MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 December 1939, Page 8

MAORI MEMORIES

LANGUAGE—THE ONLY MEDIUM. (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) A gifted traveller reiterates the importance of language as the principal medium of mutual sympathy and understanding between the Maori and the Pakeha races. To those whose knowledge of the ideally simple, beautiful. poetic language permits them to appreciate the facts, our ignorance and neglect is an unsolved enigma. The only solution which occurs to them reflects no credit upon the Education Department, the Teachers' Association, or individual members of the profession. Is this outstanding failure due to the action of some idle-minded politician who in the early days thought it would be much easier for him and his associates to compel the Maoris to learn our complicated system of word building? This would appear to be the only reason why we spent £7,000 a year in a futile attempt to blot out the Maori tongue, by teaching them ours. Riding into a pa, I came to a whare where a Maori couple were enjoying a smoke of torori (Maori-grown tobacco). They stared in silence until I said: “Tena korua. kua mate ahau i te hiawai" (greeting to you both. I am athirst). "Haere mai” (come friend) they replied, and when my horse and I had quenched our thirst, I was about to mount and proceed. The woman said "No. no, the haangi (earth oven) is steaming, you must partake of our best. You speak in our language.” Steamed pork, Maori cabbage, and potatoes set out on white flour bags were delicious They unsaddled my horse and fed him on a bundle of fresh rauriki (sow thistle) intended for the morrow's dinner —all because I spoke Maori.