SOENE AT A TANGI.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1829, 9 August 1906, Page 4

SOENE AT A TANGI.

ANOTHER BOGUS PROPHET,

On Tuesday (says tho Opotiki Herald) tho nativo pall at Waioelia was tho scono of a taugi ovor tho death of an aboriginal nativo. From far and near representatives of tho various tribes had coino to pay their respects to tho departed in orthodox Maori fashion, and altogether a goodly number had congrogatod. The weird laments had boen brought to a finish aud the body of the deceased consigned to tho soli'ude of tho grave when some wonder and excitement w'as occasioned by a young nativo calling on his compatriots to come and hark to him as ho had a message for them. Tlorama, for such is tho name of the prophetic youth, is only about 1-0 years of ago, and has hitherto borno tho reputation of boing a bit of a softy. Ho belongs Waiotahi way and is so far Europeanised as to have worked for a local settler for 10s a wook aud his tucker. Whether he reckons tlioro aro more dollars in tho prophetic game or whether Ids mind has become unstrung by the doings of Rua wo know not, but ho professes to be the genuine oracle to redeem the Maoris aud givo them back their land.

At Koroma’s outcry the natives gathered around him, and ho then declared that Kua was morely a forerunner to prepare tho people for tho arrival of a greater man, to wit himuolr. This announcement was received with scant favor, and as the youthful prophet was about to continue his oration ho was assailed with a fusilade of stones and ti tree sticks, which effectively quenched his eloquence, and he hurriedly loft declaring that ho would come again with an army of believers. Horama’s career as a prophet, wo aro inclined to think, will not bo unqualified successs. Tho old saying 1 onco bit twieo shy ’ is appreciated quite as much by native as by pakeha, aud our aboriginal friends have not had time to forget how they were taken in by the dusky gentleman who is now masquerading somewhere in tho Poverty Bay district. Horama has made tho fatal mistako of being too previous.