Te Pipiwharauroa 137
No. 137
1909/08
[1] Te Pipiwharauroa, He Kupu Whakamarama, Number 137, Gisborne, August 1909.
‘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.]
THE TRUE MARKS OF A CHIEF
The words of a dying man are words of authority; if he is a chief and a truly good man then the tribe will hold on to his last words. There are two reasons for treasuring his words. First, because they are words that will grow in your heart. And the man who is dying has no deceitfulness with him; the things that concern him deeply are the things that will help his people after he has gone; these are what he will speak about. Secondly, as is the man so will be his words. He is a chief and a good man. His words are his final gift to his people.
