MAORI MAKE-UP

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10308, 18 January 1927, Page 5

MAORI MAKE-UP

ARCHDEACON WILLIAMS AT ROTARY CLUB •“TAIHOA NOT IN THE BLOOD.” ° A CHANGED VIEWPOINT. The members of the Rotary Club, •after their ' weekly lunch yesterday, were favored by Archdeacon Williams with a most interesting; and instructive address on “The Maori and his Make-up.” Rotarian F. Tolerton presided and at the conclusion of his remarks the lecturer was accorded a most hearty vote of thanks. : The Archdeacon said he understood that one of the main functions of Rotary was to help The wheels of progress of turn ana he would suggest to his hearers that the better we°got to understand the Maori the more smoothly would the wheels of this country go round. Everyone thought one knew quite a lot about the Maori but, perhaps, after all, all knew much less than they thought they did. As for himself, he did not mind confessing that, not long ago, lie had had to revise his own views on at least one important matter concerning the Maoris. It had occurred to him, therefore, -that his hearers might care to listen to him on one or two points not to he found in the text hooks on the Maori. If he were to ask those present what they reckoned to be the chief characteristic of Hie Maori, he had no doubt that they would answer “Taihoa.” Personally lie used to agree to that. In his rfwk amongst the Maoris he used to lots of “Taihoa” and he was then prepared to agree even to the proposition that the Maori had “Taihoa” in the blood. But that was one matter about which he wished to put those present wise about.

MAORIS AS DAIRYMEN. Proceeding, the Archdeacon said ihat what started him on his new ideas —lie had to mingle with the Maoris between Mohaka and Qpotiki—was that once when he was in the Wniroa district lie had heard that the pakehas and the Maoris had started a butter factory. As far as Maori participation inutile venture was concerned ho thought it a great joke. He had learned from experience that the Maori could work hard when he liked and he realised that the Maori would slog in at such strenuous work as shearing, etc., but then he would want to rest for a long while. Therefore he had said to himself that as dairymen they would prove a joke. Tor his own part he had been only too glad to accept the offer of a cup of tea whilst travelling around amongst the Maoris but he also liked milk in his tea. It had so happened, however, that the milk had been rarely there. Always some excuse had been raised —the cow had strayed or tiit' milking had not yet been done. Twelve months later he had again visited the Wairoa district and naturally he had made enquiries as to how the dairy factory was getting on. ‘ ; \Yhat about my Maori friends?” he had asked. Judge of his surprise when he had been told that they were sticking to their new occupation well, although some of the pakehas had fallen out!

INDUSTRY AND PATIENCE. The Archdeacon went on to say that about that time he had I’ead an article by “W. 8.” in a northern journal. Some of that contributor’s •writings interested him greatly, but there was nothing special about the article to which he was then referring. excepting that it had' set his mind moving again on a particular line. It was with reference to the amount of industry, application and patience which an ancient Maori required to exercise in the making of a •stjjifse adze. The Maori when he wfsfied to make an adze used to go down to a river and get a suitable

boulder. This he would put before the fire and, when it split, sharpen it by the process of chipping, and then it had to be polished. The work used to fake him years and perhaps he would not finish it himself hut it would he left for his son or his grandson to finish. This adze was his chief implement; with it he would slay an enemy or fall a tree. Thus it came about that lie (the speaker) began to think that there was a lot more behind the matter besides the extraordinary amount of application that had to he exercised. As it so happens the Maori's work, in respect of the adze was, of course, not finished even then. When he had finished the stone head he had had to go to the hush and get a suitable handle to which he lashed the adze. If it w T ere a really well .shaped head he would subsequently set to work to carve the handle. _ • Continuing the Archdeacon reminded his hearers that the old time Maori was, very keen on slaving birds, by netting or spearing them. To make a bird spear he had to cut down a tree. He would set fire to the trunk and then chip away the .charcoal until the tree fell. This too, was laborious work. Then with his adze he would split the trunk in two. In the long run he would make a spear as long as the room but only as thick as Tii.s finger. Armed with this weapon lie would enter the bush, in part of his own preserves, and secreting himself in the branches of a tree, point his spear up towards a branch where pigeons or other birds were in the habit of resting. By the end of the day he might secure six or even more birds. Then he would have to walk home and that would not ho .the least arduous part of his day’s labors for his whare might- be at some considerable distance and situated on the top of a terrace. Rarely would he get home before and perhaps ho would be scolded "TV- his wife for having come home late .for tea!

FILLING THE LARGER. It was well-known, too, said the Archdeacon that fern and the kumara formed an appreciably part of the oldtime Maori dietary. But, perhaps it was not so well-known how/much labor had been entailed upon a Maori in connection with his work of preparing his kumara patch. His spade was not unlike a stilt and he had to drive it into the ground and prize it -up again. If the average pakeha had to use such an implement he was afraid that there 1 would not oe so much gardening done as at present. Thus it would be gathered that' ei on in times of neace life Lad been most strenuous fof the Maori. How much more strenuous must it have . been during a war? In this regard, it had to be borne in mind that, according to the old time Maori, the greatest occupation of all was warfare It would be realised, therefore that whilst a war was in progress the o.atime Maori had had to undertake his arduous ,domestic work. also a suc-h intervals as occurred .in the fighting. Clearly tne Maori had to work very hard in pre-pnkelia days in order to live at all. “Taihoa ’ therefore, not in his blood. lhe Maori, in fact, was essentially neither lazy nor dilatory. Jt might be asked, proceeded the Archdeacon, Why the Maori had changed. j - jIC truth was that the Maori had loauc. out with the advent of iue paxena •and his money that he did not require fo work so nard; that he c ould work a day or two and then take a rest. His hearers' might he_ surprised to learn that in olden times the Maori was. allowed on!v one hohday a year;!-. About Match he was .adowed to take a week or two off toyrisit nis relatives aiid friends. They bay. to work all the rest of t;.r year. :