A VISIT TO PARIHAKA.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2166, 3 February 1881, Page 3

A VISIT TO PARIHAKA.

A correspondent writes to the “ Mail ” a* follows:—Thinking that a Nelsonian’s visit to Farihaka may perhaps interest some of your readers I send yon the following:—“ We (my brother and I) started from Omata, 7i miles out of New Plymouth, at 5 30 a m., calling in , for Mr W. Carrington, the Native interpreter who was going to the camp and had kindly offered to take ns and introduce ns to Te Whiti. We travelled slowly and were shown

all the places of note on the road, and enter* tained with the account of the events that made them notable. Passed throogh the blocks Oaknra, Tataraimaka, and Okato, over Stony River and through the Maori territory, we passed Motn’s (the new prophet) Kainga on the left, remarkable for a fine whare, rnnanga or meeting house, and a tall flag pole used for Sunday decorations. Further on we passed a party of 80 A.O.’s under Captain Newel road making, then their picturesque camp and redoubt under the karaka trees at Ngakumukumu and reached our destination at Pungarehu camp at about 10 30 a.m. The road had been very good all the way up and well gravelled, save the unfinished piece at Nga* kumukumu. This last and chief camp consisted of two redoubts with the road passing between them, one about 35ft. and the other 90ft. high. The bell tents, raupo huts, cook and storehouses were dotted about on the tops and sides of the hillocks, and from one point of view alone I counted forty ; there were two rows of eight bell tents, each on the top of a hillock which had been an old Maori pa and which was shaded by luxuriant karaka trees. The wheat fields were close by with the road passing through them, the fence having been removed for half a chain on either side, and Maori sentinels watched here day and night. The wheat, which was chipped in by a row of men at the rate of ten acres a day, promised a fair crop but had been somewhat discolored by the late rains. There s-emed to be a considerable extent of it. We received a most cordial welcome from the officers of the camp, and were shown where to picket our horses, and awaited the bugle call for lunch. The land around was open save for clumps of karaka and ngaio trees, covered with fern and tutu, and very broken up with the numerous hillocks of about 50ft to 80ft high. Before night we brought in our horses close under the sentinels, and were provided with very comfortable quarters in the tent of one of the officers who had gone to town. We were aroused in the morning by the bugle from the redoubt close above us, and after breakfast started with a kind friend and guide along the road through the wheat and across the creek; then turning off at right angles we left the road and started inland by the footpath for Parihaka. The land was still open, save for clumps of low trees with grass, fern, and old clearings. The distance from the camp to Parihaka is about two miles, and the crops of potatoes and corn on our left hand were almost continuous. We passed many Natives on the way, who either nodded pleasantly to us, saluted us, or welcomed us with “ nan mai! nau mai,” or shook hands. Numbers of men, women, and children working in the potatoe fields flocked to the fence and welcomed us and enquired for news of the prisoners. Many were, no doubt, interested parties. Parihaka lies on the edge of the extensive forest that stretches to the foot of Mount Egmont, and is not seen till you are upon it on account of the hillocks. On approaching the entrance—between two hillocks—the wife of a Native

