Te Kopara 81
[3] Te Kopara, Number 81, Gisborne, 30 October, 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]
WHERE IS HAWAIKI?
R[eweti] T K[ohere]
Maori tell of how our ancestors migrated from Hawaiki but they do not know where Hawaiki is. My own understanding that I am giving you, is not mine alone but also that of the Pakeha, and the understanding of the Pakeha comes from Maori, the old Maori, who looked to the many islands of the ocean and believed that Hawaiki was to be found there.
The person who queries why we should take notice of what Pakeha say is ignorant and arrogant. It was George Grey who gathered together most of the stories about us Maori and but for that elder those stories would have been lost. George Grey’s stories came from the Maori elders and what Maori would be brave enough to say that those stories told by the elders were just inventions.
I saw in the Auckland Weekly News articles by some Mormon Maori who had returned from Hawaii, and those people said that the original Hawaiki was Hawaii. The main basis of their contention is the name ‘Hawaii,’ which is the equivalent in the dialect of the indigenous Hawaiians to what we Maori call Hawaiki. I know that the Pakeha Mormons say that the Maori migrated from America. This story is wrong, it is not supported by learned Pakeha, and the Pakeha Mormons are not sufficiently learned people to put about such stories. It is true that the Hawaiian stories are similar to ours but this is not a reason to say that our ancestors came from Hawaii. We could equally well say that the Hawaiians migrated from New Zealand. What we can say truthfully is that the Maori of Hawaii and of New Zealand are one people and both come from the one source – Hawaiki.
Where is Hawaiki? We say that we came from Hawaiki and the Maori of Hawaii also say that they came from Hawaiki. The first man to say that the Maori Hawaiki was to the [Raa-too - West] in India was Abraham Fornander, a judge in Hawaii. His information came from the Hawaiian Maori elders. So who are the Mormons to say that Hawaii is Hawaiki?
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Te Mete [S Percy Smith] was the Pakeha who visited the islands to seek the origin of the Maori Hawaiki and he discovered at Raiatea (that is, Rangiatea) that there is a Tahitian island called Havai’i. The inhabitants of Raiatea are Maori like us and their language is like ours. They know of the canoes that brought our ancestors – Tainui, Te Arawa, Takitimu, Mataatua, and Tokomaru – to Rarotonga. These canoes are known to the Rarotongan Maori. Aotea, however, kept on a steady course from Raiatea to Aotearoa and did not land at Rarotonga and so this canoe is not known to our relatives in Rarotonga. When Te Rauparaha turned to the faith he built his church in Otaki and named it Rangiatea, a sacred place in Hawaiki. So it is very clear that Raiatea is the Maori Hawaiki. Te Mete spent six months seeking Hawaiki and he found it. How many days or months did the Mormons spend looking for their Hawaiki?
I have said that there is not just one Hawaiki. There are many ocieanic islands settled by the Maori, that is, by the people known to the Pakeha as Polynesians – Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga, Rarotonga, Paumotu, Nukuhiwa, Te Pito-o-te-Henua (Easter Island), Aotearoa, Te Waipounamu, and some smaller islands. All these are Maori islands and their language is the same. Now, all the peoples of these islands say that Hawaiki, their starting point, is in the West [Raa-too]. It has bee found that Java is one of the Hawaiki. The ancestors of the Maori lived in Java, then migrated from there and settled in Fiji. From Fiji they spread to all parts of the Moana-nui-a-Kiwa [The Pacific Ocean]. Pakeha research has discovered that the Maori came from India to settle in Java. There is a people in India called ‘Maoli’, ‘Mauri.’ But learned Pakeha are convinced that the Maori originate in Europe in the Caucasus; the Pakeha and the Maori have the same origin – they are Aryan. During the many years of their migration the Maori met up with Chinese and black people on there path and consequently one sees Chinese (Mongolian) and black features in some Maori. Some Maori are white-skinned, pale, albino,, or light-haired; these are the ones who retain some of the Pakeha inheritance.
The important thing that we Maori can celebrate is not that we and the Pakeha all originated in Europe but the bravery of our ancestors who sailed the oceans in their small canoes and spread throughout the many islands of the Moana-nui-a-Kiwa. Of all the peoples of the world the Maori are the bravest people when it comes to sailing the oceans. When the Pakeha were clinging to the shores of Europe our ancestors were travelling across the open seas as if they were fresh water lakes. In 620 AD a Maori from Fiji
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called Ui-te-rangiora visited the icy southern ocean and saw the marvels in that sea.
