THE MAORI RACE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 3038, 26 October 1888, Page 2

THE MAORI RACE.

The Bey W. Bowse delivered a very interesting and instructive lecture on "Tho _ Maori Race" -to n, highty appreciative audienco;at the Temper-, ance Hall last night. ■■■■■'; Mr 8. von : Sturmer occupied ;tne ohair and introduced tho lecturer. In doing so he took occasion to.remark upon the pleasure it gave-him that night in acting as chairman,. In the: first place the subject. was ,one in whioh.be felt deep intorest,- having had. thirty-three' years' study of. the lives and customs of tho first inhabitants of these isles, He had also the pleasure to state that Mr Bowse was a very great, friend of his of long staudin'g and was a gentleman whom he had the highest esteem for. (Ap r plause.) The lecturer was a comparative stranger to many present, having been only some six months in Mastertou, .but he knew ;Mr Bowse twenty-five years ago whenhe resided at the mission station amongst the powerful Ngapuhi tribo, and he felt, safe in'saying they had a treat in store for them that night in listeniug to the lecturer's vividj life-like, and interesting description of the ,early days of New Zealand. He drew a comparison between the.present and the early days of the colonist. There were no public works, Yogol's advent had not arrived, witlThis borrowed, millions to open up the country and run it into debt at the same time (Laughter.) There were no roads and bridges in thoso days, and great diffi-' oulties were onoountered in getting from one place to another. Mr Bowse upon ono occasion nearly, lost his life by drowning and at another time had another narrow escape from destruction by' fire on whioh occasion his house and property wei'o totally destroyed and no European aid was within miles. The nearestpost office was at a distance of somo 15 niiles.and they had to, study wind and tido to get their loiters andmany a time he had seen the Rev. Mr Kowso. pulling in his boat with no one to holp but a •Maori boy. However, he' remarked they did not como there to hear • him talk, so he would not" weary them further, but would at onoe jntroduco the lecttu'erior whom he claimed their closest attention. ;'""

The Rev. Mr Bowse, who, was received with great applause, thanked tho Chairman: for his' introductory remarks. It was always a' pleasure to him, he said, to speak upon' the subject he had taken for his lecture that night. The term noble savage had beeen first applied to the aboriginals of 'New Zealand, and'now they had almost passed away, as a 'nation, they ought to do; all they could to preserve a record' of their history and '■' customs, Thanks to such men as Wright, and others,, a great, deal had been done. Ho would not presumo to say those prosent were unacquainted with tho subject, but perhaps, few had seen so much of the Maoris has it had been his lot with his thirty years experienca. amongst them'. Maiiy people had hardly seen a": Native Village, and it was.almbst impossible to'realise from a verbal description what the country was. in old times, and he had often wished that he had tlie brush of an-artist to picture life and scenes in those early days,, He described, in: poetical language the ancient pali with its Burroundirigpoacb orchards and groves, the. sheep and cattlegrazingpeacefully, around,, the .old men sitting smoking and watch-i ing -for tho return of the'young men whoicomo infehungry■vfrmftthe plantations, to of Jax':'byJ; ■wSmeniiTht laiigliterMdSsliQuts of : se;ch]idreti

