MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 August 1940, Page 9

MAORI MEMORIES

MAORI VIRTUES. (Recorded by of Palmerston North, for the “Times-Age.”) In the pioneer days our parents discovered that civilisation had caused Europeans to lose the capacity of “allround” workers. Each one was a carpenter, a painter or a bricklayer, but knew nothing of any occupation but one. The Maoris discovered and laughed in derision at this weakness. Though working in parties, each Maori was self-educated in every branch of the art of living. First, he must learn to make his own tools from stone, bone or wood, and use them to fell trees, build houses, shape canoes, make spears, and use them, or die. Every woman made clothing from flax fibre, grew or gathered food, and steamed or roasted it deliciously tender in the umu (earth oven). Every Maori, man or woman, boy or girl, looked upon our school education as- the most useless training in the art of living. The boys were eager to learn the art of navigating the canoes by the stars at night, and the land marks by day, to make wooden snares and spades, and shape clubs and axes of stone, to use the nets and lines of muka <dressed flax) to catch fish, and to snare birds.

They memorised the ancient songs and family pedigrees. Mentally they were proficient and original because of the need to be self-supporting.

Originally they were most industrious. compulsorily sober, and similarly abstemious in eating, and therefore knew very little of ill-health. Naturally dependent upon themselves for protecting their lives, families and ancestral lands, they were brave. Having no idea of punishment after death when mind and spirit, with a new body always young, awaited them in Te Reinga (the under-world), they had no fear of death.