MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 August 1940, Page 9

MAORI MEMORIES

WAR DANCE. (Recorded by J.H.S., of Palmerston North, for the “Times-Age.") “Turin te Ngarahu" (begin the war dance) was shouted in perfect unison by a thousand voices as that of one man speaking through a modern amplifier. This Ngarahu laua was a most exciting and impressive experience to those engaged, and to the audience or the enemy it was of terrible import. These men almost naked would leap right, left. up. down in quick succession and timed perfectly, uttering a significant cry with every move. Their weapons rose and fell like the waves on an open’beach of the sea. ending at stated intervals with a powerful yell. This war dance before an attack, banished all fear of danger or death from tile minds of those who took part, and strange to say induced the enemy against whom it was directed io tremble with fear and experience a sense of weakness.

Once only have I seen and felt its full effect when it was a ceremonial prelude to the payment of £25,000 made to the tribes through Dr. Feath-j erston at Parcwanui on December 6. 1866. Two thousand warriors became ‘ so excited with their performance that they dropped their single garments, causing loud screams and a hasty stampede of about 300 Pakeha lady spectators. whose confusion was worse confounded by the roars of laughter from thrice the number of men. Any one who has heard the noise as of cannon shots, the earth trembling as i by earthquakes, and witnessed the de-1 moniac fury and the frantic movements with outthrust red tongues, can never forget its effect. Yet the cadence and rhythm of voice and limbs had an enchantment which cannot be convey- ■ ed by word or pen.