MAORI REACTION

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 34, 7 October 1946, Page 7

MAORI REACTION

SCOTTISH HISTORY ADMIRED When giving an address entitled “Lady Nairne and her Songs” to a Scottish assembly in Te Awamutu, Mr A. J. Sinclair mentioned that on one occasion in a broadcast he told the story underlying the famous song by Lady Nairne, “Wi’ a Hundred Pipers,” when the followers of Bonnie Prince Charlie swam the swollen river Esk and captured the town of Carlisle. Mr Sinclair caused considerable amusement by reading the following letter from a Maori in North Auckland:—

“We Maoris like your tales of the fighting rangatiras like Rob Roy McGregor, and the brave and beautiful tamahine like Ellen of Kirkconnel. We also enjoyed that song about the warriors who swam the swollen river and danced themselves dry to the tunes played by a hundred pipers: “We are glad to know that y6ur native land was the home of s great warriors and brave women, for the songs and stories we have heard of your country led us to believe that you were a people of great meanness who filled your fountain pens with ink from the post office counters, and who spent much of your time singing funny stories, or making yourselves drunk with a strange waipiro called wee ducking doris.”