MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 February 1939, Page 3

MAORI MEMORIES

RECIPROCAL HOSPITALITY.

{Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”)

Those few Maori chiefs who had been privileged to witness the magnificence of Royal ceremonies in England inspired their people here with the idea of a Maori Kingship for this country. They were even more painfully conscious of their social inferiority from our point of view than of their own political disadvantages. To look upon men whose tanned skins betokened a tropical origin as "niggers” was, and still is, a pitiful weakness of our character, . proving that our profession of Christianity is still far from the ideal.

The Maoris,, proud of their pedigree as we who breed horses, cattle, dogs or pigs, are more sensitive concerning any implied slight upon their ancestry than of any form of personal insult. Sir George Grey, the bishop, clergy, pioneer settlers, and educated men of early days treated the Maoris as their equals. Unfortunately many who refused even to learn their language, openly showed their contempt. The chiefs, because of this attitude, refused to visit Auckland or any European homes.

Tn striking contrast, their behaviour to our passing strangers was a reproach to Britishers. The chief attended to his horse, and gave him the best house to camp for the night, covered the bed with clean mats and the floor with fresh freen fern. The women served freshly roast and steamed food on little green flax kits, and embarrassingly helped him to disrobe for sleep as though he was a child. In contrast to this, the Bishop said he was ashamed to travel with his Maori curate who dined at the Bishop's own table, and then find him eating at the host’s kitchen board and sleeping in the stable loft.