Te Kopara 79
[3] Te Kopara, Number 79, Gisborne, 31 August, 1920.
‘Iti te Kopara, kai takirikiri ana i runga i te Kahikatea.’
Although the Bellbird is small, he plucks at the Kahikatea. [cf Nga Pepeha 908]
MAORI LANDS.
This is an appropriate time for us Maori to give some thought to the lands left behind by the multitude who have ‘descended to the night.’ First we must look at and be challenged by the report of the Native Land Purchase Board. In 1911 there were 7,137,205 acres of Maori land in Aotearoa. From that year to the present time 1,009,949 acres have been taken by the Crown and 1,339,570 acres have been sold through the Native Land Board, so that the total area of Maori land remaining on 31st March 1920 is 4,787,626 acres.
Of these acres 3,510,408 are being worked and the remaining 1,227,278 are not being worked. If we add to these acres that are not being worked the 380,000 acres still lived on by Maori, we have a total of 1,657,278 remaining to be worked by Maori. Included in these acres is 550,000 acres of pumice land, and 200,000 acres of swamp, sand, barren land and other kinds of land not suitable for farming. This leaves 907,278 acres to be worked by Maori. This is a small area were it to be distributed to the 47,000 Maori settled in Aotearoa – 19 acres a head. The Pakeha talks a great deal about opening up Maori lands to be farmed by Pakeha soldiers and by other Pakeha too. Where are these lands they talk about? They have them – the Pakeha. –two million acres of that Maori land is in the hands of the Pakeha now. They have the huge number of ‘sheep’ but they want to get their hands on our one ‘lamb.’ [2 Samuel 12.1-7]
From the figures I have quoted above it is obvious that we are now in possession of very little of the land of our Ancestors. What are we to do? It is the case that the application and the teaching of the proverb
Ko kaingaroa te whenua, ko kaingapoto te moni.
One can live a long time on the land but only a short time on money.
is now very clear to us. Therefore hold on to our remaining land. Cultivate it so that it brings forth fruit – in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty. [Matthew 13.23] We are now in the situation described by the saying, ‘By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread.’ [Genesis 3.19, cf Nga Pepeha 1778] Therefore, people, let your sweat fall upon Papatuanuku lying there.
W N P
[My guess is that this is written by the 22 year-old Wiremu Netana Panapa from Dargaville, at the time a student at Te Rau College. He became Bishop of Aotearoa in 1951 after distinguished service in various parishes and as a chaplain during World War II. – Barry Olsen]
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THE TRUE MAORI OF THESE DAYS.
R[eweti] T K[ohere]
I am not declaring who is the leading Maori or the great chief, because a man is the chief of his hapu, of his tribe, but perhaps my article will point out what the true Maori of these days is like whether he have chiefly blood or not. People today fall into two groups, those who belong to the old world and those who belong to the new world. Chiefs in the old days were feared, tapu and great, but I cannot say that this kind of man is the true Maori these days – his days and his world are past, this saying applies to him:
Ka pu te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi.
The old net is cast aside while the young net goes out catching. [cf Nga Pepeha 1100]
The old net is heaped up on the shore; these days and this world belong to the young. It was that towering figure, Tamahau, who said, ‘The present generation belongs to the young people, the century of the old is past.’ The old world and the new world have now been joined and that is why I say that in the same way the true Maori these days is the one who embraces the old world and the new, who studies the old world and the new world, who knows the old world and the new world. This is the true Maori in these days, the kind of person to lead the people and compete in the Pakeha world. He can stand in the presence of the Pakeha as a Pakeha and in the presence of the Maori as a Maori. The mistake of the Maori who stands alone is that when he is with the Pakeha he is like the tribe called Ngapuhi who said, ‘Come on those guns to these guns.’ And when the Pakeha guns of Ngapuhi went off the Maori guns just nodded. Don’t be like Ngatiporou who called out to Ngapuhi, ‘Come on those mamaku leaves to these mamaku leaves’ because Ngatiporou thought that the Ngapuhi guns were just mamaku branches. Likewise the old world, the ancient world, is like the mamaku leaf which was of no use against the gun. The true Maori of my heart is the person who wields the taiaha and the gun, the taiaha for the Maori side, the gun for the Pakeha side.
