“ CORONATION GEORGE.”

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3306, 26 August 1911, Page 7

“ CORONATION GEORGE.”

FIRST MAORI BORN OUT OF NEW ZEALAND. HITES AT WHITE CITY. A pioturesqde and unique ceremony took plaice in the Maori village at the White City the other afternoon, when the first Maori baby ever born out of New Zealand was named in the presence of the Maoris and a number of English guests. The ceremony—lriiritanga—was conducted according to the ancient rites and traditions of the Arawa tribe, of which the, new’ arrival is a member, and Maggie Papakuia (the well-known guide), Mini (the father), and Mr Grey acted as sponsors, Maggiq holding the little brown infant in her arms during tne celebrations, which were conducted with much pomp and stateliness by old Met a Taupopoki, the chief, in all one splendour of a great kiwi mat, a headdress of kiwi feathers. and a long feather-bedecked staff. All stood, in the blazing sunlight. round the margin of a. lagoon that forms the centre of the village, and the scene (though seme 20 cameras did tneir best to give it a modern and practical significance) seemed faraway from the Old Country. Tatiana Hini (the baby’s mother) and Erekana Hini (the father) and old Taupopoki stood by Maggie (gay in a beautiful mat of ka’ka, kereru, and kiwi feathers, her nark hair covered with a rosy handkerchief) and the rest of the tribe, the women witn mats, kerchiefs and bare feet, the men with half their bodies bare, and with beautiful mats slung about them and fine piupiu mats covering their legs, grooved themselves round the principals. Meta Taupopoki was in his element on an occasion that called for the eloquence he can so well pour forth, and Maggie, who acted as interpreter, was hard put to it at times to translate him into staid and limited English. —Born in the Home of Kings.—

He first welcomed all the guests to the great ceremony whicii celebrated tne birth of the first Maori baby born out of New Zealand and in England, “the home of kings and queens.” It is a Coronation gift," he said, “and we are very proud that it ‘should have been sent tio us -at such a time.” Then he addressed tiie baby boy, and here a great chance for artistic photography arose as the white-barded old fellow bent over the little mortal asleep in Maggie’s arms. --Little child,” lie admoniuicd it, “grow and thrive, and walk in the footsteps of your forefahers. Fol.ow God, and He will guide you through life.” Solemnly then the child was cailed Hori Koroneihana (Coronation.) Hini. Then came another pretty incident, for Iwa, the singer of the tribe, a singularly pretty and graceful woman, with a charming contralto voice, stepped forward, and, looking down on the child, sang to it a Maori lullaby, plaintive, soothing, and of great sweetness. Then, all together, a Maori hymn of praise was rendered by the tribe, and Meta Taupopoki led a war dance with fierce and youthful gestures, and with his fine old voice rolling out:

Iva mate, ka mate, Iva ora, ka ora, Tenei te tangata. puhuruhuru, Nana koi tiki mai, wha'ke Whiti te ra, Hupane, hupane, kaupane, airedd li nnvbgko vvv v csethe Wliiti te ra.

After the ceremony the guests were entertained in the Maori tneatre with a haka, several poi exercises, a charmcanoe song, a Maori game played witn sticks, thrown from one woman to another amid singing, and Alfred Hill’s “Waiata Poi,’’” very prettily sung by Iwa and accompanied by the other women of the tribe.