MAORI ENTERTAINERS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 29 November 1927, Page 3

MAORI ENTERTAINERS

METHODIST MISSION. ENJOYABLE PROGRAMME. Mr, A. J. Seamer and his little company of Maori singers and instrumentalists appeared at the Hastings Assembly Had last night in a very entertaining programme, which included hakas and poi dances. The hall was well filled with a most appreciative audience who were charmed with the steel guitar, ukelele, violin and other instrumental items, as well as by the beautiful blendlug of the voices in duets, trios and quartettes. The entertainment was held in aid of the Methodist Maori Mission fund, which benefited materially as a result. The visitors were accorded a welcome in native form, conducted by one of the young lady members of the company, on behalf of Mesdaraes C. Cunnold and Spurdie and Messrs. J. D. Common'and J. B. Pickering, who extended the official welcome. Mr Common, in a short speech, greeted the visitors on behalf of the Methodist communion and of the people of the town .and the reception was acknowledged in a haka. Mr. Seamer, in the course of the proceedings, said his associates had no European training in music and very little education at all, so that they were expressing themselves with the native simplicity of their race. They were, however, adaptable and quick to avail themselves of the little opportunities tney had. ' He spoke of the great work of the Anglican and Methodist missionaries, and their lay-preachers, emphasising the fact that not a drop of blood had been lost during the early missionary period in winning the Maori, in peace, to Christianity. It was the war of 1860 to 1871, caused by wrongs donate the natives, that drew bloodshed, threw the natives of the Waikato back from Christianity into their ancient superstitions and fanaticism and let the devil loose. The Maoris esteemed the early pioneer settlers, but the advent of the whalers caused them to reconsider their judgment, because the majority of them were base. JSuropeans complaisantly thought that they brought blessings to New Zealand, but that was rot so. Even if the influx all consisted of good people, the effect would be fo> the worse, because they hrougnt with them the microbes of disease and because they wanted the Maoris to assimilate in a couple of generations a civilisation which themselves had taken many centuries to attain. The Maori population, which had been decreasing, was now on. the increase The Methodist Mission had now 5,000 children under the supervision of their deaconess and they were spending £6,500 a year on the Maori Mission from their own Mission fund. A large number of those present undertook to contribute towards the mission fund and the proceedings terminated with the Benediction.