DEATH OF TE WHITI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 19 November 1907, Page 2

DEATH OF TE WHITI.

LAST 01'' TILE GREAT PROPHETS. DIES 0E A BROKEN 11EA11T. I'AIUHAKA INFLUENCE ENDED. BRIGHTER DAY DAWNS FOR TIIE MAORI.

To Whiti. -tlie noted Maori ehiei' and ( prophet, died at Parihaka. at au early hour yesterday morning. The news of his death excited not verv trreat surprise amongst the people here, for frequently of lute had they heen told that the .Maoris' prophet, seer, tolumga, and spiritual lung was fast a"ein" and Hearing the end, he having long passed tlie allotted span of three score years and ten. Not so with his native" followers. UNFULFILLED PROPHESIES. 4// Tlie doctrines preached by Te Wlnti and his late colleague, Toliu, led the faithful to believe in Te WUiti's miinortality. And their belief had.now been, shaken to its very foundations. Nor, was it an isolated instance of the uu- J realised prophesy of a great leader. It ■ is related that in the days of the Maon rising and their ploughing of tlie while j settlers' iields, lie issued a command the j fulfilment of which should bring about the downfall of Waitara. But Waitara stood. In more recent years lie predicted that King Edward Vll. would never be crowned. Great was the jubilation amongst his followers when came the news of the illness of the KingElect, and the postponement of the Coronation ceremonies. Surely -the ''day of reckoning" was at hand! But again his premonition And now again the Maori faithful are' disappointed, deceived, desolate. Gone 'is their great prophet, their leader, who had assured theni he would bring about the downfall of the pakeha and the repatriation of the Maoris. Gone is the leader, but the "day of reckoning" lias not come. And in their wisdom they see hut frail hope of the appointment of another man in Te Whiti's place, to exercise flis undoubted inllucnce and by his mana to

sway the tribes for good or evil, and in his demise they see the indubitable augury of the downfall of the communal -system. - AN EVENTFUL CAREER.

To Whiti was a man with a most eventful career. He was the son of John Kakalii, a Ngatiawa chieftain, who was a son of Xe Whiti Orongomai. lie was bom at Ngainotu, near Moturoa, three days alter the death "oi ins father in the battle of Pukerangiora in f853. J.. PUIvEIiANGIOARA MASSACRE.

Setfern's History of Taranaki giVes an account of tlie bloody Pukerangiora raid in which To Whiti's father was killed, and it is worthy of reproduction here. Early in the summer of 18U1, a canoe with a party of Waikato natives visited Ngamotu (near Moturoa), professedly to procure a cargo of dried shark. These men were spies, and during their stay in the Ngatiawa village ascertained the strength of the liapu, and how they could be best conquered. In December —about a month after the visit—a taua (war) party, consisting of about 4000 Waikatos, tanu into the district, and the chief, Te Wherowhero, divided his

men into sections round about AVaitura. At first a few Ngatiawas were seized at Tikorangi, and these were sacriliced to the god of war and Wiro, tile evil spirit. Then an uiisusjiccting party of twenty-live natives, returning from a distant village, were taken, slain, and devoured. The Ngatiawas were frightened, and made for their stronghold at Pukerangioia with such haste that they Jailed to store it with provisions for any lengthened siege. There were two or three white men living with the Ngatiawas at the time, and they gave confidence to the besieged. The enemy destroyed all the sacred places of tlife Ngatiawas, and in large numbers attacked the pa. For twelve successive days the enemy made repeated assaults, but were as constantly repulsed, and they lost iu these attacks thirty-six men. Famine and exhaustion had reduced the little garrison to a state of despondency, and in a panic they attempted to evacuate the pa during daylight. The scene that ensued was of the most horrible rature. The enemy took advantage ofTlie wretches' portion to commit the. most frightful atl-ocities, and in their despa.fr mothers threw their children over the /precipice to be dashed lo piece?, and they themselves lor*pt iiiio the river in order to avoid.liie'iHure dreadful fate at the hands of their sanguinary foe. A fearful slaughter ensued, and cannibal banquets were kept up in true pandemonium style. To Wherowhcro killed Jifty oMhcJicst tattooed men himself, and, sitting alone upon the ground, with a stone wrapon in his right hand, smashed the heads of his victims, the whole of the chief's person being covered with Tilood and brains. Children and youths were roasted alive, and were afterwards paten by the cannibals; and so greedily did some of them feast that it is reported they died from the elTeets of their gluttony. Altogether, five hundred perished, and with the exception of a who escaped, the remainder were carried away into slavery." ✓' EARLY LIFE.

