Under the Totem-Pole

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 83, 29 June 1927, Page 16

Under the Totem-Pole

Chiefs and Braves

Letters to Redfeather are answered as under:

Little Scarlet Quill: I am glad to see that you are taking such an active interest in the Wigwam. Many thanks for your friendly letter and the delightful sketches.

Whispering Tree: Greetings to this new brave. I was glad to have your dra\Ving of the maid in the Indian canoe. Is it the Lake of Many Waters that she is skimming?

Glistening Water: Very many thanks for your competition entries. 1 was delighted to hear from you again. Little Silver Crescent: The hand of goodfellowship to this newcomer. I trust you will be a frequent guest in the friendly interior of the Wigwam.

Raven Wing: The hand of greeting to this new Brave. I hope I shall hear from you very often. Do you like your pen-name?

Little Buffalo: You are having a busy time with your studies. I was glad to have your interesting letter and shall always look on you as one of my faithful Chiefs.

Gleaming Pool: I was glad to have your letter and to read your Guiding news. You are a keen member of the great sisterhood. All good wishes. Flying Cloud : Your two letters have reached the Wigwam safely. I know perfectly well that you are no relation whatever to those great nimbus clouds that we have seen so much of lately. You are a rose-tipped cirrus sailing enchanted sky-blue seas. Isn’t that so? Shining Paddle: I was so glad to have your letter and shall be listening for the triple knock at the Wigwam door. Three good Braves and true told me of the Basket Ball on Saturday. Eyes of the Morning: Your fine little essay, will be published next week. It was splendid seeing those three friendly faces at the door of the Wigwam. Have you mastered the mysterious sign? Silver Wing: Congratulations on your prize-winning poem. “The Winter Man” was published in Happy Town last Saturday. Blue Morning: Your charming Indian scene has won the drawing competition. Congratulations and best wishes. Little New Leaf: Many thanks foi' your very interesting letter, extracts from which I have used in the Guides’ Corner. To me your name seems exactly suitable. Sighing Wind : Your splendid drawing reached me safely and I must congratulate you on a fine piece of work. The subject is more suitable for the little ones and it will probably appear in the Happy Town page very soon. Red Arrow: The hand of goodfellowship to this new Chief. Many thanks for your striking drawing. It has placed you high in the list. Star on the River: I was delighted to hear from you again and to receive your contributions. In the poem you have paid a great tribute to your Chief.

Beaver Hunter: Congratulations on your prize-winning essay. I am always glad to hear from this clever young scribe. Little Feather: You have been having a very busy time but I trust your worries are now over. Your essay is excellent. I shall be pleased to see you and Star on the River when you can call.

Red Dawn: A warm welcome to this young poetess. I trust your membership seal has reached you. Your poem is very good and has placed you high in the list.

Eagle Feather: I was delighted to have your neatly typed letter. It is splendid that you have been chosen in the Soccer team. Here’s to the sport of the chase!

Silver Heel: Your charming essay has been awarded a special prize. Congratulations and good wishes. Red Star: Greetings, little faithful one. I was delighted to have your letter in ink. I think that blackbird must have been a harbinger of spring.

Beaded Moccasin: Welcome to our large family, Beaded Moccasin. I was delighted to inscribe your name on the Totem Pole and to give you the hand of greeting

Red Leaf: Many thanks for you?* splendid letter which I thoroughly enjoyed. I quite agree that there should be two Wednesdays in each week. Singing Heart: A thousand thanks for your beautiful spring flowers which, even as I write, are distilling their sweetness in the Wigwam. Sitting Bull: The children of Redfeather have heard your voice and would give you greeting. Once again I repeat, “Who art thou?” Paddle Carver: Many thanks for your friendly letter with the news of your Guiding activities. My greetings to Travelling Bear and Many Feathers. I shall be glad to have their letters. It is splendid that you have all found the trail to the Wigwam. HOMECOMING The moon is up; behind the lake, The stars are glimmering in the gloom, My trail is through the thickest brake; My feathers in the dimness loom; For I’m an Indian maiden proud. Who loves the dawn, the dusk, the night, And all the cataracts wild and loud— They call me “Fly-by-Night.” And now the trails are cool and still, Beneath the starry dome; I wander up yon dark green hill. And o’er the top—to home. I see the curling smoke arise Up through the pungent pines, My wigwam, there, so cosy lies Beneath a. bower of vines. My hunt is over for the day, Home through the ruby haze. I leave the calling trails of May, And seek the fireside blaze. —Red Dawn (Neila McLeod, aged 16).