The thing that drove such thoughts into my heart was the question put by the new Inspector of Maori schools,
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Mr Henderson, to the school children, ‘Do you like Maori or Pakeha things most, and why?’ That man spoke to me of his desire to teach Maori children to take pride in being Maori because the Maori who despises his Maori skin, his Maori blood, and the language of his ancestors, is no-one, neither a Maori nor a Pakeha. What is he? The Maori who is contemptuous of Maori is disliked by Maori and is also despised by good Pakeha and is perhaps only befriended by foolish Pakeha. When a man despises his Maori blood he shows himself to be low-born. That man has fallen into the abyss of error.
I want to praise our leading highly educated young Maori, the young people who have gone to the Pakeha universities, who have held on to the noble customs of the Maori, and who have chosen to adopt the good practices of both Maori and Pakeha. Such people are the True Maori of these times. The people can look to such as these are their guides. But this is a difficult stand to take. The person who gets part of his learning from the Pakeha is a person who is criticized, envied, scrutinized and subjected to backbiting by ignorant people. A small failing is made into something great and if there is no failing then one is invented. The people to be condemned in these days are the ignorant ones, those with shrivelled hearts. The ignorant person gives voice to his thoughts by arguing against the wise person. The knowledgeable person, the great person, is humble. I wholeheartedly salute Apirana Ngata. Apirana is our leading scholar, learned in things both Maori and Pakeha, immersed in both cultures, but when the Prince came to Rotorua he did not come to the front to be close to the Prince or wear a top hat, rather he threw off his clothes and stood before the King’s son wearing only a paki [apron] and led the haka by his tribe, Ngatiporou. In my heart I was proud of Apirana and I was glad of my skin, that it was like his. These are the words of the Pakeha newspapers which I have translated into Maori: ‘Afterwards came the tribes of the Tai Rawhiti. Amongst these tribes was Ngatiporou, the tribe of the Hon A T Ngata. Theirs was the first haka and it was led by Apirana Turupa Ngata. On this day he was all Maori. On this day he forgot the ways of the Pakeha, Parliament, the colleges, the law schools. His only clothing was Maori. He stood naked, wearing only a paki [apron], without shoes, and from his wrist hung a greenstone mere. He led his tribe and he led their haka.’ (N Z Herald)
[The actual extract from the New Zealand Herald, 30th April 1920, page 4.
The following party was made up of the East Coast tribes. Among them were the Ngatiporou, the tribe to which belongs the Hon. A. T. Ngata- They led the van, and at their head was Apirana Ngata. himself. Today he was all Maori. Gone for the time was all thought of the pakeha life of Parliament, the university, and the law courts. He was in native costume, stripped to the waist, bare of foot, and carrying a greenstone mere dangling from his wrist- by a. thong- He led his tribe, and he led their war dance.]
I am saying that this is the man sought by Mr Henderson and by me. This is the kind of Maori
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my heart desires – this is what the Maori I wish for is like, a True Maori.
ODD ITEMS
An Unveiling
On Sunday, 15th August, the unveiling of the memorial stone to Hori Ngatai, chief of Ngaiterangi at Tauranga, took place. Groups came from Te Arawa, Matatua, Tuhoe and other tribes, and there were many Pakeha present. The worship was led by the Revs T Pereiha, Komene, and Ratapahi. Speeches were made by Mita Taupopoki and Rangi Te Aorere of Te Arawa for the Maori, and by Colonel G A Ward and Mr J C Adams for the Pakeha. The memorial is very fine and part of it was paid for by the Government.
Te Urewera Maori Land.
In the report of the Native Land Purchase Board it is shown that 29,796 acres in the Urewera have been acquired this year. At 31st March 1920 the total amount of Urewera land sold was 320,578 acres. The total amount up for sale now is 517,329 acres. To appreciate the great difficulties around the sale of these lands one must look at the number of people with an interest in those lands who have to sign to approve the sale. The first group of owners of those lands (apart from those who have subsequently taken leases) is 14,367. The names of all those who have to sign if the land is to be sold number 17,939. If a large number do not wish to sign then there will be much trouble.
