THE OLD NEW ZEALAND MAORI.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2450, 24 March 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE OLD NEW ZEALAND MAORI.

[BY MAJOR WILSON.I ;

LANdUACK. The study of language is always interesting, and more especially so that which is comparatively new to civilization. The Maori language is remarkiblc in that it has all the vowels mid very few consonants, there being only fourteen letters in the alphabet, with an addition of "ng." Not only does every word end •with a vowel, but every syllable in that word. The consequence is a language of extraordinary softness, excelling in that direction even tho Italian. Who has not listened with fascination to tho pure English spoken by many half-castes? All, either half-castes or Maoris, who have, from tho childhood, spoken both languagoa ? Those who only speak English, or who have learned Maori at maturity havo simply tho English accent, with none of the softness distinguishing those who speak both from their childhood. The language is readily and correctly learned by tho European student, but the adult native cannot learn English. Tho nearest approach to tho native speaking English fairly well was in Sydney Taiwhanga, M.H.R., who at Rotorna addressed Europeans and Natives in English, but was asked by the former to explain, as they did not understand him. He was ready witted enough to turn to the natives present and exclaim : " How stupid, these English are, they do not understand their own language 1" A verbal similarity may often be observed between most languages. In Maoii, ao is yes,; tari (tary)i moans ■wait as with us]; to mention no other word. A friend of ours was once travelling •with his family from Wellington to Rangitikoi, and lest ho should bo detained at the Manawatu ferry, ho desired his man to go and call for the canoe. The man asked what ho should say, when the master replied call out " Haria mai to waka"—fetch over the canoe. "I can't," the man said. Then sing out " Harry and Tom Walker," and thoy will fetch the canoo across. Like many Europeans, the natives misunderstand quotations from a foreign language, these mistakes being sometimes very provocative of laughter. When His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh was in Auckland the Maoris mct_ to give him a loyal welcome ; one old chief ending a really eloquent harangue by exclaiming, " Hau ri ru uara uaru taikihu !" being as nearly as he could pronounce the English words, " How d'ye do, very well, I thank you !" In this respect, however, these poor barbarians are not one whit behind their more cultivated A doctor of a German war-ship was at a party given by a friend. He was an enthusiastic entomologist, and while at the party his attention was directed to a kekerengu, one of those large, disgustingly-smelling black beetles, so obnoxious to the sense of people in general, though so fragrant to that of the great New Zealand Bishop Selwyn, to whom the odonr was as rondelitia or attar of roses. Our German friend was a savan, and in the interests of science was so delighted with his find that he took the creature up by what is popularly called its horns, and ran to the daughter of his hostess, a charming young lady, exclaiming in ecstasy, '' 0, Mees, please lend me your nose." Possibly you may desire to hear what the Maori language is really like, and wo shall endeavour to gratify you on that point. You all, of course, know the Lord's prayer. You will doubtless, therefore, be better able to follow the words if it be recited in Maori. I was, when a boy, passing through a settlement some distance from Napier, and had to pass the Sunday there, as the natives disliked anyone travelling on that day. Being, I trust, a good churchman, I attended the Maori service, conducted by one of the missionaries, and listened to him gabbling over this sacred petition. On the afternoon I again went to Church to hear one of the Maori clergymen, and when he came to repeat the prayer the difference was so astonishing—that is the only word for it—that I never forgot either the flippancy of the one, or the decorous solemnity of the other. Judge for yourselves. The native lifting his eyes on high, cried :—" E to inntou matua i te Rangi, kia tapu tou ingoa kia meatia tau e pai ai ki runga kite whenua, kia rite ano te te rangi tukua mai tou rangatiratanga. Homai ki a matou aianei to matou kai mo tenei ra murua mo matou o matou hara, me matou e muru ana mo ratou e hara ana ki a matou. Kaua matou kawea kia whakawaia otiia whakaoangia matou i te kino. Nan hoki te rangatiratanga tc kaha mete kororia, ake, ake, ake, amine." CHARACTER. Tho chief characteristec of the Maori is his courage and love of war combined, we regret to say, in the New Zealand, of long ago with a considerable amount of ferocity though unlike many savage people, this was more tho force of habit than from any innate love of inflicting pain, combined with a non-thinking or heedlessnese in that direction, there have been many noble instances of forbearance and generosity on their part which would add a lustre to the charities of even civilised and Christian communities. Of their self-possession in an emerg-ency, we have many examples, as many indeed, as the occasions which called them forth. They are, to strangers, courteous to a surprising degree, and their hospitality Is proverbial. It i» in this character that they especially shine, and that, which to them, i< tho most reprehensible i" u< is tho absence of that, virtue. It is to be rtgrofcted that tho original native—the Maori of even, fifty years ago —was grussly iiililiuled to one custom which could not be commended ; namely, that of cannabalism. They equalled if they did not surpass all others in their hideous delight of this—shall we say crime—and oven, now, young and old rofor to it laughingly and without a blush —at tho Native Lands Courts ; thoy quote cases to prove their undoubted title to the land—and the plea is considered almost irrefrangible. Like all savages they arc most superstitious—though uuliko most who are, they fear not to go about after dark, however lonely may be the road travelled. Witch-craft they are thorough believers in ; and scarcely can a chief havo an illness that is not attributable thereto. Indeed, according to them, a chief seldom dies of any illness. Ho departs this life, as the Americans ear, " with his boots on," indicating a violent end, or he is makutued—or bewitched, and woe be to the one who is suspected of tho enormity ; for he soon follows with a spear or gunshot wound. For very many years after the birth of the colony, the natives, in their relations therewith were most law-abiding, and gave every assistance to the governing power. We can well remember one little. episode—six convicts in chains, breaking out of the Wellington lock-up. There was no gaol in those halcyon days. They rushed to the beach, took possession of the whale-boat, lying fully equipped with oars, and pushed oil for the Wairarapa valley. They were immediately followed and overtaken ; but as in the hurry the pursuers forgot to arm themselves, and the prisoners in their flight had secured two or three muskets, they escaped. They marlu for the Maori settlement, but meanwhile the authorities had communicated with the natives, who when the convicts were asleep, fell upon them and bound them fast, tieing them up as a spider would a fly—placed them in a canoe and dolitcrod them in Wellington wound round and round like so many mummies. We were once ourselves placed in rather an unenviable position; when the notorious and much dreaded burglar Wood, eaiapcd, £100 was offered for liin capture, and notkoi in Maori were, scut to al! tho villngos. I wus psiHsing f'H , tlie first time, through tho llu-itiiiiiwlia plains and stayed for a iiisrht at a sol.tleuipnt. In tho evening I heard them tho situation. "Ah what does this i.a!aha want !—ho quite

answers the description in the notic, " sft. Sin. high, slight, hair short, wide-a-wake hur, blue shirt and muleskin trousers. Whr.t ahull we do with the £100 ?" Had it not been for the .strenuous advocacy of my Maori guide, who assured them I wns a Taoki-to o Tiimnti kai ruri, brothpr-in-of Thomas (Fitzgerald) chief Provincial Surveyor, I should have been marched in the most humiliating manner 60 miles back to Napier. (Tn f>,: roHfhiiin!.)