20 YEARS AMONG THE MAORIS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 171, 6 August 1937, Page 14

20 YEARS AMONG THE MAORIS

Where the Hauhau Creed Still Lingers UREWERA MISSIONARY The Eev. J. G. Langhton. of Taupo, superintendent of Maori Missions of Ihe Presbyterian Church, 'isi a man whose knowledge of the Maori people ir- probably more ' intirnate and profonnd than that of any other European. Mr. Laughton has worked for 20 yeara among the Maoris of the King Country, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, TJrewera, and East Coast. His duties have taken him into some of the wildesi, loneliest and most remote parts of Kew Zealand, where even to-day no roads lead, and white faees are but rarely seen. When interviewed, Mt. Laughton said that he spent nine years at Maungapohatu, a lonely forest pa in the heart of the Urewera, whicli . is still probably the most isolated village in the whole Dominion. When Mr. Laughton opened his mission there, in 191S, the road did not eyen reach to Euatahuna, 20 rniles away. Even today, to. reaeh Maungapohatu means tramping or riding a dozen miles (lown narrow and meandering bush traeks. At that time, Maungapohatu was still the headquarters of the Tuhoe prophet, Eua Kenana, who died six months ago. His great circular temple was still standing, and many of his followers dwelt there in the village at the f oot of the sacred mountain from which the settlement takes its name. When Mr. Laughton went in there, the eonflict between the police and liua 's followers, when several Euro-. peans were wounded and two Maoris lost their lives, was still fresh in the ipinds of the Tuhoe people; their attitude to Europeans was one of hostility, suspieion and reserve. Although they gave the minister permission to ojen his mission and school there, the weicome they extended to him was not e-saetly cordial. The prophet himself, however, beeame deeply interested in tbe school work and appreciated the advantages it conferred upon its pupils. Accordingly, on one occasion he was iiupressed by the small attendances and, making a tour of the Urewera, brought in 50 children of his followers to join the class, , A Htgh Honour. So successful -was Mr. 'Laughton in v-'inning the eonfidenco and aft'ection of the Urewera Maoris that they conferred on him the name of their hereditary chief, Tupakangahau — a name inseparably assoeiated with that place: thero is a Tuhoe proverb which runs •'Maungapohatu ia the mountain, Tupakangahau is the man," meaning that on these two their tribal strength was fcunded. So- it was a high honour in Maoriland to be deemed worthy to bear that chiefs name. When Eua died, Mr. Laughton conducted the burial service at Matahi Pa. Asked wnat was likely to become of hi? followers and the faith of his inveution, Mr. Laughton said that with Eua inueli of its inspiration was lost to the religion of "Wairua Tapu." Kua's mantle had fallen on to his son's slioulders, while a committee of four iiad been appointed to carry on the afiairs of the "Children of Israel." Eua nad been a man of great personal charm and strength of character, and without his leadership the movement would no doubt eventually lapse. Although the mission had been establiiilied for 20 years in, the Urewera, the ancient Hauhau religion of the lbnga-Tu still swayed the majority of the Maoris there. This faith was directly evolved from the Hauhau faith started .by the fanatic Te Uaj and later carried from a senseless jargon to a very sound and poetic ritual by the famous Hfauhau rebel chief Te Keoti. The merit of this ritual, and the satisfaction it aft'orded the Maoris, was shown by the way they had so long adhered to it. They still followcd the exact ritual prescribed by Te Kooti, and set down by him in copybooks which were preserved by the J caders of th« faith at Wainui. Those copybooks were interesting and historie relicts, "but," said Mr. Langhton, ' ' you would nflver be able to get hold of them,". so greatly are they treasured by the Einga-Tu believers. Frayer-book In Maori. Mr Laughton spealcs Maori like a iiative, and has prepared a prayerbook in that language for the use of Christian Maoris. He is to-day stationed at Taupo, and is in charge of 36 iuission stations and the Presbyterian Maori Girls' School a:t Marton. To-day, rhe mission at Maungapohatu is carried on by two European missionary women and a girl school teaeher. Many of the Ma.oris have left that lonely spot; the great temple has long been pulled down and the second growth is springing up where Ena's followers farmed at the foot of the great limestone mountain hallowed by Tuhoe tradition and the bones of the chiefs of oi.I. That part of the country, said Mr. Laughton, was still the least-known and. least-developed part of the North Island. The Maoris theTe still cling tc the ancient customs and beliefs. "The Maori is- often quoted as an example of a native race that has managed to adapt itself to European civilisation. Actually, I do not think any native race is confronted by such trenvendous and difdcult problems," he said. "Few people realise how great is the psychological difference between ihe Maori and the white man. The Maori can never become a pakeha, and iio can never bo a Maori again. In fuiding liis place in our community he i.cc-ds the leadership and co-operation oi' the Europeans, and I am glad to sce that in recent jears more and more of tho thinldng people of New Zealand have been taking a real interest in the oestinies of the Maori race."