Taxes on Maori Land.
In Parliament Dr Pomare said that he is not clear about what the Pakeha side is saying about Maori land. What about the lands confiscated by the Government? Would it not be right for those lands to cover the taxes on all Maori lands? The real reason for this insistence on the part of some that Maori land be taxed is a desire to get that land for themselves. One statement goes like this, ‘Maori do not know how to farm, therefore take their land off them.’ Now, the Chinese man produces more from an acre of ground than does the Pakeha. So the Chinese man knows how to farm better than the Pakeha. Given this, will the members in this House agree to take the Pakeha land and give it to the Chinese?
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THE MAORI SCHOOLS.
The Management Board of Te Aute College has asked the Minister of Education (Hon C J Parry) for Government help. Pomare brought those making the request to meet the Minister. Tau Henare was also present. In his presentation, Mr T Crosse, Chairman of the Management Board, said that the Board was finding it very difficult to run the school now given the increased cost of everything. Many young people were coming to Te Aute and Hukarere now and there was £4000 a year available to provide for them all. The old Hukarere School had been burned down and twice in the course of the war Te Aute suffered fires. This was also a load for the Board to carry at this time.
Archdeacon Herbert Williams was another of those who spoke to the request. He said that there were some people who said that Te Aute was a only a Church of England college, and therefore it was not right for the Government to help it. But we should all remember that Te Aute was the Maori college providing advanced education. This fact about the College means that children from all Churches attend it, and there is no barrier to a young Maori attending whatever his Church.
In the Minister’s response he said that he dearly wanted to promote everything that advances Maori learning. He also said that he agreed that every effort should be made to educate young Maori in agriculture, in farming, and in other work to improve the land. So he would bring the matter to the Government and he would pass on to Pomare the Government’s decision.
Many times in the past our bird has pleaded with the people as a whole to help our Maori schools. In recent days one of our schools, Queen Victoria, has had to bear heavy burdens. Now, as a result of the efforts of the Pakeha section to help us, we still hold on to this school of ours. Now those burdens are being felt by another of our schools, Te Aute. It is good that we know that all our schools are experiencing this burden. We have four colleges to consider and some others under them – Te Aute, Hukarere, St Stephen’s, and Victoria. All our educated you people whom we celebrate in these days came from one of these schools. As a people we are keen to celebrate this thing, Education. It is said of the Maori: ‘Of all the coloured people of the earth there is none like the Maori for intelligence.’ Perhaps this right. But let us remember the black people of Africa, two or three are bishops who have gained degrees from the great universities of England,
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and some of those black bishops have preached in St Paul’s Cathedral in London. The Indians have produced bishops, doctors, and many people with advanced degrees. The indigenous people of America have reached eminent positions and have taken high degrees in the course of their education. What of us Maori? It is true that Maori are intelligent and, indeed, a few of us have gone to university and have achieved titles and a depth of learning. Therefore, people, these are our colleges which need the support of all of us. This is the thing which should bring all the tribes of the country together – the support of our colleges as a nest for the growing generation from which they can each pluck off the fruits of the tree of knowledge. The saying is, ‘The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.’ [Proverbs 1.7] Therefore let us see that our schools continue as places of learning – all kinds of learning – which most of us have not yet had the privilege of gaining.
W[iremu] N[etana] P[anapa]
A LETTER RECEIVED.
To the Editor of Te Kopara.
The elders say that food exchanged is sweet. Therefore, Editor of Te Kopara, if you would, I thank you for loading these words onto the wings of your bird, so that my friend, Te Hau Mataira, can see them with his eyes and speak them with his lips. My friend, greetings, Best wishes to you and thank you for your words which flew here in Te Kopara Number 75. My friend, what you said was right. They woke us up, they put an end to our sleeping, they fought against our sluggishness. How were we woken from our sleep? We were confronted by the work the Tai Rawhiti was doing for the well-being of its children. And not just by their collecting of money for the soldiers or to send their young people to the universities. Only the Tai Rawhiti has engaged in major projects such as the sheep stations and the telephone linking one station to another so that all the stations in their area can speak to one another. This was not done by the Government, they did it themselves. Isn’t it awesome to get the wisdom spoken of by Solomon? Are you not happy when your child gets learning? You say that these days are the Lord’s Sabbath. We can take a long rest. If this is what we are to do then what will be the outcome when the seven years come to an end? My guess is that we will be very poor.
