ART OF THE MAORI

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 671, 25 October 1933, Page 2

ART OF THE MAORI

fUOTI E OF RACE NEW SOCIAL .HALL OPENED PY GOVERN.OR-GENERAL ; IN WELLINGTON. LORD BLEDISLOE'S ADDRESS. An important event to the Maori ! people took place .when the Governor" ' Ge'neral, Lord Bledisloe, declared open the new Mlaori social ihall at; Lower Hutt, Wellington, remarking ithat the work of the Maori Society would be the mieans of promoting pride in the great race of the Miaoris", its language', its traditions, its distinctive accomplishments, and its faith in Go,d. Th'e af ternoon was hrilliant and the outdoor speeches in the marae were as a eonsequence the more e-njoyahle. The proceedings were marked by that instinctive dignity which attach.es to Mjaori ceremonies, a restrained hut real enthusiasm and earnestness in all that is ;done and said, and though everyone present understood English', Ithe ceremonious atmosphere was heightened hy the interpreting of each address, Maori into English, English into the- Maori tongue, a long; afternoon's w6rk for the interpreter, the Rev. Piara Te Muera. Their Excellencies were welcoonied in old Mjaori fashion, with that strange, far Teaching call from) the iwahines, then greelted hy Mr. Hapi : Love and hy the isinging df the Na • tional Anthem hy the Maori . Ghoir, ini English. A hright poi danoe and hiaka fo-llowed the danee dedicating the n&W meeting house. The girls presented her Exeellency with' a handworked flax basket of New Zealand flowers, and to his Exeellency later Mr. Hapi Love presented a carved mere in a case of New Zealand woods. Objects o'f Society. Mr. Hjapi Love, after expressing the pleasure they f elt at the presence of their Excellencies and of other giuests, traced the miovement Which had led, to the building of the meeting hall, as a centre ' from, which the Society of Te Ropu o te Whanganui a Tara (the Society of the Big Bay of Tlara.) could give effect to its aims of fostering the social, moral, and spiritual welfare of the Maori people, regard■less of creed or political views and of preserving' the traditions, arts, and crafts of their ancestors, and of encouraging literary, mjusical, and other talent, the continuance and improvement of the social and friendly relations with the rest of the community and in the promotion of games, sports or other activities as would miake for the well being of miemhers. As a start, said M!r. Love, sonaie members had made a gift to the society of the site for the marae, and finance for the hall was miade availahle from the Taranaki Maori Trust Board, the Native Department, and by suhseriptions, coricerts, and art unions, to a total of £807. Voluntary swork had been done most willingly by Maori residents of the distrdct, working during week-ends and at night in preparing the site and in completing and decorating the interior of the building under the direction of one of their memjbers, Mr. Heberley, of the Dominion Museum staff. After speaking of the old days of Wellington, ' when the whites first came, Mr. Love again welcomed their Excellencies and presented Lord Bledisloe with the carved mere. A visiting chief from Taranaki also extended a typical welcome from the imiarae, sayimgi: "Queen Victoria made the Treaty of Waitangi to say that the Mjaoris shduld he well served; now you have revived that word of Quesn Victoria. Now you have purchased the land at Waitangi and have presented dt to the cou,ntry and to the Maori people, showing a real true love of the Maori people." Lord Bledisloie's Speech. "I deeply appreciate your loyal welcome and accept gratefully your gene- . rous gift, which ishall be kept in my family as a happy memento of fchis auspicious funetion," siaid Lord Bledisloe. "It is his Majesty the King's ardent wish, which I fully share, that the Maori race should preserye its ancient traditions, its distinctive arts and crafts, and its patriotic and worthy ideals and aspirations. It is because your society — ffe Ropu o. te Whanganui a Tara — has these aims, coupJed with the salutary promotion of healthy recreation and the spirit of comradeship ibetween memlbers of the Te Atiawa, Taranaki, and Ngatiruanui tribes and isub-tribes, that its activities have my fullest sympathy, and I , am delighted accordingly to perforni the pleasant task of formally opening this marae and meeting house which will form the rallying ground for tmembers of the ropu and Ithe centre from which its objects cmay he eifectively promoted. "The puhlic-spirited liberality of memlbers of the ropu in providing this excellent site, coupled. with. generous contributions from the Taranaki Maori Trust Board and the Native Departmenit and arduous voluntary work on the part of local Maori residents, 'have enabled this project to, he successfully completed. I am particularly glad to learn th'at the skill and craftsmanship of Mr. Heberley, of the Dominion Museum, has been ipvoked I in direicting the work, for no one has i a more accurate knowledge of ancient Maori design and Mlaori Itradition. "I am asked formally to name this . mlaraei Pukeariki, or 'Hill of the Mpnarch' and this hall Te Tatau o T.e Po, ■ with its roihantic meaning 'Thoughts of the Ndght.' It fittingly recalls the ' early days of 'Pitoone' (now called Petone), where Golonel Wakefield landed on September 20, 1839, from The Tory with the first British stttlers under the aegis of the New Zealand Copnpany and of those of 'Whanganui a Tara' (or Wellington) j which the great Maori chief Te Wharepouri, standing in front of the first meeting house of the same name, ' sold to Colonei Wakefield, after poinlfaing out to him ithe iboundaries of the property as depicted in the Riddiford •sk.etch, an enlargement of which is to he- seen in the new] hall. ; Purchase Price of Wellington. "The purchase price of Wellington, then a bare, harshy hill-begirt tract pf bush-covered couhtry, was 13,5 1 stands Of arms, 21 casks of gunpowder, 1 cask of hall catridges, several' nightcaps, and Itobacco, pipes, a igross

