MAORIS AND RELIGION

Shannon News, 30 November 1926, Page 2

MAORIS AND RELIGION

DIFFICULTIES IN COMBATING RATANAISM. MOVEMENT FELT IN WAIROA, Tho difficulties which. confront those who are striving to instil into the Maori mind an appreciation of Christian principles and ideals, are outlined in several district reports presented to the Presbyterian General Assembly. ■■ From the Taupo district came the report—“Taupo is under the religious domination of Ratanaisiii at present. Bishops, ministers, lay' preachers, policemen and nurses are ordained by the Ratana council and set to worn in the native settlements throughout this district. Services are held daily in each pa. The children are trained to sing hymns arranged by the Ratana council. Couples are married by Ratana ministers, and every gathering is overlooed and guarded by Ratana policemen. The sick are the especial care o£ the Ratana nurses, who have no training in the care of the body, ‘ but trust to the prayer o,f faith; alone save tnc sick.” Secret of Power. ' “The secret of Ilatana’s power IS Ratana’s knowledge of the Maori mind. The Maoris wish to express their religious life in their own way —interpret Divine truth according to their own conception of it, and build up a theology of their own. They are happy when in office, and certainly work hard at their religion.” Another report from the north says —“One thing we have to contend with is the communistic social habits of the Maori. Nowhere - else does the ancient communism of the Maori maintain to-day as in Tuhoe. These people still think and move en masse. The- most private domestic affairs are brought to the meeting house and discussed and settled by the tribe. - Everyone is a member of the tribe rather than a separate entity, and anyone who refuses to go the way of the tribe is considered a bad Maori. Herein lies the initial difficulty of Christianity with these people, for Christianity demands just that individual decision which they are trained never to make. Pakelia Vice. “These people have been caught in the maelstrom of pakelia vice and wordliness and love of pleasure. We are all familiar with the manner in which our own people, many of whom have been brought up under the shadow of the Church are caught in the tides of woidclliness and of the Insensate lov e of pleasure, and swept right away out of the sound of the Gospel and farther and farther from the Kingdom. If these sections of the devil hav e such power over our own people with centuries of Christian teaching behind them, what must they be to these people iinfortified as they are to withstand such assaults? We have been seeing what their religion amounts to. It will be evident how utterly worthless it is' to stay them in th e least, in the midst of the fierce temptations into which we have plunged them.’’

Only last week the Maori prophet, Ratana .arrived in Wairoa, Ms cortege numbering twelve cars, all duly placarded with his name. Religious fervour was the order of the day amongst the natives of the district, and a succession of day and night meetings at North Clyde ensued. Recent troubles at Taupo with his natives in regard to fishing licenses are also said to originate from the prophet’s influence.