Mystified Maoris

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 13, 17 January 1901, Page 2

Mystified Maoris

Sydney, Jan. 9. The mystification of the Maori chiefs cannot be expressed. They, gaze at the illuminations, fireworks, and other dazzlingly brilliB'.nt sights with an amazement which seems to overwhelm them. Sometimes the triumvirate look on for hours in dead silence. Through Mr A. L. D. Fraser, who is acting as interpreter, I asked Ratana what he thought of it all. The reply was that the native chieftain could not find words to express himself adequately, it was too great for him, but they would return to their native country with great love in their hearts for the people who had been so kind to them. The great ships, the enormous buildings, the people, the noise, all amazed them. As to fireworks, it seemed to them as if the heavens had cast their lights upon the waters. The people everywhere are much struck with the calm dignity of these chiefs. Their meeting to-day with the aborigines of Queensland, who took part in the faroial representation of the landing of Captain Cook, was a distinctly interesting one. The Australians were decorated in . the most fantastic way with red and white ochre. There was a design about all this personal ornamentation, and it was quite different to the style adopted by the Maoris. . They were equipped with their native weapons, boomerangs, nulla nullas, blade-headed spears, and carried shields, but there is not the slightest resemblance in any one of them to the ancient war weapons of the New Zealander. What -astonished the Native Minister, and other New Zealanders, was the excellent English spoken by the Australians. “ They beat us there,” observed Mr-Carroll. The three Maori chiefs stood off a little, and in silence eyed the aboriginals. What they really thought no man knows. Asked what they thought, they answered “ Very good,” and expressed admiration for the physique of the aboriginal. Some of them were over 6ft, and very wiry looking. What did the Australian think of his Maori brother ? In plain English one of them said, “ he was no good, his stomach was too big, and this showed he drank too much beer.” The Australian native has a contempt for a large-bellied, person. Besides, the get-up of the Maori puzzled him. A brother savage in a bell-topper and frock coat was too much for him, and this added to the corpulence, settled the Maoris’ claim to respectability in the Queensland natives’ eyes. As curiosities, One of the Maoris wanted to buy two of the aboriginals and take them back with him to New Zealand. The boomerang-throwing puzzled the New Zealanders.—N.Z. Herald correspondent.