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You say that the works of the Tai Rawhiti are deceptive; what happens when the deception is cast ashore to lie there? You say that if a man looks at a girl and lusts after her in his heart he has committed adultery. I have certainly committed adultery when I have looked at the works of the Tai Rawhiti. You are saying that the works of the Tai Rawhiti are chicanery but I say that that is the appropriate path for our children to take. My friends, if each person is asked to give two pounds, and say that there are 40,000 Maori people, that would raise £80,000 to take our children to the universities. Te Hau Mataira, think about your child. If he is able to work on his milking machines and his motor car he doesn’t have to get a Pakeha to do that work and use up all the money made from the milk. Therefore, my friend, it is a good thing to get an education, otherwise we will be continually crushed by the educated Pakeha. Because the old world has come to an end, the works of our ancestors – killing and eating people, eating fern root and hinau berries and other Maori food. Since the gospel which brings eternal life was preached to us by our ministers morning and evening, the foods Maori eat in their homes are seafoods and the country’s birds. The good thing achieved by the work of our ministers is that they have sown the seeds of God in your heart to give life to your body and spirit. Therefore let us listen to the preaching of our ministers who believe in our Lord Jesus Christ who is the light of the world. He is the source of eternal life, for as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive [1 Corinthians 15.22], that is, those who believe in him. You say that my reading of the Bible is selective. My friend, if you read the chapters of Proverbs from the first to the last, you will not find a single word saying that it is wrong to get an education. I have read all 30 [sic] chapters of Proverbs and the chapters of Romans. My reading says that you are not right. You say to look at Matthew 23.23. That verse says, ‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law.’ Judgement, instruction, the faith, - it is right to do these and not to neglect the others. My friend, who were the words in this verse directed at? Who were the hypocrites? Are the things done by the Tai Rawhiti deceptive? Those who make laws are Timi Kara and Apirana Ngata; they are the members who make laws in Parliament. Who are the people they have deceived?
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My friend, it is not something we should be doing – making accusations about the people who are seeking the well-being of the Maori People. My friend, if you perceive the right way to enhance the lives of our children then tell us about it so that we can see the benefits of your way.
You say that I should withdraw what I said in Te Kopara No.66. What sickness has struck you and your children who sleep there in Taranaki? Do you take exception to my words praising the efforts of the Tai Rawhiti who collected that huge amount of money, £50,000, to provide for the young men returning from the war? My friend, I shan’t stop praising what the Tai Rawhiti has done. [?They were not urged to make every effort to retain their small holding of earth, likewise the money from the wool and the flowing water; who is going to dispense with their own?] It is the case that your children say, ‘Friend, it is the case that for more than forty years Te Whiti and Tohu preached to the children not to rent out or sell because if a man sells his land he is selling his parent – the source of your livelihood. God has given you the land once. The saying is true: It went in one ear and out the other. When Te Whiti and Tohu died, Parihaka swiftly made for the coast and when they reached the Waikato valley they set about selling this heaven. A nice motor car would arouse your children from sleep. The roads of Taranaki are good and the car hummed along! As for what you said about Solomon and the wisdom God gave him, God said to Solomon, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ [1Kings 3.5] If it were not given from above, Solomon would not possess it. Look at Solomon’s son, wisdom was taken from him as were the ten tribes of Israel. I finish here lest you all get bored, for what is achieved by the many words of Te Hau Mataira.
Hutu Paaka.
Motueka, 7th July, 1920.
{For Flu take Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure, 1/9, 2/9 a bottle.}
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THE SPLITTING OF THE CHURCH OF ROME.
