SONG OF TE TAMWHA.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 698, 22 December 1852, Page 4

SONG OF TE TAMWHA.

Lo on the distant waters sweeps alonrr Poroa':>* leng'hy piow O that he would Hasten to the shore, and by his kindly converse Move the load I hat weighs my spiiil down. This dread suspense! — methinks each flowing tide Will bring him safe to land : — how vain aie all my wishes ' They look upon me and conjecture all is well. Nor know the pangs that lend in twain my heart. While ever and anon I gaze in silence On passing clouds thai gild the evening sky. Day after day roll on, and night succeeeds, Nor day, nor night can bring relief, Till he returns. Welcome, welcome hither my younger brother my son ! Come, silute me with your nose — the mode of salutation of our ancient sires, who rubbed noses, and thus became united in purpose. I have nothing, 0 son. to offer you but fern root, lam sitting in poverty. But my son, the toros (a berry) upon the mountains, a r e becoming fruitful. It is well, it is well ; it is the albatross seeking food merely (meaning that the land would be held, the gold only would be taken by the Europeans, after which they would, like the albatross, visit some other region in quest of more " kai" — gold.) Talk to me my pet child, come with your speeches, even words of import placed in the basket by our ancestors (he supposes Taraia to be the receptacle of much wisdom; it may also mean that Hook-nose was consulted in matters of importance by Taraia' s fathers in former times, | and there appears no reason why he should not now be in Taraia's confidence). They are in reserve my son, let them be opened up. Come and see the cutting up of this fish (that is, be an eye witness of our arrangements as regards this gold question). Welcome, welcome." ! When Te Taniwha sat down, Taraia, in a most energetic strain, replied — " Call me, call me my father. I come, I come to view the great things left to us by our ancestors (great things, means land, &c ) (-all en me my father, lo I come to witness the treasuies you have called into life; you have spread them out; but my father, whete, where is your courtesy ? Where is your respect 1 (this may also mean where is (he payment, Taraia's share of it.) He is calling for it, but it shall not be so, no. it shall not (meaning that the Europeans had named Kawaearanga and other places, but he would oppose the search after gold in those districts). If you leap upon my lands I will hold out my hand (%, c., I will demand payment). I have nourished the land,— the land is so dearly won by my own nerve. And this is what I am looking at ;— cut off the head, cut off the tail, and leave your own small piece in the centie ft. c. 1 strike out Moehau, strike out Kauwaeranga, but do as you like with your own small claim at Coromandel). I have no speech to make ; children cannot make speeches. With you is wisdom ; with you are the sayings of our sires who have gone to the world of night, and you only of our fathers live. I come hithei to look about me and to hear only ; not to act. I came to witness the decision about the land. Let your hands be extended to the Kuropeans. I will not suffer the fat of my land to be cut up by this man or that m<m. Call out that it may be noised abroad ! let it go no further {i. c., do not extend the boundary,) be just, — if there be the slightest encroachment my eyes will gaze after you, (that is, if you interfere with my claims I will oppose your proceedings, I will watch you narrowly). Meddle not with that which belongs to another,— let it lie. How thoughtless of thee to send this man adrift upon the sea ! (Taraia refers to himself, he not being present when the Agreement was signed.) Has the fame of this act reached the people? You should have lefiected, and if your heart is bent upon giving up your homes, do so, but do it openly. Call lo the peopl# ; — call that they may see this evil. Call the people of Taupo, of Rotorua, of Waikato, and other places ; — call the tribes, that they may assemble, that they may look upon us sent adrift on the sea in a canoe m«de of reeds. Since that is the kind of food (money) we are sick to obtain ; — since that is the kind of food we co\et, and what our hearts are bent upon obtaining ; — -assemble the people, that they may see the island taken from them, and let each man receive his share, namely a penny." Te Kenepo, one of the Ngatitamatera Chiefs rose and said ;—; — " We are going about, we are going about to look after the things that our ancestors left with us, (i. c. lands.) because they are held by the hands of strangers. (Kuropeans.) My father, my elder brothers, let your doings be just ; be upright, and keep to your own small patch. Let it be in the ridge that lies before us yonder, (i. c., I do not dispute your tight to the valley of Waiau, but the ridge that divides Waiau from Manaia belongs to us.) Men may say that they will take it, but it shall not be ; no. And now my father, keep to your own, that will be wise and proper, let it end at its own boundary/ (Referring to the extent of land named in the Agreement.) Te Taniwha replied — " Ah ! who is so reckless as to commit an act of that kind ? It is right that we should each keep to our own rivers." Te Otatu rose and said — , " A short time ago we heard of the gold being dug. But what of this ? It is our own evil work which has brought desolation and misery upon the land. Our ancestors swept away the people from this place and that place, and this river, and that river became desolate. The people were not driven away by the Europeans, but by ourselves. Koti, Kawa, and Rairahi embarked on boaid a canoe and sailed to Hawaiki (the original country of the New Zealander). After this, came the wars of Ngapuhi ; by our own strength we repelled them, and when we killed Fomare, Poi Hakene, and Rangitukei then and not till then did we consider that Hauraki hail become our home. Only a small piece has been given up and it is proclaimed that all the land is gone. Let it go. The land yields its fruit and enjoys peace. It is well that this and that man should receive a share of the proffits. Let it be taken monthly that the people may see the amount, I have said sufficient ; let the people of this and that place talk over their own matters and arrange them."

* Poroa is here mennt for Taraia. Tlie song is very complimentary to that old warrior chieftain, and it would appeur that Ilook-noae was anxious lo conciliate Tntaia owing to some previous quancl !

Irai, one of the Ngatipaoa Chiefs, said to Taraia — " Welcome to the land. We have nothing to say ; we came to look about us." Tarnia ipniaiked—-" I have come for the same purpose." Te Otatu said — " T.et the gold be given to the Europeans. Our ancestors saw it not. Js it like fern-root that if can be seen ? With my ho I can dig feinroot, I Ijieak it and ascert tin its qu Jity , but this kind of thing is not. as 1 ,rge as a sand fly. My treasure is the green stone. This is not the first time that these things have been said." Hook-nose observed—" If the lands were mine, a hundred implements would soon be at work. I am wishful (hat millions of Europeans should come hither; the only trouble I feel is, that there is not room for them, they would be much crowded in this place." Taraia replied — "They will not allow you to have powder and guns to shoot birds, and yet you have jjiven up the land to them. How great is your folly !" " Why" said Irai, "should the head been* off and the legs be cut off; is the trunk to lie dishonoured V (meaning, that Coromandel Harbour was not large enough, that Cape Colville and other districts should be thrown in.) Taraia replied — " I will wait and see how this works ; if it works well I uill stretch out my hand" (i. c. I will give my lands to be worked, and thereby secure some payment for myself and people.) After these discussions the natives had some talk among themselves with regard to the boundaries of their lands, and then dispersed to their various settlements. ')