/-
Small, red cover 1/6
Small, hard cover 2/6
Small, superior cover 3/6
Prayer Book with Hymns, soft cover 1/6
Prayer Book with Hymns, red cover 2/-
Prayer Book with Hymns, hard cover 3/-
Prayer Book with Hymns, superior cover 4/-
Hymns -/6
I will pay the postage to send the books to you
H W Williams,
Te Rau, Gisborne
People wanting a Bible or a New Testament should apply to the Bible Depository Sunday School Union, Auckland.
Bible, 2/6, 3/6, 4/6. Enclose a postage stamp for 1/-.
New Testament with explanatory headings 2/6, 3/-, 4/6. Enclose a postage stamp for 3d.
Small New Testament with Psalms 2/-, 2/6, 3/-, 3/6, 4/-. Enclose a postage stamp for 3d.
Printed and published by H W Williams, at Te Rau Printing Works, Berry Street, Gisborne, New Zealand.
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