We have received information from [?Akarama], a town in Croatia, about the situation of the priests in the Church of Rome there. They number 400. They have asked to be given power to elect their own bishops; secondly, to do away with the Latin language in their services; and thirdly, to be permitted to marry.
{Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure will not allow ‘Flu and Coughs to survive. 1/9, 2/9 a bottle.}
THE POPULATION OF NEW ZEALAND.
On 30th June the Government stated that the total number of people in New Zealand is 1,241,295.
A NUN RUNS AWAY.
A nun ran away from a convent in a town called Wagga Wagga and arrived in Sydney where she stayed in the home of a minister. It was not long before the Roman Catholic Bishop issued a warrant for her arrest. The warrant gave two reasons why the nun should be detained. First, it said that the nun was mentally ill; secondly, that she would not be able to make a living for herself. For these two reasons the nun was arrested and brought for trial. The Court’s decision was that there be a seven day adjournment during which doctors could examine her to determine whether or not she was mentally ill. The day came when the nun was brought again to Court. Many people came to hear the doctors’ decision. The decision of the doctors was that that nun was not mentally ill, and as a result she was released by the court. The people who came to the Court were delighted at this decision.
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SOME OF THE MOTIONS OF THE HUI TOPU OF THE DIOCESE OF AUCKLAND, 1920.
A question from the Rev W H Keretene.
‘Is it permitted to give Communion to people who have bee married by the Registrar?’
The Bishop’s Answer.
‘If they do not reject the teachings of the Church then they may participate in the Lord’s Supper, but they should come to church beforehand to have their union blessed by the minister.’
By the Rev M P Kapa and K T Harawira:
‘That those statement in the Book of Common Prayer which are believed to be incorrect be corrected, and that the Bishop take the correction to the meeting of Bishops in England.’ Agreed.
By Herepeta Rapihana and Tiopira Heiwari:
‘I ask this meeting of Synod to approve of the ordination of those who have for twenty years been teachers and deacons.’
The Bishop’s Answer.
‘This matter will be brought to the meeting of Bishops in England.’
FOOD FOR TE KOPARA.
Name / Address / Payment / Subscription Ends
July – August
H Tuterangi / Kennedy’s Bay / 10/- /May 1920
Charles Durie / Aorangi, Fielding / £1 / March 1923
Patu Te Rito / Whakaki, Wairoa, HB / 5/- /July 1921
Pete Matehe / Waipiro Bay / £1 / March 1923
Takurua Tamarau / Ruatoki North / 5/- /December 1920
Pouwhare / Ruatoki North / 5/- /December 1921
W Wirihana / Ruatahuna, Whakatane / 5/- / July 1921
Whaiti / Kopuriki, Whakatane / 5/- / July 1921
Te Whenua / Ruatahuna, Whakatane / 5/- / July 1921
W Tereina / Ruatoki North / 5/- / July 1921
Timi Waata / Ohinepanea PO / 2/6 / December 1919
Tipua / Poroporo, Whakatane / 5/- / July 1921
A Maaka / Box 150 / Rotorua / February 1921
Otimi Taika / Waipawa HB / 5/- / December 1919
Rota Mohikana / Fernhill / 5/- / June 1921
Hemopo KIriri / Te Rere, Gisborne / 5/- / June 1921
Te Waaka Matenga / Waitahanui, Taupo / 10/- / July 1922
Rutene Takine / 29 Esplanade, Kaiti, Gisborne / 5/- / May 1920
Waikura Tautuhiorongo / Te Kaha, Bay of Plenty / 5/- / July 1921
Huta Paaka / Motueka, Nelson / £1 / August 1924
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1. Te Kopara is published monthly.
2. The subscription for the paper is five shillings (5/-) a year paid by postal note or stamps.
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Te Kopara,
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6 Berry Street,
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4. All items you want printed in Te Kopara should be sent to the Editor,
Rev F A Bennett,
Kohupatiki,
Clive, Hawkes Bay.
A NOTICE
Those wishing to purchase Prayer Books, Hymn Books or Testaments should send their request to
Miss K Williams,
P O Box 41,
Hukarere, Napier.
These are the prices.
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