(late of Whakapuaka) came out, cordially welcomed ui and went to fetch her husband {Mutu) who was bathing. We entered, passed the closely packed whares to a large one (Te Wbiti’s) which had a whakamahau or kind of verandah, where several women were seated making baskets. We were introduced to Mrs Te Whiti, a very ordinary, unassuming Maori matron, who patted the verandah and motioned us to be seated. Eiueti (WiKingi’s son) then came up and enquired for news, and received the same answer as the others. He it was who expressed such an earnest desire to kill Mr Parris at Urenui when he met bis party in war paint. Many women and children collected, sat down, and talked. Te Whiti was bathing, so we had time to look round us. Mutu soon arrived and showed us the marae or court, and how it was got up on the occasion of the great meetings. The Eainga consisted of about one hundred whares closely packed, with dry firewood stacked on both sides of the door (of each ordinary whare), and the pathways between were hard and clean. Doubtless in rainy weather it is very muddy, as the soil is light and soon works up. Te Whiti, having finished his bath, returned to his whare, and we were told to go in and see him, which we did. He was reclining near the door in bis shirt sleeves, shook hands cordially, and we seated ourselves on the fern opposite him. He is a pleas ant-looking man, about sft lOin, and thick set, with hair and beard both turning grey. Mr Carrington bad some business to do, so left us. Wo told Te Whiti where wo had come from, our occupation, and reason for coming, and he smiled and nodded pleasantly. He then asked about Native schools in Nelson and elsewhere, and the matter taught. The conversation then turned on theological subjects, earliest writings, picture and arrowhead writings, genealogies of the Bible, the Maori and pakeha tradition, spread of civilization, religion, and finally faith and works. He was sometimes rather difficult to follow owing to a figurative and allegorical way of speaking. His only reference to the present state of affairs was in saying that twice during the world’s history there had been jealousy, first, when Christ was born, and now, between the Government and the Natives. Onr conversation lasted about an hour. He talked freely and eloquently, and laughed pleasantly. Tabana and Waero then came in—two noted chiefs, tall and tattooed —joked and poked fun at us, saying that they were not aware that Nelson produced young men who spoke Maori On Mr Carrington’s return wo took a cordial leave of Mr and Mrs Te Whiti, Waero, and Tahana, and, accompanied by Motu, went to the whare runanga called Eowherawhera, untrodden as yet by pakeha boots. Tohu called Mr Carrington in, and on his declining to remove his boots was told that he was permitted to enter with them on. He then called us, but Mr Carrington told him that we would not take off our boots, so we were allowed the same privilege. Tohu sat in state with about thirty chiefs, fine, tattooed old men, mostly grey-headed, and many with grey and even white beards. We shook hands with him, and were welcomed by the chiefs all down the passage, which extended to where he sat. We did not much like his appearance, though he smiled on us—a very large man, rather stout and sleek, with keen black eyes and aquiline nose. The house was about 50ft x 30ft, and the roof and sides wore worked with kakaho (the stalks of the toi plumes). After a few minutes’ conversation with Tohu, we took our leave, feeling somewhat flattered at our being the first Englishmen who had entered with their boots on. We were told we might climb the hillocks, but contented ourselves with a small one full of potato pits, from which we got a good view of the whole kainga. We saw no young men at Parihaka; they were all busy; some in the clearings and potato plantations, others cutting and carting toi thatch at Cape Egmont, or guarding the wheat and keeping a watch on the A O.’s while road making. Te Whiti had just finished surveying off patches of bush at the back of Parihaka to be cleared, laying off so much for each tribe, and subdividing for the respective hapus. Food seemed abundant, and likely to bo so. The plantations from the camp towards Cape Egmont were numerous, and, to judge from the peeps we got of distant hillocks, extensive. After visiting Cape Egmont camp, and the site of the future lighthouse, we returned, and, advised by Mr Carrington, called in at Puniho to see Motu, the new prophet. It was their Sunday, and the address and feast were over. We welcomed when yet at a distance, and, on entering tho elaborately carved and kakahoworked whare runanga, we were kindly received hy Motu and about thirty young and old men. He woe sitting at the far end robed in white (probably a sheet) a mild, rather hollow-cheeked man, with spare moustache, beard, and whiskers. He said he was sorry we were too late for the feast, but should they cook us some dinner? We declined. Some tea? This we declined, so they brought us a drink of cold water, Tho house was perhaps larger than Eowherawhera, and all the posts, supports, and slab rafters were elaborately carved. We spent about a quarter of an hour in pleasant conversation and departed. Motu’s mission is to preach peace—peace at all hazards —taking the texts of his addresses from tho Bible. He has collected a number of Natives around him, but seems to have no 1 connection with To Whiti and Tohu, though his people often go to Parihaka.