MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 November 1939, Page 8

MAORI MEMORIES

POETIC SYMBOLS OF THE MAORI (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) To those among us. and we are the vast majority, who only look upon the Maori from our own unlearned point of association, he is but a common creature of the lower strata. This is due to a dual defect in our power to observe. We do not even know the literal meaning of his common words, and far less do we understand the poetic mentality of the mind of a “savage race," who personified every phase ■of Mother Nature, using the' deified figure of a beautiful young woman to couple her physical beauty to aid his poetic imagery. In ordinary words, no Maori ever refers directly to the beauties of Nature, which are universally regarded as the source of his silent worship. Hine Titama, the Dawn Maid known as the adored child of Hine rui o to Po (the Great Darkness) who regularly visits the Maori Heaven of the Under World. Describing her in typical Maori language, an old fellow who neither knew nor wished to learn a word of our all too litoral speech, recited in soft musical tone —“Hine Titama with gleaming eye ( like the glowing flame of fire, her smooth skin soft as the Karengo (glutinous edible seaweed), her face as a summer day’s calm, her breast rising and falling like the calm swelling ocean. When she came forth naked to bathe, her skin was as soft as lire breast of the beautiful bird Koroirangi. Her limbs were as perfect as though just formed by the great spirit artist." Translated from their original poetic language, our words sound crudely prosaic.