MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 October 1939, Page 3

MAORI MEMORIES

AUE AUE (Lament). (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) If only we could understand and appreciate the terse brevity and poetic beauty of the Maori language, abounding in allegory, and historic inference, lost in translation. In answer to the question of a well known Pakeha Maori concerning the downfall of her race, a handsome young Maori woman sitting in the sunlight near her whare door, her eyes fixed as in a trance, speaking softly—- “ The white man came, few at first, then more and still more. He stepped ashore. Besought our chiefs to give him land. The churchmen came with voice < soft and pleasant face. They promised blessings to our race. They stepped ashore with humble tread to shower blessings on our head. Make room, make room for these, and then laid guns and evil smelling water at our feet. We touched and tried, and smelt and drank till all we saw was red as blood, and we were mad with lust for more. ‘Kapai,’ you said, ‘I bring you more.’ We have him land, and still he asked for more. He tried his feet and found them firm, he bent his toes and gripped our soil. He tried his strength, our eyes saw red. but what cared ho. He strained his loins and pushed. But we wore weak for in our veins, instead of blood, was evil smelling water.” With tears glistening on her eyelashes she sadly said: “Our people came to the land of the rising sun (rawhiti). We now go to its setting (ahi pouri).” Awakening as from a trance she rose with extended arms in welcome, “Haeremai e te Manuhiri kite whare mate o aku Tupuna” (Welcome, friend, to the deserted home of my ancestors).