In 1350 the canoes came to Aotearoa, sailing when the winds were right. Perhaps it took less than two weeks to sail from Rarotonga and land here – a distance of 1000 miles. Some Maori had arrived before and had returned to Hawaiki – Tu-moana, Paoa, Kupe, Ngahue and others. The first Maori who discovered Aotearoa was a very brave man. He did not know of the existence of a land in this corner of the sea; perhaps Maui revealed it to him, the man who fished up Aotearoa according to the legend. Had he not come upon Aotearoa perhaps he would have gone on to the ends of the earth. It is thought that Kupe is the man who first set eyes on Aotearoa. The Pakeha say that the canoes in which our ancestors migrated were [?waka-amo - ? war canoe] but Maori say that it was the taniwha that carried our ancestors here.
In 1910 the total number of Maori was 181,223; Captain Cook estimated that when he was here there were 1,290,000.
The wish, the desire, of the greedy Pakeha is to plunder our remaining land – the land to which our ancestors sailed, of which they explored all parts. The Pakeha wants to have the whole world to himself, which is why Wi Pere said, ‘Perhaps tomorrow when the Maori arrive in heaven they will find that the Pakeha are plundering all the Maori places there.’
AN INVITATION TO THE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT.
There is a proposal to send to the Members of the Lower House an invitation to visit the Tairawhiti so that they can see what this part of our country is like and so that they can see that our request to them in the House to open up the roads and the railways on the East Coast is justified. This is an excellent proposal since after the visit by the members to all parts of the Tai-tokerau [North Auckland] many good things were done. The proposal is that they come in the month of February and visit the Te Wairoa area, Gisborne, and travel as far as Ngatiporou. They would go from Napier to Waikaremoana, come here to Gisborne, go on to Hicks Bay, return from there to Gisborne, then make their way to Rotorua via Motu and Opotiki. Apirana Ngata has told the House that the Maori of the Tairawhiti are providing £200 to cover the cost of that tour. The Pakeha Member for Gisborne has sent a telegram to the Railway Group of the Tairawhiti asking that they be involved with that project.
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HUI OF THE SOLDIERS’ FUND AT TE HAUKE.
The Hui of the Soldiers’ Fund was held at Te Hauke, 1st – 3rd October. Following explanations from the Secretary, Captain Pitt, and A T Ngata, these motions were agreed and are to be laid before the Council of the Soldiers’ Fund.
1. This meeting of the people of Heretaunga heard the explanations given by the Secretary concerning the 1133 cattle purchased by the Solders’ Fund. And having had answers to question we see that the actions of the Council are open and good.
2. Three cheques have been withdrawn from the books of the Council, that of Gage because he has died, that of Pierson (a stolen cheque), and that of the Taranaki League (for comforts). The total amount of these cheques is £7/5/3. The Secretary is to collect some of the money.
3. The Committee should set about including the money designated by the Hui Aroha and placing it in the hands of the Council Committee.
4. The Accounts are to be published along with the auditor’s Report on every occasion they have been approved by the Government Inspector.
5. That the Secretary send a copy of these accounts to the Editor of Te Kopara to be printed for the information of those who have concerns about this Fund.
6. That Peneti instruct the publisher of Te Kopara to include in Te Kopara the Reports sent by the Secretary.
7. That the Council be asked to send their reports and accounts to Te Kopara to be printed.
8. This Hui thanks the Minister for Maori Affairs, the Minister of Lands, and the Government for helping the Fund for Maori Soldiers, that is, for the legislation which laid down the clear charter for that Fund and for giving to the Council the running of Hereheretau No.2 Block for the benefit of the Maori Soldiers.
9. That the Council consider holding two General Meetings of their Committee a year, that is, every six months. Those meetings should move about amongst the tribes that are supporting the Fund. The subjects to be dealt with at those meetings and the appropriate accounts should be printed.
10. Because the Council’s Fund accounts have been explained and have been passed by the Government Inspector, and Apirana Ngata has explained the legal charter which has been printed, it is not possible to raise a mortgage on part of the Fund to support the soldiers at this time, and so this Hui agrees to withdraw the motions passed by the Hui at Waimarama on 16th August, 1919, and printed in Te Kopara 71.
