THE WANANGA
The Hawke’s Bay ‘ Herald’ of the 16th inst. devotes on article to a description of ‘The Wananga,’,) the new Maori newspaper. It says : -As many of our readers may not have had an opportunity of seeing the Maeri newspaper which for some mouths past been published at Pakowhai, and as there is a good deal in it that is worth peisual, we subjoin below a variety of extracts from back numbers. It has the merit, at any rate, of being to all appearance a genuine Native product, brought out altogether without Pakeha interventioa. It is printed in Maori and English in parallel columns, and the English is not unfreqneutly a shade or two removed from the classical standard.’ Take the following affecting story, illustrative of the evils of drink, for instance :
_ Here is a talk of a malcony death of a Native, Samuel Riwai, of Tikokimo, who got intoxicated about te beginning of April, and went to a mechme that was thrashing wheat and shoved his arm into the drum, which the drum drawed in and smashed his arm into attorns, and died the next morning. These are the bad evils that are caused by this evil thing, call spirits, and deprives a person of his thoughts, and does not see that death is before him, and stop, no, still goes on to death, and leaves his wife, children, parents, and tribe in this world to lament his death. So I thought to state to my Maori friends for them to cease drinking this evil water, and join the Good Templars, so that these sort of wrong death will not affect any person, so that a person may stay long to a good purpose in this world, and let it be God alone to inflict diseases on persons to die with, bo that the word of the Scriptures will be correct—God gave, and God taketh, blessed be the name of God. Then diffreent tribes may be sorrow, but taken by intoxicated liquor it will not be lamented. Likewise my friends think of a system that will save your bodys, and souls, and join the Good Templars, while the sun is shining. The new proprietor of the Commercial Hotel at the seems to be in high favor with our Maori neighbors. We find the following memorial to him with nine signatures, and alleged to come from the whole of Ngatikahungunu : Napier, May 10, |IS7S, —Friends, Pakebas, and Maoris, we give our praise and admire to John Young, proprietor of the Commercial Hotel, Port Ahuriri, to be published in the Maori and Pakeha’s language the kindness of the said person. There is no deceit in him and his wife; there is no anger in their minds ; there is only kindness and love. There is no Pakehas like this at Wairoa, or here at Napeir —they are all very deceitful. This is the only Pakeha that will compare to the words stated by you, to let the Maori and Pakeha be one. A Native named Hokepene Hura thus states his grievances to the editor :
This is how these persona quarrells so amongst themselves. Friend, now I think of tin foolishness of the Maori people, for allowing Pakeha’s goods running on Maori lands, and when he goes and asks payment for the cattle, no is payed by and the cattle is on the said Land a year. I greatly approve to the words whis his published, and sent to Maori friends who resides at the four ends of this Island, from your friend.
The old bitterness against the Missionaries makes itself manifest now and then. A native named David Lot, of Tahiwi, gives the following information as to the manner in which his education was conducted
.1 was at School in 1861, the lessons that was given me, was cutting flax, wiwi, and manuka planting potatoes, and digging them, and did not receive any education, only wasted our Lands for it, you says, go to School, friends where is the money to pay for your education’ the children of the School here, goes when the School is over they go back to their parents place, and stay like our members, who went to the Parliament School, and know nothing: The following pamgraph is certainly an ill asi ration of the advantages of a free Prers. Mr Moffit, of Alexandra, probably did not calculate on his amusing little fabrication being brought to the light of day . T h o Natives are making inquiries, at Rewi’s instigation, regarding the Pakeha Moffit’s antecedents. Ho (Moffit) proffers cheques for large sums, which cannot oe changed. He has told the .Natives to come to no terms with the Native Mb ister at present, as a Member of Parliament from England has been deputed by the Queen to come here and redress all their grievances.
We find a good deal of declamation against the deceitfulness of the Pakeha. The following is from a rabid old Conservative in the Waikato, who objects to the treaty of Waitangi, is against Maoris going into Parlia ment, and holds by the “words of Tawhiao” “ not to sell or lease land, telegraphs, or roads,” It rung as follow*
When a Maori and a Pakeha has a case in a Court, and if the Maori is in the right, it will be turned, so that the Pakeha will be in the right, and the Maori in the wrong. So it is thought that the Laws that is given to the world byGod ami the Queen are disobeyed, that was told to be taken to the whole world, which are the Laws, these are they, you shall not murder, love your friend as you do yourself, approve the right, disapprove the wrong, him that thinks of me, think of the father, who sent me, and obey also my Laws, who was it that trampled, it was the Government, and its Ministers, and the Ministers of God ; they all turned behind the plough, that is how the Lews got astray, which are the Laws that got astray, making friends with the person who Sella Land, and disdain the person who holds the land, it was by the Ministers the Land was sold for tobacco, pipes, and needles, it is a saying, that thy money will perish together with thee, as you have cause the Laws of this Island to go astray, look also at this word, ha that boast will be led astray, whether knowledge will be denied, eyes will not see, although ears will not hear, although prophecying, will be denied.
The Hawke’s Bay ‘Telegraph,’ commenting on the above article, says : Our merning contemporary publishes, as a leading article, a series of extracts taken from a back number of the ‘ Wananga,’ when that journal was edited, translated into English, printed, and published by Maories. The extracts are made with a view, apparently, to bring the ‘ Wananga’ into contempt; but we maintain that such a publication, emanating from a Native pa, speaks more for the civilisation of the Maories than anything the race has yet exhibited. It is also reported that another Maori paper, which is likely really to influence the Native mind, is about to l:e started in the King country, to be called * Aotearoa,’ the name said to have been originally given to this country by the Natives. The idea of starting a paper on a somewhat extensive scale by the Maories in the Upper Waikato was entertained prior to the late war, but was interrupted in consequence of the unhappy outbreak of hostilities. If the report be correct that the King Natives are again about to establish a newspaper, it is an additional evidence of their desire to come out of their isolation by having their ideas ventilated, like the Pakeha, through the medium of the Press,
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Evening Star, Issue 3882, 3 August 1875, Page 3
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1,304THE WANANGA Evening Star, Issue 3882, 3 August 1875, Page 3
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