tlio noisy welcome of the dogs lielpcd -' *s■* to keep tlio bnstlo 'and lifo "of tlio', r \ " placo *unliL ovening' prayers, 'when l ■>■ '"" blio village eank mto quietness. The •• lecturer then took Lis" lieareia back K t l o the days of old Queen Bess, the ji late tradition gone to the earliest oouod in thohistoiy of the Maoris, lie said a great many theoiies had jeen advamed as to who the Maoris ma descendants of. Thcio weie ndications that another laco existed' leio when tlioy came, a unike tlio Australian aboriginal, which uade its last stand at Chatham " ' Islands, whoiesomestiUexist. Thoy ' ivould liaidly havo known this, as tho Maons havo no written liistory,"'only * j egeuds, handed down fiom genefav ,l ion to generation. Some people ,- said the Maoris weie not unlike the / - fsraehtos, hut they ceitainly were not -JS lews, although they liked to flatter V hemselves they were. Ju reference o tho theory that tiieyweie a iemlantof tho lost /hey could hardly attribute such a(, , jigli stato of cultivation to the fiiat liscovcred Maori as the Israelites tveie credited possessing. >cendants of the ancient n Egyptians had also been suggested, riioio was, no doubt, something of he Malay in them being strong and laidy—like the race appeitaimiig to he Pacific. From a simulaiity of he word " Maori with " Moor" it iras suggested possibly they might be ui off-shoot of the ancient Moors. / 3u( tliose highly cultivated people an advanced knowledge of tho ~- trts and sciences, and noted for the*, jeauty and skjl of their architeoV,'' ural designs, the Maori raco could ' - lot be bioiaght into comparison with hem. FriW oneondofNow Zeaand to tk\ other theie weie no in- . lioations oil buildings or works of ,A( mblio utilitw traceable. The Maoris I lad no knowledge of the iron age, and.' * ' bus it would Ibe very difficult for them o accomplish architectural -lis belief wasthat at one time tuMP yiaons were a Very numerous hioughout the Jtfoith Island, Strong ndications could be found on all tho nil tops and in the valleys that tho ilace had been peopled very extensive!}. He estimated that thoiemust rave boon quite,i million of Maoris' it one peuod, alnd that not so very ong ago, but tlie fieice inter-tribal jtiuggle3 had decimated them. He [the leoturer) than gave a desonption }f their priuiitira tools. Tho instiuments used m uieir excavations consisted of a long polo with a cross piece about a fofft or eighteen inches from the end. Ai the top a ropo of Has. was fixed, ah|d the polo having been woiked into tlHe ground they all pulled on tho ropra, and by this l means they shifted] a quantity of saith which was aflterwaids beaton with paddles, which [thoy used for if 4 spades, and smooithecu ready for the . .T . seeds. A recent ■wriaei' in a book; : published on the origin of the Maori;;-; '*' thinks'ho-has Maori belongs to tki( great ■' family, in which are ill bluded 'QM&S&i. ; Hindoos, Brahmins/, persians,';ariOy.; -', other, lu^hly-cultivated:, races.: A ; sf''l : ■" great; many ;. ; .words' ijiaM in( Hi&||;' .'■,• (■ flostan of tlio'.saine sound; meaning.,;.;as ! VuiW[the-- Mabri.SKi ,;. Madagascar,-Mexico anfl^frioa?Mi' ; ] also been called in.;: ■ H is • pym^idea, '■:'■[■;}, however,-was thatthe._Maorie:beiohg;' ; ?.- ; ; to one great family-'inhalritnigfthe/? (((•■.'"';•;' whole of the islands off the Pabifldj ,'' ■ ■ k »nd that.the mixture of races' that. ■:>. *"•' produoed this family took place long ■ .'•: befove the, Maoris panic to. New/.Zear;: > r ■ land;,' but the: flow\pf: emigratioii ;; ., (;;...: being eastward, New Zitaland'seemed:: (• ' ; • to'be the last.peopled.- \He could not" ( : ; say how oldtlielslarids of flTe'wZe aland;-:. % '( ": ivere, but there were, indiktio_n|,i: by r'i- : ; ivhich it is estimated theyWame(up;,;:; jut of the ocean 2000 years'agbr and; svere amongst tho latest, if \npi(the( ; M, latest, 0. do bo; unless thVother:&" theory held good, that it was tetOfJJT(■ ■. one., vast continent, (and. i.((;, ' isolatod.( by..... earthquakes.;] ■' .■ '■.■ lecturor .ihen'went byer;the tradivlTr.: ■ tiohal history of the manner in whioh'^r!. New Zealand was'first settled-by ! tliei'; ■'••::'•' Maoris,accordingtowhiciithe latter ■; ' came • ovor in thirteeii cahbea ! arid,; . ; ■ '.■ settled, on various -portions of (tho; ■(■ ;■; North Island and thus originated the (..'(• different tribes. They came from other islands of the Pacific, whoro tradition says they live! beside a great lake'. They were well'acquainted with canoes, which-.'wero^.ofgi'eat.v' length, 80ftormore,withoutiggers. * ■■■' ■-. ";.■' The first,lot:who canie we\o.;fivo;' •'■''' . canoo.loads, ;and'they(stolea* priest(( a;( and brought;him with thorn., took sufficient food. and somolseed; :■■:.( They were.fou'r moons on the vhyage- (,""' but stayed at, somo.. island on . ■: the way.' When they arrivodit Now- ■■■■] Zealand their food- was'[nearly • exhausted.' It was disputed a] which' point they first arrived. : ' .Thoy. lau- ;■'( •; ded near Auckland, and xyhen. thoy(^', struck land the women Took (weS4.•■'■( wreaths of flowers from M theirW' ' lieads and'' cast them -into the sea. •. Hieflowors wero cast askore,; and ' ,\ ■■■ the seeds wore scattered iiid c'om-,'^^>.'. meuced to grow, and(pl»ntswith ''' joautiful flowers werointraidcedand ; spread around. Whon the 1 natives' ■'..( :amo to inspect their Btoc|of pro- :; t'isions thoy found themselves , jossossed of teukuinaras oaclvThese' ". - ,hoy took on shore and plantdd, arid,," ■ fc was from thoso all tho feumara';( )lantations had been suppliei The ': : 'i. /arious seeds they brought with tHcm. . , Mre also planted, and ■thoyj found '•(■':■' ,' ,his a good; land tolivoin. The': ; ((; ierond batch of immigrants had ~'' , lfrived, making up thirteen canoe loads, and these dispersed intf various parts of tho. North Island, and ■'■■': defined each their: own Disputes as to'bouhdary'altoSvards. aroso, each tribe trying to get mora, and this led to' continual wars." They. ' bad been exhorted by a great ( jbief beforo leaving to havo nothing V '.. (> lo do Avilhfighting and tojivo .(■ peace with each other. But ivoro born almost with 'war-like' : instincts. When a male child was; jorn ifc.was4ak'eii:io; : a :! ;Btream,'a luiall stone putiu''itsmoulh,(and : ;'; lipped in wateiv the priesfc ! say-" ;: ( ; ng "Bo thpu f strong to fight fchiiid,; memiffl,..thine.(heart;hard aT.tbat.:.':':ji>( stone given thee,W,"swallow."( ; On>>f^o• ;h'e other hand they had many virtues, •. is a set off. : He thought the Maoris :(; lid not; loudly to the South v;"( [sland with its white topped nioun-, -,-'; .((' ;ains,and those who dwejtthere went'•;■ -. •■"■■.'-; lot. from" choice,'..'having been : coni '■ ■'■' ' : i ■■'■ ( juered and, driven to shelter on its' - -(. ihores. Very littlo was known of; ihe inhabitants of New'Zealaii'd from '■■'■' , ;:('-: ihetimo of Tasman to Captain Cook's' -'('(■ landing, and;the-latter did; all hoU- '.- ioulcl to impress; upon the(riativea (v( r ' : ' : ■- tho advantages to be derived frorri' : intercourse ;With : (the; ; outer-;]\yprld,v'; : (-; : ;;; Thelecturer (alludedf to genee ■ of- tho((;riatiTes, ;(whieli';wis *;?v# shown,; ;in; (;(-,theii; ;^('niy|ioipg^|^ v;( their poetiy( Mct'prOTerbsiTlie youiig' :(-(-; Maoris whpro.(thosyb"u^ ted (with (it, great ,iealtot ie^s]ari|Sli|iftoigo:oi;;l^