11.The people at this Hui express their gratitude to the members of the Council for their openness and their energy in managing the plans to increase the interest on the Maori Soldiers’ Fund.
Hori Tupaea, Chairman.
P Peneti, Secretary.
Te Hauke, October 4th, 1920.
The Hui was very grateful for the very good running of the marae and for the great hospitality shown by the local people to their visitors. The only problem was the heavy rain. The Hui also happened to take place at a time when several of the leading chiefs of Heretaunga died, so some of the chiefs of Tamatea were not available to host their hui. Some of those who died at this time were Tu Teira at Waimarama, Te Naeroa Puhara and Otene Te Ruri at Te Pakipaki, and Te Waimatao of Porangahau.
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TE RAUKAHIKATEA SCHOOL.
The names of the ministers who were the first residents of the School in 1883 were published in the last issue of Te Kopara. From 1884 until 1894, when Leonard Williams was the elder of the School, these are the people who studied there and were ordained as ministers:
Matenga Waaka, Herewini Nopera Paerata, Hone Piwaka, Temuera Tokoaitua, Hone Waitoa, Nikora Tautau, Eruera Kawhia, Ranapia Mokena Hape, Piripi Te Awarau, Hoeta Te Hata, Wiremu Paratene Te Waaka, Hone Teri Paerata, Hakaraia Pahewa, Rameka Haumia, Taimona Hapimana, Aperahama Tamihere, Tataikoko, Hare Maihi Tuarangi, Timutimu Tawhai, Ratema Te Awekotuku, Reihana Ngatote, Katene Manahi, Tiopira Nopera Pirika Paerata, Timoti Kiriwi, Hemi Pititi Huata.
This list of names covers the whole country. Most of them have entered upon their long rest but some are still working. One remarkable thing was that the students were joined by a number of women in those days. So in 1889 there were 18 students, but if we include the women there were 28 in all. There was the same number in 1898. There was a large intake in 1901 with 21 students and 10 women.
In 1889 the Rev Herbert Williams was appointed teacher under his father. There were so many students that year that some lived in a house built on the other side of Berry Street (now the Printing Press), some lived at ‘Wai-ka-hua,’ and some still at the School. In those times when there were many women they took responsibility for the preparation of food. They took it in turns [?whakatepe] with two women cooking each day. Every Sunday the students went in pairs to take services. Villages are still visited by a pair of students now, but in those days they went to Pouawa and Whangara.
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In 1895 the Rev Herbert Williams became Head of the School until 1901. The students under him were:
Turuturu Ngaki, Reweti Kohere, Ehekiera Manawanui, Iwiora Tamaiparea, Mokai Kereru, Tuahangata Tamihana Pereiha, Wiremu Keretene, Poihipi Kohere, Te Ropere Tahuriorangi, Reweti Kerehoma Taukiri, Karira Arama Karaka, Paraone Turei, Makoare Tepana Taurere, Pene Hakiwai, Henare Te Wainohu.
Most of these are still working; a few have died.
In 1902 the Rev F W Chatterton was appointed Head of the School. Many of Herbert’s students stayed on under Chatterton and were ordained under him. They were:
Te Ropere, Makoare, Kerehoma Taukiri, Poihipi Kohere, Te Perieha, Karira Karaka, Paraone Turei, Pene Hakiwai, Henare W Te Wainohu, Hori Raiti.
Mr Chatterton was Head of the School until 1918. He was a gentle, amiable man, and devoted to the students under him. During the sixteen years he lived in Gisborne all people, whether well-to-do or poor, benefited from his good works and his organisation. Therefore he was valued by all who knew him and by the students who sat at his feet. These are those who studied under him:
Wi Paraire Rangihuna, Hetekia Heke, Peni Topi, Hoani Paerata, Hoani Wi Kaipo,Matene Keepa, Pine Tamahori, Mutu Kapa, Henare Keremeneta, Hemipiri Manaro, Tame Katene, Hone Karaka, Keina Poata, Rewi Wikiriwhi, Patihana Kokiri, Manihera Manahi, Paora Temuera, Wiremu Waaka, Tamati Te Kanapu, Ereatara M Eruini, Henare Paraone, Wiremu Tureia Puha, Tokoroa Poihipi, Metera Aomarere, Makarewete Wharehuia, Waewae Ratapahi, Waata Kopae, Nepia Hotene, Hohaia Taurau, Wi Pere Mataira.