His mother was i'angi Kawau, a daughter of Te Wlictu, a Taranaki chief. Soon after the Pukerangiora slaughter Te Whiti was taken by his mother to Waikanae, and returned some years later with the Waikanae people to Taranaki. For some years he lived with his mother at Gtamatua, near Pihaina, anil then went to Warea. EARLY EVIDENCE OF POWER.

l'rom his youth his commanding presence gave him considerable influence

over his fellows, and it is related that it was owing to his representations that the passengers of the ship Lord Worsley, wrecked at Te Namu, near Opuuake, in 18(12, were saved from the hands of the Maoris. ASSIMILATES CIiRISTIANITY.

The Whiti, with the late Tohu and Motu, were pupils of the German missionary Itienienschneider, and were instructed in the principles of Christianity at the old Warea mission-station. Soon they became remarkably conversant with the Scriptures, and the Old Testament prophecies appealed to their natures. They speedily became too clever for their instructor, and as young men Te Whiti and Toliu announced their intention of going out to teach A NEW DOCTRINE.

And there the troubles commenced. \\ith a forensic gift and all the native histrionic powers remarkably developed, they established themselves at Parihaka, alter their expulsion from other villages. They prophesied a great "Day of Reckoning,-' when the pakehas would be dispossessed of the soil of New Zealand, and it would pass from its conquerors back to the Maoris, its owners by inheritance. For this purpose they established a fund to be set aside for use 011 that eventful day. For many years the Maoris paid in their tithes and tributes, aud about 1S!)0 there was a difference of opinion between the two preachers, who then parted and were never again seen to speak together From this time onward Te Whiti always had pride of place in addressing the gieat gatherings of Maoris in the marac, or square. J

A WANINO POWER. ~ J'Ut with the death of Toliu, thegradually waning influence of those two men waned faster away, until on 17th November, Sunday last—the date of the monthly gathering to hear the fine old man's utterances, when in the past the great marae would Jiave been thronged --not a single Maori from outside the village was present. The only visitors vo pakehas. This caused Te Nhiti to be very despondent. What an incontrovertible sign of his departed ma 11.1 And lie remarked upon it fo liN visitors, one of whom ventures the opinion thai tliis fact hastened the end. J'Ut he went about the house of h.s son-ill-law, Taare Waitara, as usual, and did not forget to feed life pels, the pigeons, ftoni the verandah. The evening- ho ->fM'nt in his own sitting-room, somewhat restless, and coughing a little. A watch was kept, as usual, during -the night. TOR END. About .!.:«) a.m. there was a commotion in thejiouse. Te AVhiti was ill, parlly unconscious, and speechless. First thoughts were to set off for New Ply. mouth for medical assistance, but he was seen to be sinking fast, and the relatives only were summe'd to watch for the end. And it came in a collide ol brief hours. In the early dawn of the day (the 18th) upon which in former years he had controlled and instructed Ins followers, his soul left its house of clay. OUTTIOST OF GRIFF. _ The outburst of grief amongst relatives, followers, and friends was pit-i- , able, and the means of expressing their . sorrow repulsive. Strong women \

the clothing from their bosoms and excoriated themselves with sharp shells. There was weeping and wailing for I none can excel the Maori in his outward I signs of grief. Soon the village was decked in its emblems of mourningtwigs plucked from I lie forest. And the body was laid in slate in Ihe great mceting-houso, the scene of his greatest triumphs of impassioned oratory..^*-. . THE PARIHAKA RAJD. So much for his life in the inner circle, so to speak, of Maori life. In what way did this man force himself upon the notice of the European settlers, so that his name has become noted? It was in ISSI, during the Hon. .Mr. Jiryce's term of ollice as Minister for Native Allah's, that. Die Parihaka troubles commenced. Ever since tlie suspension of hostilities, the natives of the West Coast had passively resisted the occupation of the lands confiscated as a punishment for their participation in the rebellion; hut it was not until the year mentioned that any danger to the settlers was apprehended by tlie authorities. By reason of his teachings Te Whiti had collected a large number ■ of Maoris at l'arihaka, which seemed to have become a haven of refuge for the dissatisfied and rebellious. He managed : | to keep them from recommencing lios--1 j tilitics, but allowed them, as a sort of ! | substitute, to plough up the settlers' : i grass lands, demanding that they should : ,be handed back. Repeated attempts to L i reason with Te Whiti failed. The Hon. " | .lolin Bryec had been too great a sufl . ferer himself during the war to be trilled - with on this occasion, and determined on collecting a force which would at - once awe them into submission and o prevent bloodshed. A force of vohm- >• teers 1517 strong was raised from varin ous parts of the colony. Whilst the ii mobilisation was going on Miss Dobie .. was foully murdered near Opunake by t a native named Tnhi. The public mind t | was at lever heat. The contingents . were moved to the muster-ground at n Rahotu, and thence they proceeded to j. Parihaka. By clever tactics the village , was entirely surrounded by the little rj army of colonial troops, well drilled, splendid shots, cool and collected, and eager to settle once and for all the question of Maori supremacy. But Te ? Whiti had evidently been apprised, of the effective forc-e surjoufldißgirim, and decided "not to"~"figlit. When the cordon ' wa« complete, a body of the Armed Constabulary, under the command of -Major Tuke and Captains Gudgeon and it Sowall, entered the marae, or sacred >f square, and called upon To Whiti to i, surrender. He answered, "I am here

