PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1880. MAORI MERRIMENT.

Patea Mail, 23 November 1880, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1880. MAORI MERRIMENT.

Tairoa and liis people were in a merry mood at the Patea races. They gave the pakehas a sample of Maori amusement. The fun commenced with half a dozen Maoris mounting the sandhill overlooking the race-games, and one girl starting a droning pantornine song, accompanied by all beating time with one foot and one hand in true savage fashion, as if pleased like children acting in unison. It seemed to be a song of welcome, such as a group of natives would set up at sight of expected visitors approaching a pah; the performance had a curious likeness to a negro chorus, being less musical in the cadence, with the same sort of childish fun to vary the monotony. The refrain was taken up by one woman, thou by another, each singing a stanza which ended with a laughing shout in chourus. While each stanza was being droned by a “ cantatricc,” the performers, who soon increased to a dozen, stood in a line beating time, throwing out the right arm, then the left, touching each other’s shoulder; the men’s head’s rolling from side to side with hideous contortions, the women’s faces turning from side to side also in time, with more of a giggling grin, as if laughing at the simple pakehas who were looking on. Many stanzas were sung in this fashion before the Maoris got tired. As the men wanned to the work at first, they threw off coats and wraps; and the women unbuttoned bodices, as if the restraint of clothing would have to give way if the fun were continued in proper style. Taiwan, the old chief, worked up the business with vigor ; and just as his people were “ getting warm,” the old chief fell out of the line, and demonstrated hjs high civilisation by handing round his hat for a collection. He got a fair hatful of shillings, which he shook up and pocketed with satisfaction ; and then the fun stopped. Lb looked as if Taurau had been copying another feat of civilisation by “ taking a rise ” out of the pakhas.