OUR DUTY TO THE MAORI.

Hokitika Guardian, 21 October 1927, Page 4

OUR DUTY TO THE MAORI.

CLASH OK THE CULTURES. ‘•So you see the Maori hail hi-, Oxford and his Cambridge, as well as the pakehas,” said Mr I’at Smyth at St. Stephen’s School, Auckland, where he was lecturing under the auspices of the Akarana Maori Association on “The Education of the Maori.” IP* was telling the audience about Maori schools before the advent of the whiteman. and explained that the (jualilication for entrance to the j wliareklira—the sacred house of learu--1 iug was one cl firth. Only the i sons of chiefs or l hi' priests were I considered worthy of being taught | the lore of the sages, which eoncern|ed things celestial, tencsttrial and ritual. The Schools were tapu and Ihe teaching was taint. Instnutinu was all oral, the Maori having to alphabet, until the white man gave him one. With the advent of the pakeha. and |,lie clash of cultures, the Maori was haul put to keep afloat, especially atior the wiping out ol the law ! of tapu. which was the sheet anchor I< f his social system. Then came the II ues l ion of otlm ating the Maori acI entiling to pakeha ideas. J “HACK TO THE -MAT.” People often asked what was the | use of educatin'. l ' the .Maori.' “lie I only goes hack to- the mat, or hangs . I.illiail I saloons, or freipioiits | the racecourse,’ was a remark one , often h-aril about the educated Maori. The Igjtiiirr had heard one | ill-tin mod person regret "that Sir j Apirana Ngata alter a brilliant eaie"i at college had "gone hack to the mat." “Well,’’ said Mr Smyth, "d Xgain's splendid work among his own | e ;plc on the K'tsl Const is going hark to I In' mat then the more Maoris who lollnw him. the heller. When two i nltures elaslied. as in the case of the Maori and pakeha. ' some races died out. hut the Maori was saved l\v his untutored imlependi ire. I’" Was brave, tearless, tint Id ul. proud and intensely imlcj pendent. Apropas. the. let Hirer told I lie story of the Maori policeman | who could not brink rigid discipline, t || o was told the miiform policeman 1 that, lie must obey. Calmly taking 1 „|l‘ trousers, rout a’ul lie' laid ; them on the ground, said ‘“There 1 they are,” and walked away in his 1 shirt and his freedom. I s’l’H TOOLE W'.ITH KNOLTSTT.

One of the most ifiHicull subjects tVr the Maori hoy was naturally English. aiieiit which the lecturer told ]mw he mice asked a lad to bring a saucepan, us he wrote,l to c ok some sweet corn. The lad 1 ■ ' ■"* hard lor a ininut • ti said. “Yes. sir” l’i a few minutes he came hark wita a -.all sir-on. Th: n the request wa< repealed, and with the some remark the toy made a .-’coml journev. this time coming hack with a d.ess'>rt s:; o n. The i. in answer to a gestiir'.’ of dissat isfaeti' :i. the hoy made yet a tliiicl jouriii".'. this time bringing, jhe biggest he c >uhl find —a lacl-* spoon. "No. if." said the teacher, lapsing into 11" mi Slier tongue, "lie kohua. he I obca !" The puzzled I'ok left the hill's face, am! he dash: d oil to get the | ot. Often when a Maori hoy seemed stupid i'- a wooden block lie was struggling willi the Engl is t language, wbh'i was lot Ins n other tongue—“and I none ii never will he.” added Mr Smyth. As for thr future. Mr Smyth stressed t lie importa in e o! the t 'scau' having a knowledge of the two languages in order to realoe to.- Mauri buy’s (lillicultics. He outlined system through primary and secondary si ho"Is h l .' which the eilreal iin of the hoys anil girls could be inl'io.-d furtlier tlian it was at present. -It present the system only gave them a glimpse of the lights, ami did not guide then far enough on the path Properly equipped to lace the "ew civilisation, the educate.! girl;- and toys could go hack to their people and lielu them. I!c rcalisi’T that it they inttld 'not accommodate themselves to the pakeha i ivilisalhm I lie only alternative was extinction. no col on: t.txH.

"There is no colour line in .New Zeeland, we leave lh:’.l to the South Alrii i - " siii,| tbe lecturer, and be saw it r .’•■ why tin.' two rn<’i i s should ... ■ ■■-. side by side. • A : i hihv.c ■ : 1!:: . kins pointed out the few wal. s in ll:- that were open to the educated Mauri. It was lie the girls wlio slii . hi be the v cl's of the tribe being u ii'to the towns, ivhcii there were several thousand move Maori men than women. As for the men. there was la hot! ring.

guindigging, buslifalling—and very littlo else. The Archdeacon did not see how the gap could he bridged. Down on tlio East Coast there was more scope for Hie Maori owing to the spread of dairying among them. In the North it was different. Mr Silly th admitted the difficulty, hut thought that if the river were started with plenty of confidence, they could look forward to the influence increasing as the river absorbed tributaries in increasing numbers.