Amongst this list of names are many who died in the recent epidemic. Most of those who were taken were those who had just started out in the work. So Nepia Hotene and Waata Kopae were ordained in1917 and entered on their long rest in 1918. Metere Aomarere was ordained in 1916 and died of the ‘Spanish ‘Flu’ in 1918. Tame Katene was ordained in 1911 and died in the epidemic in 1918. Hetekia Heke entered on the long rest in 1919, dying in an accident; he was ordained in 1908. These were all young men, good men, men who got things done, but at the very beginning of their work they were taken – some did not see the fruit of the seeds they spread.
But the plan was that Te Rau would close in 1918. Everything was arranged for this to be the final year of the School here. The Rev F W Chatterton was installed as Pakeha minister of Rotorua and as overseer of the work of the Maori section in
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the Bay of Plenty. However, because of the increasing cost of everything it was not possible to complete the work on St John’s in Auckland to accommodate the students. Therefore it was arranged that Te Rau continue for two years to give the Builders at the Auckland school time to complete their work. The Rev Alfred Neild was then appointed Head of the School. He is a highly-educated man from the leading English colleges. He has lived for many years in New Zealand. For many years he was Principal of Selwyn College, Dunedin, in Te Waipounamu, a college for Pakeha preparing for ministry. Afterwards he became Archdeacon of Melanesia and it is from that position that he comes here.
Let me end this article here. The important thing for us is that we have seen Te Rau grow over the 36 years it has stood in the Valley of Turanga. We have seen the fruits of Te Raukahikatea spread to places throughout the country. Now the Church is making this new move with the idea that it will lead to the growth of our faith. Maori Church, make this the focus of your thoughts and prayers. This is not the time for you to be making judgements on whether this move is right or wrong. This thing has happened, therefore support it and pray for it from the bottom of your heart.
SOME THOUGHTFUL LETTERS.
To the Editor of Te Kopara.
Greetings. May you have all that is good and good health, you who manage this little Bird who sings as it plucks at the kahikatea and eats the kareao berries. Best wishes. Please load onto it these few words for our friends to see. For a long time I have been observing and thinking and now I send these words for the Maori are dying along with their noble language and it is Maori themselves who have struck it down, have trampled on it, so that it is disappearing – the traditional language of the ancestors is being despised.
Te Tatana [Mr Thornton], Headteacher of Te Aute said some prophetic words; he said, ‘The Maori language will not survive another two generations. That language will vanish.’ Now the members of the Hui of the Te Aute Association held at Rotorua in 1905 disputed that. But now that word has been fulfilled. The Maori people themselves have trampled on their noble language while the Pakeha are embracing that language, so sweet to the ears. I am not afraid to say that the new world mistreats and despises Maoritanga and the Maori language.
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1. You are a Maori but you seek in Court to be considered a Pakeha.
2. While the land is yours by Maori right, you give it over to become Pakeha land.
3. You are all Maori yet you abandon the Maori language and every day you all speak only English.
4. Some people do not like their children speaking Maori.
It is right to learn English for it is necessary on the path to learning, but do not forsake the Maori language. I think this is a widespread sickness that we need to give thought to at this time.
Paratene Ngata,
Waiomatatini.
To the Editor of Te Kopara.
Greetings. May God protect you. I am very grateful for the strength of your bird that carries important matters to the many marae. So I am asking you to send out my words about the character of our friend Henare Wepiha Te Wainohu.
Greetings to you, the two peoples of the two islands. Major Henare Te Wainohu has died amongst his tribes of Ngatikahungunu and Ngatipahauwera. His hapu were deeply distressed at the death of this famous man. But it is not just the Maori who grieve for him, the Pakeha do so as well, including the Members and Ministers of the New Zealand Parliament. This man is widely grieved because he gave himself to be the father of the Hokowhitu-a-Tu [the Maori Battalion] in the terrible world war. He survived in the heat of battle along with the remnant of his children, those who were not lost in the fighting, but he represented those lost children amongst the thousands on Anzac Day in Rotorua. The tribes paid many tributes to him on the Prince’s day. He was invited by the leading tribes to their tents every evening and I accompanied him.
Tribes, Major Henare Te Wainohu has fallen, one of the brave who exalted the name of Maori during the war, and so a great cloud of sadness has descended upon his people of the Tairawhiti.
Major Henare Te Wainohu died on 1st October, 1920, at Te Wairoa; on the 4th he was carried to Mohaka and he was buried on the 5th at Mohaka.