\ -:, ■ -pcditions. /They also studied AgriJ; ( \ Culture, Captain Cook said their <, gardens and grounds were kept '/''.in bountiful order, freo from • \. tads (indwell arranged, equiif to ''■> in England. Thoy.also had a Voat system of religion. It was thought they knew very little about Joliovah, beoauso the missionaries had hard work to comprehond thoir words, but the great god " Eo" of the Maori had a similarity to "Jovo," or to the first two syllables of " Jehovah." Ho referred to" tapu" and that if tho early missionaries had known tho laws of" tapu" thoy might have avoided a great many troubles. In regard to sanitary matters they had a great many ceremonies after the Jowish stylo in: l purifying houses and clothing, Men were set asido on purpose to attend 'the siok and kept apart from the rest of tho people, wero also vory particular in regnrd to ablutions, and no site was chosen for a village unless there was a running stream. They also bad a great washing day periodically. M short interval took placo at this pralt of the lecture, and a duct was sung by Miss Rowso and Mr T. Kowso " Gathering Flowors," and being rendered to perfection was loudly applauded, A younger sister accompanied tho singing on tho harmonium.. In tho second part of the lecture Mr Rowse appeared with a Maori rug ovor hij shoulders, and a long two , ended bone Bword in his right baud. • Ho gave a graphic description of tho • manner in which his wife had boen carried away across tho river jou the back of a big Maori woman into tho midst of tho tribe on tho other side. Aftor being feasted and well stared at . young wife was conveyed back in "a- rather frightened stato but unhurt, the Maoris evidently only wanting to satisfy their curiosity. His account tiblunderinghe innocently follinto o he had properly mastered the ut lags was most amusing, and the wit and Bharpness displayed by the Maoris in taking advantago of any slip of tho tongue was described with zest. Some verses composed by the lecturer upon tho death of a great chief wero rehearsed by him with great power and feeling, and the audionce applauded loudly. Ho dwelt frequently upon the kind treatment ho and his family met with during bis fifteen years sojurn with the tribo, more especially at tho time when his houso and its contents were destroyed by fire. Tbey cane round weeping and bringing everything they possibly could to replace ' what he had lost, and they soon built him a new wharo, As his family was growing up and they had no means ot receiving a fit education K t there ho decided upon leaving and he said he would never forget tho valedictory scenes, Tho Maoris held a three days tangi and wept over them, and when about to leavo they presented him with a heirloom, tho (Witiful two-ended Bword he held in Wliand that night, tolling him .to Keep it in trust as thomaoa of the tribe whioh they had held for agos from thei/forefathers. That and a few precious relics be kept in remomborauco of the many happy years ho had spent with the tribe, At the conclusion of tho very interostinp lecturo the Rev Mr Bowse was accorded round aftor round of applause, and a vote of thanks, proposed by Mr Von Stunner, was carried with acclamation. A vote of thanks to the chair brought the meeting to a close,