THE LAST PROPHET

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 23 November 1907, Page 2

THE LAST PROPHET

PARIIIAKA BY NIGHT. WEIRDLY INUNtffiUOUS SCENES.

TE WHITI LAID TO REST. CHARLIE WAITARA S PRONOUNCE-

MENT. . "THE CHOSEN FEW." NliW DOCTRINE RIDICULED BY UNBELIEVERS.

THE FUTURE OF THE SETTLEMENT. / - y> (By Our Special Reporter). ■."As the moon rose above Mount Eg'imont on Thursday night casting its rohtlcetcd radiance on the death village, the

Ijsceue was weird and impressive and 'memorable to those privileged to view what in all probability will lie, the last scene of its kind enacted on the slopes of Taranaki's sentinel. All was not of

oriel', however—that was left to the bur-den-bearers of the race, the women; the I men occupied themselves in less exacting occupations. The billiard saloons were crowded, heralds at the doors of the safloons riiK'ing bells and urging all and

suiulrv in showman fashion to roll up.r I roll lip! Gathered around the openi ■spaces in groups the old men and patri-H iarclis talked of the departed niana of tlieM 'race, its subjugation to the all-consum-ing pakeha, the dark days associated wfth those coming still rankle in the | hearts of the older warriors and oceii- j

sionally find vent in impassioned outlining of eloquence. Work at the tomb | was continued by candlelight till a late hour and eventually was suspended un-

til next morning. Ever and anon the comparative silence was broken by weird outbursts of wailing from wahines who crouched in groups within the] whares. More subdued but never-ccas-i in" continued the grief sobs of the-: mourners holding vigil with the dead in; the whare-niate, dimly lighted by candles set around the bier. Within this death: chamber was revealed the most imprcs-;

sive scene of all. The physical distress: that must have almost prostrated any! but the most robust and imaginatively: excitable seemed to make but little im-i prcssion on these mourners, who had: never left their posts since death came to the prophet in the early hours of Monday morning. Crouched in attitudes •now of supplication, now of distress, anon with heaving breasts and: deep-drawn sol) or twitching nerve andj •mute appeal their vigil continued with; I]r rev-ceasing fervor. The night throtiglij" While Hie rest of the village, was! idoep |in the embreiiv of ijorphems,j the stillness would suddenly be broken.; j ijy a long-drawn-out, weirdly pathetic, wail from' some quarter, and answered !by the watchers in the whare-mate. j

; , THE MURNTXG BREAKS. «■ ' ; At the first dawn of day Purihaka was astir and preparations for the feeding of the thousand people in the settlement commenced. With the food supplied aud the method of serving not even the most fastidious epicure could find fault. Bake-house, kitchens, din-ing-halls, and dishes are scrupulously clean, and the natives entertain lavishly. BUILDING 'THE TOMB. After breakfast the brickwork of the tomb was now completed, and the smiths commenced to make the arched iron rail-coverings for the grave. 'There was no hurry, no bustle about any of the preparations, everywhere taihoa, taihoa. WHAI-KORERO.

Shortly after eight o'clock the men began to gather about the marac until there were four or live hundred assembled. Over the morning pipe the events of the day were being discussed when ;\

great whai korcro commenced, orator after orator marching out to the centre of the marae and haranguing the multitude as in the days of old. A DISTRESSED BELIEVER.

The first speaker was Ereu lui, of Waikanae:—"Go! author of peace, now departed and left us in gloom and darkness. Go to the home of your fathers," he said. "You are gone, but your word has been left, as a guiding light for future generations. You are dead, but live in our hearts; left behind there will be misunderstandings enough." Then followed a long lament of the departed, and recounting of bis people's common grief, concluding: "Go, great one; go to the refuge of the wretched and oppressed."

