A BROADCAST—AND A SUPPER PARTY

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 18, 9 November 1934, Page 13

A BROADCAST—AND A SUPPER PARTY

. Maoris Who Mingle Old Traditions With New

(Written for the

Radio Record

Every now and ‘again travellers drop into New Zealand from afar and let us know that there are apparently thousands of upentightened follx in Ameriea and other countries who imagine New Zealand to he peopied with half-savage natives. This. of course, is largely due to our Maori posters which are Strewn across the fave of the earth. Did the hakas, Which were given by the Raukawa Maori party from 2¥A_ last Thursday night .in the Jnternationgl Goorlwyii: Programme, accentuate this belief? There is ne getting away from the fact that the fierce shouts and stamping must have sounded weird; carried across the frackless thousandy of miles of sea on the wings of radio. If only television could haye shown that "sayage" party of about BO Maori men and women grouped in the ]yxurious 2YA studios watching the tlickering of the red and blue iights pnd waiting for the instructions given by Mr. Pirimi Tabivyi and his brother, Mr. Kingi Tahiwi! Some were in evening dress, others in street clothes, many Wore sand shoes and a number,. with Dare feet, had dressed-up for the oecssion in their Maori mats which lent atmosphere to the proceedings... ~~ When Cliye Drummond.: 2¥A’s annonnecer, had said good-night to everyone over the air the happy party of Maorjs trooped out of the studi ta gay their good-nights to' those who had: been present during. the broadcast and to "Clive" whe is by now, quite an old friend of the Otaki Maoris. Hats in .hands, the Maori girls pulled on their coats as they went downstairs. No powdering of noses; no fyrtiye attempts at combing straying curls into place; their one though; was the same as that of everyone else in :the party now that the important business of the evening was over, and that one thonght Was to find their way to the "Picadilly" where a real "goodwill" supper was awaiting them. Some readers: will doubtless know all about this little cafe on Lambton Quay where midnight suppers of steaks, chops, fish and chips and eggs are the star turns on the menu. The smart figure of Mr Kingi Tahiwi with his bowler hat, overcoat and cane, stood at the cafe door and ushered in the party. He was a strange. contrast with the old Maoris who have shunned modern dress ‘and can read but little English. The younger Maoris reag the menus te them. "See that old man opposite? He sang befare the present King and Queen when they visited New Zealand many years aga," said Mr, Pirimi Tahiwi to the "Radio Record" representative who had joined the supper party. At the coffee stage of the supper Pirimi entertained the three at his table with Maori lore and information regarding the his-: toric chureh at Otaki, ' The Otaki church is called Rangiatea which means the "Dawn of Day." This church, dear to'the heart of the Maori, is a link with his original home. Hawaiki and with his ariginal religion. Mr. Tahiwi said that the other Maori churches, especially at Roto-

rua, are more modern; too moder to retain many Maori characteristics. ‘Suggestions have heen made on various occasions that this Otaki church should be modernised, but such men ag Ear! Jellicoe, Sir Charles Ferguson, and ‘Lord Bledisloe have decried these suggestions and said that it:wauld lose all its quaint charms if it were modernised. The party of Maoris at the "Piceaddly" gradually brake up and waited outside for the buses to take them back =

tou Otaki and the old wahinés;, with shawls fied over their heads, gat of... the doorstep at a Hindu fruiterer, w ye wanted to shut up shop. With a tartdn shawl across her shoulders a grannie carried a bundle of brown baby with wide open jet bla¢k eyes.’ There was. inather baby, too, And as ‘a tabby eat stroHed aeross. the. almost deserted footpath. littie "Hine jopped. out her black curly head from the shawl on hei mother’s back and very solemuly sai *good-night" to the cr.. gai *