A Maori Salvation Wedding.

Gisborne Standard and Cook County Gazette, Volume IV, Issue 488, 2 August 1890, Page 3

A Maori Salvation Wedding.

Yestxrday afternoon a social incident which possessed more than ordinary interest, took place in the Salvation Army Barracks, Taranaki street, and attracted an immense concourse of spectators. The place was thronged by upwards of 2000 persona of both sexes and of all ages, who “ assisted ” at the nuptials of Tamatea Aurunoi, a well-known Wbanganui native, and Mentis, a resident of Jerusalem, up the Whanganui Rive-. The bridegroom is a fine stalwart man of about fifty years of age, whilst the bride, if not—according to European notions—exactly fair, was, at any rate, decidedly bnxom an 1 certainly forty years of age. The benedict elect wore his Salvation Army uniform, whilst the bride was suitably attired in a magnificient Maori mat trimmed with the feathers of native birds and carefully dressed fringe of the phormium tenax in variegated hues. The mat was so voluminous that it was impossible to obtain a glimpse at her wedding dress. The contracting parlies had no special bridesmaids, but it was understood that the whole of the Salvation lasses who were present at the ceremony, and th°re was quite a large number in attendance, took the functions of bridesmaids upon themselves, whilst all the officers officiated as best man to the happy groom. Colonel Taylor solemnised the marriage service, which is not wholly dissimilar.to that appertaining to the Church of England, whilst Adjutant Holdaway translated the service to the two persons more immediately interested. There is just one pecu'iarity in the rite according to the Army, and that is that whilst the gentleman, in addition to the vows he takes upon himself to love and cherish hie bride, has also to affirm that his marriage will not have the effect of depriving the Army of his energies in the cause, and the wife has likewise to take a similar obligation in addition to those taken to love, honor, and obey her spouse. At the conclusion of the marriage, appropriate passages of scripture were read, and hymns were sung, after which Mr and Mrs Aurunui addressed their aboriginal fekow countrymen who were present, the meeting being further addressed by several offioere. The list of the wedding gifts—if indeed there were any—has not been forwarded for publication,\ but as the admission to witness the wedding was by a silver coin, and as in addition there was an offertory, which was apparently liberally responded to by those present, it is to be hoped that the “ happy couple ” will not. return to Jerusalem empty-handed, and without the usual cruets, cosies, cake baskets, and coffee pots, which are so munificently presented to newly untried couples in polite European circles on similarly momentous occasions.—Wellington Post.