MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 September 1940, Page 8

MAORI MEMORIES

WOMEN. WORK, WORSHIP. (Recorded by J.H.S., o£ Palmerston North, for the “Times-Age.”) Mats for the waist or the shoulders, the bed or the floor covering, were each regarded with special reverence. This was because the ariki, or high priest, taught his people to regard domestic skill and industry as the first essential element in the spiritual life of his people. In our civilised theology they recognised a grave defect in the omission of all reference to “mahi ringa” (handicraft). To their simple natures this most essential virtue was regarded as the very highest mark of religion. Seeing our textiles for use in such vast quantities and degrees of warmth and colour, they regarded us as the most industrious, and, therefore, the most religious people on earth. Asking to see the women at their devotions in the making of these marvellous things, they were shown machines, and turned away in silence, disillusioned. We say the loss of their beloved land, “the source of all life” (whenua ngaro), was the cause of their reverting to hopeless idleness, but their firm belief that" work is life” (he orate mahi), and its cessation through machinery, was an equally potent factor. Whitau (dressed flax) was their only textile, made warmer and more ornamented by kiwi, pigeon and kakariki feathers, and colouring with sap of the hinau and other trees.

With primitive tools for dressing, weaving and colouring, the work would have been wearisome, but with tribal pride and spiritual inspiration, its enjoyment and resource outrivalled the pleasures of knitting and fancy work by our women folk today. Splendid fibres from whanaki (cabbage tree), puke toi (mountain palm), and kiekie (gigi) are now ignored by our factories.