LAST DAY OF MAORI WISDOM. Kahu l'ukoro, a chief of the Ngatiruanui, who was to have been Tohu's successor, but was so disappointed with the failure of Tohu's propiiecies that he recently joined the 'I e Wliilis, followed with ii long speech showing the new light dawning in the Maori. "It is liuisued; it is finished," he called. "The ! wind has fallen mercilessly upon this/]

garden, aud the chief tree is withered.! Go! illustrious one, to the departed.. Go! go! go! The two great trees of, the forest have now fallen. Tears art' merely in vain; they may appease grief' hunger, but can give no uliitiiate satisf faction. 'i'hjs .is the last day of Maora wisdom: lie was the last! The page "is closed! It is finished; it is done! These two who stood before you as im? mortal are now dead, and everything has proved in vain. It is finished; it iS finished!" j

A WAIUUOIi'S FAITH. | Te Iki Moeouc, an old warrior nolc'4 for his opposition to all European cus4 loin and law expressed hi» auger thulj the last speaker should consider thq piuplict's inilueuce had passed with himi ■•Farewell, Te Whiti!" he cried. "You'viJ established your kingdom, brought pcaci to tiie world, which the natives have' enjoyed. Even the big cannon was brought to l'arihakit to do destruction, but Te Whiti—oh! iny lord—you stopped its mouth with your inaua. What more do the tribes wish to see of your prophecy; Voti foretold the establishment of the Dominion. Your body is dead, but the iulliienee of your words still lives. Hold forth to peace and let the nations of the world wage, for Te W'hivi ami Tohu have made known their niana to the whole world." MODERN MAORI'S ADVICE.

llomi, a son-in-law of Tohu, in a lighting speech welcomed the visitors and fat'cwelled the great one's spirit, "Farewell, ihe person who established peace in this settlement." Why, he asked, had .some of the speakers spoken iu the manner they bad'! Why did they not speak out that which was iu their minds, aud say openly that Te Whiti aud Tohu had acted falsely to the tribes w'lio supported them? 'This was no occasion to be refined in speech. The people who embraced the. prophet's doeiLi'ine had been grealh' tlisappointed, and serve them right! They should have had better sense and known how worthless were the teachings. Let them now look around and think of the future, lie had spoken from his heart, as was lfis custom, and his hearers could take his advice or leave it.

Aki Aid, a cousin of Tc Whiti, foliwed with n classical lament, and many thcr notables delivered minor orations n which the two words ■Tfaercmai" welcome) and "tlaere atu" (farewell) xprcssed the predominating sentiments ARKtVAL, Oi-' VISITING TKU3KS. About It) o'clock tlie booming of gun iimuimml the appearance of visitors iml the band struck up. The new ar ivals proved to be a small party u bout twenty-live natives from Mann viitii, Otaki and the South Island, ill ■hiding lliuia, the ''Grace Darling" o New Zealand. The welcoming part; noved out and the powliiri (reception .'oniinciiced. The Waiala (chant o ivelconie) and dance inviting-the visitor lo the house of sadness was cavrie ml with due inipiessiveness. lo lie I'ol iiiwed by a prolonged "uhtinga." ivailinj .■iM-etiimi.v—"Wliiit is the sign of death See till! green leave-." The waliines o Hie parly took up their position wit] Ihe niouniei's round liie bier, where i scene of mixed comedy anil palho amused the disrespectful' pakeha. On )! the visitor,;, whose vehement lumen mil actions betokened association will ''waipiru." became over-profuse in he grict-expression, embracing the ileal H'ilh vehemence, and requiring the genth but firm rest mining anus of the sur rounding mournei's to keep her demon stration within safe limits. KKSLM'XT Kill TIIK DEAD. """Some consiilerablc emotion was showi on the. arrival of Ales*rs. \V. Skinner \Y. J. Cray, and other pakchas wel versed in Maori knowledge. As flic approached the house of the dead tine reverently uncovered, and stood for i considerable time in attitude of mourn iug. As compared with the tlioughtles disrespect and curiosity of the majorit; of European visitors, this showing o respect made a visible impression 01 Ih« Maoris; one of high rank,as he Inns into tears, confiding to assembled press men that this was ample reeompens for all the shocking disrespect of othc pakchas. [ vv pakeha: addresses.