TREES IN WINTER TIME PRIZE-WINNING POEM To me you are not bare Though your leaves have gone, Wafted away by Autumn winds On . . . and on. You catch the falling snowflakes— The gift that Winter brings, And I scarcely breathe with joy, for then You’re fairy things! The clinging raindrops tremble As though you mean to weep I cannot think of you as bare— You’re just . . . asleep. —SILVER WING.. (Doreen Shaw, 63 Mackenzie Avenue, Woolston, Christchurch, aged 18.)

THE LEE SHORE

Here brood a line of stately hills, And sombre pines all upside down, And yonder gleams a sail that fills, Skirting the marshes dank and brown. A thousand sunsets at my feet, A thousand thoughts that cry aloud; Here earth and heaven leap and meet And cockleshells may sail a cloud. —W.S.T.

NEW JAPAN

The Japanese people became a great nation by one bold stroke. There is nothing in history like the rise of Japan, which did in a single generation what other States have taken centuries to do.

It is the most astonishing story of chivalry and self-sacrifice, the most dramatic act of patriotism, in the history of the world, and it has sprung from a spirit of patriotism which is unmatched among the nations. In the old days, until within the lifetime of many people not very old, Japan was a country closed to the world; and it was a group of about fifty noblemen who undertook the task of transforming Japan from a dying feudal State into a modern Power. Eight poor and powerless men attached to an imprisoned emperor, with about forty young knights, entered on this great task.

Perhaps the tiny band of reformers was largely moved by fear of Russia. The Cossacks of the Amur were extending along the mainland, menacing Japan, and the large Japanese island of Saghalien was being absorbed in the dominions of the Tsar. These Japanese knightq, knew that Japan could not fight against the guns and firearms of the Russians, and their design was to equip their country as quickly as possible with the knowledge and science that would enable it to defend itself against any aggressor. They began by reviving and spreading the history of their race, which showed that the emperor was the real ruler, and the Shogun, the chief military lord of Japan, and the real ruling power, was a usurper. They taught that faithful service until death was due from all knights to the Crown, and not to lords of clans. Then they approached two strong lords who were jealous of the Shogun, and induced them to surrender their domains.

It wp.s one of the greatest acts in history. No nobility of any nation, either in the East or in the West, ever of their own free well stripped themselves of wealth and power to save their country. These lords of Japan, by their wonderful example, created

MEMBERSHIP SEALS Girl Guides, Boy Scouts and young people between the ages of 15 and 20 are invited to send their names, ages and addresses to Redfeather, the Wigwam, SUN Office, Auckland, wheh a membership seal will reach them at an early date.

an overwhelming movement of loyalty and patriotism; and throughout the whole of Japan only seventeen out of 268 feudal barons hesitated to surrender their lands and rights. All the great barons gave up nine-tenths of their revenues, together with all their privileges. Class distinctions were abolished. and the peasants were made owners of their farms. The revolution was carried out by the nobility against their own selfish interests for the good of their country as a whole.

Now it was that the astonished world first became aware of the incomparable quality of the Japanese spirit. It was a revelation even in Japan itself, for a new spirit arose among the common people. Instead of pulling down they resolved to build up. New Japan should be a nation of Samurai, as the great class of Japanese nobles was called. The Samurai would die for its faith, or its class, or its country.

Nearly everything fine in old Japan had been done, in Samurai fashion, without any thought of personal gain. The great painters worked for the love of their art; they never sold their masterpieces, but placed them in temples or gave them to patrons and friends. Often they were painters to tlieir clan, handing down their art from generation to generation for the glory of their people. Many of the best craftsmen, whose works first revealed something of the genius of Japan to the rest of the world, served some lord with much the same disinterestedness as the Samurai did. In the same way the peasant did not look upon himself as an oppressed man when he delivered the larger part of his produce to the Samurai who managed the estate. He was labouring in the common interest of the clan.

It has been said that prosperity is the grand test of character, and it certainly tested the character of the Japanese people. Great industries are now rising up among them, and Japan is taking her place among commercial nations. The industrial power of the island race has increased amazingly. The age of her apprenticeship to Western civilisation is now over. She has her own famous men of science and her own natural aristocracy

of inventive minds, and all the new knowledge she has won is blended with her ancient wisdom. Japan will become the civiliser of a large part of Asia, and by bringing other races up to her own high level she will help in the great task of making the Brotherhood of Man a practical reality. It took the Japanese scarcely a generation to travel from the early Middle Ages into the twentieth century: it would probably not take these wonderful islanders so long, with the help of the League of Nations, to make the Chinaman a citizen of the world. Then, indeed, East and West would meet. The brave and bold persist even against fortune; the timid and cowardly rush to despair through tear alpne.