if you want me; walk over my young men's bodies," he being .surrounded by -Maoris lying on the ground. Major Tuke did not hesitate, but, stepping warily over the recumbent natives, arrested the prophet, and sent him out with an escort. The late Chief Toliu and several others also gave themselves up. Before leaving, Major Tuke secured a -Maori mimed iliroki, who was afterwards executed for the murder of a

man named McLean. J'he natives who did not belong to Parihaka were compelled to go to their own. homes. Te

AVhiti, Toliu, and Titokowaru were tried for sedition, and ordered to be detained during the Governor's pleasure, and they were treated as superior hostages of war during a period of years before they were allowed to return to Taranaki. But for the iron-handed policy here adopted and the overwhelming force brought to bear upon the Maoris, much bloodshed must have resulted before the natives submitted to the yoke. TilK I'ARIIIAKA INFLUENCE. A representative of this journal visited Parihaka yesterday. Having ascertained the facts surrounding the demise of the late prophet, he inquired of those most likely to know if a successor would be chosen, and, if so, who was most likely to till the position. It was ascertained that 'ie Wliiti leaves two children—Perene, wife of Taare Waitara, and Nohu Mairangi, the latter being engaged in dairying pursuits. There is also a half-brother, Taikomako. But none of these can be expected to exert the influence required to bring the Maoris together again and to keep them together. .To accomplish this the new leader would need to lie a man with greater strength of character than either Toliu or T'e Whiti, for even their influence lost its force as education and contact with Europeans affected the Maori mind. The removal of this deterring influence must have a decidedly beneficial, effect . upon, Maoris," and sound the death-knell of "the curse of the communal system. A brighter day is dawning for the Taranaki native.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS.

lc Whi Li had a decided objection to the camera, and succeeded in escaping the ordeal of photography, even by the snapshot fiend. years ago lie discarded Maori attire, and lived in semi-Euro-pean fashion. His hospitality and that of the Parihaka natives generally were proverbial. Of late years lie is said to have been billing i|, llt the Parihaka "lock should be subdivided, provided that each .Maori could get his rights, but that condition, in view of the complicated succession orders of the courts, would be suflieient barrier to any such dealing with the land. Not very lon<* ago he was interviewed by a lady tern" perance worker, who wished him to inIhienee the .Maori women towards the prohibition movement. His answer was that the .Maoris didn't make the liquor and if the Government wanted to do' away with the drink evil, it should stop the manufacture of the stuff. He was remarkably conversant with the prophecies of the Old Testament, and it was doubtless this knowledge that enabled hiin to uphold his mana among the tribes. An elderly gentleman (now in New Plymouth) who is very well versed in the Bible had the pleasure ot an extended chat with Te Whiti 011 matters appeartaining to Holy Writ ago " 7t llas bM o s t«ted that le Mint! Would not use the Eng. lihli language, but this is hardly correct. I Ills informant states that Te Whiti bad a slight knowledge of English, and the prophets opening remark confirms this, the prophet was seated in his l'cception-room, near a table whereon aj a Maori 111, lie. "Von like this Book; he asked. The pakeha respond- ■['% allirmativi'. "Me, too, like ><> ],ook ' said Te Whiti. Many qilM ; . ""'I an swers followed, an interpreter be, called upon the better to elucidate their significance. THE LAST KITES. Preparations are now going forward m connectio l ! with the tangi, and the the lit 'V L e ; "'"veiling towards L J,umu ul " ,l - prophet, the interment will probably take place on either Thursday or Friday. Our reporter was informed yesterday at, 111 view oi the recent prosecutions, no liquor would be admitted to Parihaka upon any pretext during the progress of the tangi. 10