pointed out Unit Mr. Skinner and others were present as representing the place of Te Whiti's -liirtli—Mew Plymouth, -rn a subsequent address Mr. Cray welcomed all visiting tribes on behalf of the European* anil Maoris of the district. They were the remnants of the

migrators who came to this country in the early canoes. '-'We Europeans," he said, "are lie.ro to show our respect and grief at the fall of a great man; niakurau (■man of a hundred lovers'). Te Whiti always looked forward to a great day when there would lie union of the two races and feelings of friendship

would exisl, nml he felt grieved to think 'that it should lie on the day of his death that that love and friendship should lie hound together. Speaking on behalf of Mr. Skinner, he said the latter came to show respect to a man who, what-

ever his failings, always worked for that which he thought best for his people, lie felt for the afflicted tribes, and was glad of the opportunity to lie present at the mourning for their departed leader In the dark ages." Shortly after noon preparations were . commenced for

THE FINAL SCENE. THE PREPARATION OF THE 'TOMB. The tomb was finished shortly after 11 o'clock, cemented, and left for an hour to dry before a start was made with the decorations of the interior of the pit. To iv female relative of the deceased, Hoteoteiti, a girl Te Whiti had practically adopted, and who always looked after the old man, was given this honor. -The bottom of the grave "was lined with mats, on the top of which was laid a feather mattress covered with

immaculately white sheets. Two pillows were placed at the head of the grave, on them exquisitely worked the words "Te Whiti Orongoinai." The sides of i the tomb were draped with valuable i opossum and feather mats, the-cement • lining being completely covered. These preparations having been completed shortly before half-past 1, the 1 WAILING OF THE WAHINES

redoubled in intensity, and it could be seen that the ceremony was almost at an end by the farewell prostrations being made at the bier.'

THE ESCORT FOR THE DEAD. Suddenly from the back of the big house appeared Charlie Waitara, clad in a piu piu and carrying a tewhatewha, at the head of a band of sixty putu dancers.

Slowly they marched to the end of the grave, where they divided into two ranks, leaving an avenue from the death chamber to the tomb, along which the pall-bearers might pass.

THE BODY REMOVED. In a, few minutes the signal to raise the body was given, aud a great wail went up as the body was raised from its couch and transported to the grave. —■The grief of Mrs. Waitara, who had sat by the body incessantly since Monday, was pitiable to behold. Weakened by the long vigil, she was too weak to support herself, and the strong arms of attendants raised her while she poured out her sorrow in weird and heartpiercing lament. " LOWERED, IN THE GRAVE.

Ere the body was lowered into the grave, Charlie Waitara called for a cessation of talk. "Let peace be .upon all people." The request was instantly respected, and amid perfect silence the body was lowered info its masonry tomb.

THE TE WHITI DECREE, Then Charlie Waitara stepped iiito the open and spoke as follows:—"Let it be clearly understood Te Whiti had only one word. He said that one word in one way, and his badge was the white feather only. All those who never wore the leather when Te Whiti was alive are not his." .x '. At this anriouncemcjrt' there were GREAT OUTCRIES OF DISSENT

from the TolitttToa and non-followers of Te Whiti. , ! '-■'

Continuing, Waitara said: "I shall repeat it over again, so that pakeha, Maori, and all other colors present here to-day may clearly understand. All those who did not wear Te Whiti's white feather when he was alive are not his people. He that was not for him' was against him." (Dissent.) Continuing, he said the explanation of the whit* feather was that all nationalities throughout the world were to' be one. (Interruptions.) The feather was to be the sign of unity, peace, prosperity, and goodwill towards men. •

THE BURIAL CEREMONY. "Now," he concluded, "IV Whiti is going to lus rest. I have in my hand some earth, wliich belongs to Gcd, as does all land." Addressing the dead and sprinkling the earth on the body, he continued—

