Maori Religion Before Health!

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 256, 19 January 1928, Page 12

Maori Religion Before Health!

LAW OF TAPU HYGIENE DIRECTOR’S DIFFICULTIES t . Some weeks ago Dr. Ellison, Director of Maori Hygiene, was in the Urewera Country the land of Rua, the “prophet.” One of the matters he had to discuss was a scarcity of water for the Maoris in the village. They were ven r cerned owing to the failure of their supplies. Observing the big meeting house and other buildings, Dr. Ellison said: “There is an excellent catchment area. You will be able to get all the water you require from those roofs. The people of Rua answered, very emphatically: “No, we cannot do that.” “Why not?” “Because we are Ringatus,” they replied. WATER WAS TAPU The law of Ringatu, the church of followers of Te Kooti, is very definite upon this pointy All water above the heads of mankind in general is tapu. Therefore, it was quite out of the question to take water from oft the roof. This was but one of the difficulties his department, according to Dr. Ellison, who addressed members of the

Natiye School Teachers’ Association in conference in Auckland to-day, had to contend with. Since he left the Cook Islands, said the* director, his difficulties had been increased “an hundred-fold.” There mass treatment was possible. But among the Maoris this was out of the question. The Cook Islanders were amenable to reason, and there was no spirit of opposition to medical work. There were so many factions and elements, many of them religious in root, among the Maoris, that the problems of the medical officer were enormously increased. Dr. Ellison bad even found Europeans among the Maoris responsible for counteracting influences. Educated Maoris, too, gave considerable trouble. Still, it was by no means a hopeless picture that the director brought before the teachers. For instance, he said the Maoris were by no means as careless in regard to sanitation at their meetings as was once the case, and they were particularly careful—a most important point—concerning the purity of water supplies. Through on census figures the Maori population had increased, E>r. Ellison said these figures required very careful scrutiny; they could not always be relied upon. “One very satisfactory sign, however, is that there has been a very steady increase in children under 15.” he remarked. MAORIS ARE GRATEFUL As a race the Maoris were profoundly grateful, declared the director, for what had been done for them in the way of health. Particularly appreciative, too, were they tor wg&t the

teachers in native schools had accom-* plished. ‘•You have done good work . uolifting the race,” he declared- • “You have instilled character into these children. - . . There »• no doubt about this fact—the Maori people are anxious to better themselves.” Attention to native schools in past had necessarily been sca nty; . Dr. Ada Paterson. Director of Hygiene. “It has been all we could to deal with the children in the mentary schools,” she said. .. Important work could be earn in the interests of the Maori ClU * by their teachers, she declared, espw3ef allv in the collection of data. Dr. Mildred Staley, a member of “ Child Welfare Council, suggested• * the real* meaning of education a the Maoris was to teach them ho» live. This speaker very ser* doubted—with all respect to Dr. Paterson —whether the present teacn. ing of hygiene was sufficiency practical. She would like to see 1 f more modern lines.