of jews harps, 1200 fishing hooks, and 12 sticks of sealing wax. This 'may seem to he modern mind and imagd- , nation inadequate payment, and perhaps it -was, hut it must he remem- . bertd that what makes most land;,(espeeially the site of a.futune town) really valuahle is the genius, ihe fpresight, and the energy of enterp rising men under conditions of peace and Igood government. All these requisifes the original British pioneer ssttlers and Christian missionaries , brought to this fair land of Aotearoa, * following the Treaty :of Waitangi. .1 Honoured Names. K'On such jan occasion as this it is well to recall the honoured names of the great Mjaori chief Te Wharepouri, Honiana Te Puni, and Witako Ngatata the (first Maori to Sit in th'e New t Zealand Parliament) , all men of great j influence, nohle character, and uhwavering loyalty to. the British Crown ! and frdendship to the British settlers , in this district. Witako Ngata ta was " ' a great statesman and a zealous protector of European rights. It is significantly recorded of hom that 'What he promised he performed.' -Long may the charact-er and the patriotism of these Maori leaders be extolled hy their compatriots land their ihemory kept greeii. It is interesting, too, to call to mind the visdt to, .Queen Victoria's diamond jubilee celehraltions in London of representatives of the Maori race who included two of Te Wharepouri's descendants, Honiana Te Puni II and Nokuru Witako Love, who wias also a grandson of Witako Ngatata. The name of 'Love' reminds ■su all of the greatest of Christian virtues (sometimes called charity) which' I hope imiay ever distinguish all ithose who assemble on these premises- in the future, hut it also calls to the minds of her . Exeellency and myself our late charming and mueh-respected host of the Cook Islands, the Makea Nui Tinirau Ariki, whose daughter married the ho!n-. secretary of your ropu. "Last, but not least, let us all remember with pride and affection your neigh'bour land late memher, Sir Maui Pomare, the first patron of your society, the value of whose self-Sacrificing and devoted work in the interests of the health, and well-being of th'e Maori racq it would be difficult ,to, exaggerate. He was a truly great man and a fine patriot. 'Gordially do her Exeellency and I .wish all success to this worthy enterprise, and may it he the means of promoting amonigi the Maoris of this district pride .in their greaifc race, its language, its traditions, its accomplishments, and its faith in God. • '"Fortified hy suc activities as this , society and its new premises will tend j to proimiote let the Maori people go 1 forward with confidenee and hope, keeping even step with their pakeha ■ fellow-suJbjects of the King in mafn- , taining the greatness and prosperity | of the British Empire and the high ideals of th'e two '-races with whoni lie the future fortunes of this Domi- j nion."