"Now I commit you this day to the earth. You shall return to the earth from which you came. All nations present here to-day in this courtyard may hear and see,., itjsjin-. isluniL. -JSi!.w.IU, ata-shout; express our yief each one as he thinks best." 1 VIEWING THE TOMB. He then announced that the grave would be left open for half an hour, so that all, pakeha aud Maori, might a last look at Te Whiti a£ rest Amidst great lamenting tTTe relatives and dancers

FILED ROUND THE GRAVE, and then the pakehas approached and looked into the open tomb, the body lying covered with beautiful white, leather mats and a very valuable putohemuv. The viewing over, the iron arch was placed over the grave and the whole

CEMENTED iaiWN with about a foot of concrete. The native band struck up a lively air, hundreds of guns were fired, and while the older women continued their weird grief cries, the younger bloods commenced to dance a lively haka. iThc-whole core-. "mouy was over punctually at 2 o'clock. WAITARA'S SPEECH RESIiNTED. It was .soon evident, however, that Waitara's pronouncement of the exclusion of all but Te Whiti's close followers )roin within the fold was deeply resented.

AN ANGRY ORATOR. A well-known native, Kupc, bounded fiercely into the open space, and in an angry oration expressed his horrible disappointment Willi what Waitara had said, if that were to be so, then the chosen should follow closely to Te VWiili's doctrine, which was that the white feather xorbade any transactions wait the pakeha and any adoption of his ways aud customs. Let them prove their sincerity by refusing to accept anv more rents from Ihe Public Trustee.

'This speech met with apparently almost universal approval, and other impassioned speakers, amongst whom were some women, delivered themselves in like manner.

CEUEMON i r CONCLUDES. An adjournment was then made for refreshments, the Maoris holding opeu house, and several hundred visiting Europeans accepted the invitation. WHAT WILL BE THE OUTCOME?. Opinions Jill'er as to what the out-

come of it all may be, and whether Winturn's spoecn was not a diplomatic one to shai,c, .„. ci-er the belief in the prophets. The Rev. Haddon inclines to the belief that tliero may He a smash-up in the near future tint will blot Parihaka completely out. He points out that three-fourths of the native followers of the prophets come from outside places, as far distant as Wellington. Most of these have built houses, some of thcia very large and well-appointed, on laud that has been set aside for file .Maoris of this particular locality. He, believes that while a few ot the old Maoris may still hold to old j communistic hospitality, the rising gen- | cration, which is even now strongly ad- | vocatmg the. imlividtialisation of" the. | whole block that they may cultivate it may succeed m their endeavors, and the householders T; ."intorlopers,'' the young Jlaon terms them, who are only in'Parihaka on sulleranco-nmy be 'incontm, enlly evicted from their Parihaka houses. ~T h en ,| eoueluded Mr Had hfeU v °^?. yy,,twnn,d,oaßona, »|

(-•KLIiUDATIOXM CONTIxXtTJi The celebrations in connection with lie tang, still continue, and may go en lor many days, or as long M the foo ( l, of winch, there Is a pi L , ntifnl nu( , y0 <«l, accumulation, lasts. Speeches ■w U continue to be made, but the! whole, auair may >o„» ijw.lc (mt> ,„ m Viiriliaka. will lie never more the Mecca, and the curse of the .Maori, who seems to he at last recognising that his salvation lies I not with (he prophets, but wlt'E iho labor of his own lands , "-<

XATIVIO '■I.KO-IMTW.KnS." Humors were current, in New Ply. moulh yesterday that there was a nossi bilily Te Whiti met his death by poisoning, lake many another exaggerated report in connection with native'affairs I here are no grounds for such an assumption. No doubt some Maori <mve currency to the report as a joke. "Vour own" found that he had 'to be very careful of information gratuitously offered, .'the natives, keen to appreciate