Papers Past | Letters and Diaries | The Papers of Sir Donald McLean | Series 2 Inward letters (Maori) | 3 pages to George Sisson Cooper and Sir Donald McLean, related to Poharama Te Whiti, Wairarapa,...

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Maori

in his malevolent god. At first [he had] the faith, then there was the repentence, and after that there was the demon; then there was the wahu[?],after that the false oath[?], and then the word to fight. Now, in my view there is only one god whom I will believe in, the great God, the true God for whom I will argue out of faith in my God. I say this because I strive for the God of my church and because my church is the true one. I continue to heed the words of the Minister, my teacher, and because I have no plans to take land or to fight. This is a cause which could destroy us, the practice that he argues for, the right to the land. That's the end of this story. But this speaks of our steadfastness in that practice, because our hearts continue to be strong against the pain in our bodies from the clubs, guns, spears, hatchets in the world. Listen, this is my steadfastness in my one God, sir, and this is the benefit of the faith, that I [do not follow?] two chiefs so that I am not ill-treated by two chiefs [?]. Hence I argue for the faith to overcome the attacks on my body, and I still argue thus because the law of my minister, Te Kopeti, the highest elder of the Church of England, rules. Now these were the rules for us [to abide by] after the death of my parent, there were very many left for us.

pono ia ki tona atua kikokiko, no te mea ko te whakapono to mua, muri iho ko te ripenata, muri iho ko te kikokiko, muri iho ko te wahu, muri iho ko te oti [oati?] teka, muri iho ano ko te kupu kia whawhai. Na, ki taku whakaaro, kotahi atua e whakapono nei ahau, ko te Atua nui, ko te Atua pono i tohe ai au i te whakapono ki toku Atua. Naku tenei korero, na te mea i tohe ai au ko te Atua o taku hahi, no te mea he hahi pono toku hahi. E rongo tonu ana au ki te kupu a te Minita, a toku kaiwhakaako, no te mea kahore aku wahi na anake nga tikanga maha ki te tango whenua ki te whawhai. Ko tetahi take tenei hei ngaromanga mo matou, ko taua tikanga e tohe tonu na ia ki taua tikanga ki te whenua. Heoi ano enei korero, ka mutu. He korero tenei mo te manawanuitanga o matou ki taua tikanga, no te mea i whakamanawa nui tonu o matou nei ngakau ki nga mamae o matou tinana, i nga patu, i nga pu, i nga tao, i nga patiti o te ao. Kia rongo koe, koia ano taku manawanui ki toku Atua kotahi e tai, [above line] koia ano te pai o te whakapono hoki, ahau ki nga rangatira tokorua, no te mea kei mauaharatia au e nga rangatira tokorua, no konei au i tohe ai ki te whakapono kia horo ai nga patu i taku tinana, a, e tohe nei ano au no te mea e ora ana te ture i toku minita i a Te Kopeti, i te tino kaumatua o te hahi o Ingarangi. Na, ko nga korero tenei mo matou i muri iho o te matenga o toku matua, he tini noa

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