There was a dispute between Ngatikahungunu and Ngatipahauwera over this man’s body.
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Ngatikahungunu said that his body should be buried at Te Wairoa because Te Wairoa was the town visited by most people; secondly, it was the easiest place for people to get to when they were coming to pay their respects; and thirdly, they would set up a memorial stone which would be seen by most Maori and Pakeha. However Ngatipahauwera would not consent. This shows what the man was like; his various hapu loved him dearly.
He was born at Mohaka on 12th October, 1882. He was ordained to the ministry in 1904 and was stationed in Te Wairoa that same year.
In 1915 he went to be Padre to the young men engaged in the fighting. In 1919 he and the remnant of his young men returned home. He and his young men participated in the unveiling of the memorial stone to Wi Pere in the town of Gisborne.
He was a grandson of Hoone Te Wainohu, the first minister of Mohaka, and it was given to him to become a minister too. Henare was of a fine physique and looked splendid in the uniform of a soldier but most of his time he spent in the uniform of a soldier of God. But he was not just a beautiful person externally, he was a highly intelligent man, an excellent speaker and preacher during services.
His people are bereft at the death of this man, his place on the marae is vacant, as is his position as minister. His people are right to say that we will never again see a man like Henare in what he achieved for his people.
This man died young – but whatever a man is like, however glorious, however great, when death calls he is gone.
You people, Maori, Pakeha, on your marae, in your towns, who lament for Henare Te Wainohu, the faithful friend of Pakeha, of Maori, of the King and his Empire, he has gone to his rest.
The tributes offered to him by chiefs, by Members, by Ministers of Parliament, have been made known to the hapu of Ngatikahungunu and will help them rise above their tragic loss.
Hemi P Huata.
[Up to this time the accounts of Henare are of his life here in New Zealand. It would be good if one of his many friends who went with him to Gallipoli, Serbia and France, could tell us of the important and good and brave things he did on those many situations. We hear with our ears of his bravery during attacks, of his carrying the wounded from the front line to places of safety, of his carrying the dead to a suitable place to bury them. Won’t one of his friends tell us about the great things done by this man on the battlefield,
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or will the good things done by this brave man be allowed to disappear into the Dark? Where is Te Rangihiroa?]
TE RAU COLLEGE.
On 24th November the students of the School return home at the end of their year. On Sunday, 14th (the Twenty-fourth Sunday after Trinity), there will be a large service in Manutuke Church. This will be the last service in Gisborne for the students of the School and next year the School will begin at St John’s College, Auckland.
BIBLE SOCIETY.
Perhaps very few of us Maori know of our great debt to the Bible Society. Its full name is The British and Foreign Bible Society. This is the Society that gave us the Bible in the Maori language. It is also the Society which is providing Bibles to all peoples in all the world’s languages. Bibles printed by this Society have been distributed widely in India, one million during the past year, and in China, 3,274,000 during the same period. This shows you the extent of the work of this Society. Up to today the Society has printed Bibles in 728 languages. Many will remember Te Peneha (the Rev F H Spencer) the Secretary of this Society since 1898. Now he has reached retirement for this great work and from other great works amongst the Maori People. The new Secretary is the Rev A T Thompson, MA, BD. Therefore, people, support this Society.
FOOD FOR TE KOPARA.
Name / Address / Payment / Subscription Ends
October
Turu Ryland / Box 19, Tokomaru Bay / 5/- / January 1920
Eru Titi / Manutuke / 10/- / December 1920
Rina Te Apatu / Tapairu, Waipawa (?Waitomo) / 10/- / October 1922
Mrs R Ngatote / Mangonui / 10/- / December 1920
Ririmu Wiki / Mairangi, Chatham Islands / 10/- / October 1922
Matenga Taihuka / Wairengaahika / 5/- / September 1921
Riwai Raroa / Rangitukia / 5/- / July 1921
Kereni Turei / Rangitukia / 5/- /January 1920
Hoani Taare / Rangitukia / 5/- / May 1920
Reihana Moari / Kahukura / 5/- / January 1922
Hori Te Mataranui / Waitahanui, Taupo / 15/- / January 1922
Daniel Campbell / Waiotemarama / 5/- / March 1920
Printed and published by Herbert William Williams at Te Rau Printing Works, Berry Street, Gisborne, New Zealand. – October 30, 1920.
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