The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-21
IN NEW ZEALAND.
Chier ApiranA NGa'a siua- the swn, sou.
OF ui- NanishinU Maori reorIe

OF Hi- VANISHING Nnori recpIc
A strange. pathetic swan song ~ A av,,,
people, sung by its chief is the plant ..0ol, -
the civilized world ~ Apirann Tururu \g,.,
head OF the Maori nation. in q series ~ c.s,,,
lately printed In Now Zealand pare- rL,
chief is well educated man. a Rradalt, s,
colonial university tho equal in culture W ,t,
best class ~ white people who oeeutv
native land but he Is native at boar,
Maori In feeling. sympathies and aspiration.
and all his thoughts are those Of hts rcop.o.
At the advent Of the white man in Nsvy ..,
land the Maoris. n heroic race. then sols own.
ers Of tho country were Il numerous peIll,
Twenty years ago. although even then rl.,.b
diminished by diseases brought by their con.
duerors. they numbered 100 600. To.iay Ian,
few more than 10000 Of the race remain uu,,
wArdly it Is a much changed people too 70, i,
has adopted tho white mans clothes. his .v,
toms. most " his vices. and ostcnsitly his reii.
gion. But at heart the Maori Is savage y,t
In his series Of ESSAYS on his ueuplo IA.
chief tells much that Is interesting Of tI.,
history. their ideas. their habits. and their feel,
ings. but ever and anon he comes back and
dwells on the one theme that Is flling lis mind
and soaring his heart. the decay and approach.
ing extinction OF his race. His language +,
remarkably eloquent. and full Of Lofty mcta.
q NJ.
spreads all his thoughts and sorrow echoes !,
all he says. lie writes bitterly. yet not yenge.
fully. OF the woes the white man has brought
10 his people: not alone OF wrongs inflicted
but VI the suiferings and defeats that ineyl.
tably must come Of the contact OF n wealc,
and a stronger rnce. The Mnoris. lac says ar,
dying Of contact with tho white man. and moth.
ing but miracle can save them aud miracle
there will not be.
lie gives an interesting account Of tho i'm.
preston made by Christianity on tho MaorA
His countrymcn, the chief says. were attracted
to the white mans creed almost wholly bo.
cause OF the miraculous career ascribe1 10
Christ. They have great craving for the
supernatural. and the doings OF Christ took
great hold on their Imagination. But the ma.
tive priests taking advantage Of the lesson,
have largely turned their people from even a
semblance OF adhe to Christianity by feed.
Ing their craving for tho miraculous. and in
the lines ofthe old beliefs. or rather. by formu.
lating a new creed called uau- hauism. which
has spread greatly.
The feelings and motives that influence the
Maorfs inner and more private life to-day"
enced him ages ago though tanned and refined
tact with European civilization, and BY the far.
reaching influence OF Christianity. Your Maori
fshei and draped in Enssh set W fS
him there are raging the fierce passions thar
but a while ago made him reyel in slaughter
he manacles OF civilization and humanity but
they are restless to GRASP once more the spear
the truth Of Christian teaching. and worshirs
the Pakeha's god most reverently. but his
mind is governed by superstition. his secret
the tohungas, the only, visible monuments q
his old priestly regime"
. The MAORI. says the chief. hates the pakehn.
the white man. aud yet is irresi stlbly drawn
TO his settlements and compelled to degrade
which eventually xii of the pure race and
cav only deg degenerate half-casto people.
have already destroyed the purity OF the racc.h
ne b, SAYS have stanted 2 race once famous
dustrlal tendencies survived other per-
n nj Influences. and DEGRADED this
ps Salsy sna Fl hS
The deportatiop Of all the lower whites. and
Education only renders the Maori unfit to take
part in the struggle for life IN which hts race
heir savagery. it tai es away at the same time
heir stamina. Notable Maori men and women
!, high degree. but in the majority OF cases
here has eventually been a total relapse OF the
,stensibly, educated Maoris into the ways, OF
people is on the edge OF extinction.
Explanations TO account for the fading ous
Ind one seems to be near the truth: that is,
hat the race Is perishing OF melancholy and
rs IA S tss
liability to despair. Entire Independence and
Imagination seem essential to
heir vitality. and when these attributes are
ubdued and cowed by the obvious superiority
4 an intruding race, as by the white man
hey seem to give up the wish to live.
o lose even tho capacity Tor living. This hope
essness has been clearly, traced in all the
soldiers engaged in expeditions for
which they have had no heart. 1t seems to
ave been especially strong in the Maoris who.
q their prime, were proud. Imaginative peo-
lie. full Of the love OF poetry and story. and Of
ride In the achievements OF their tribes.
Iopelsssness and heartbreak. one must con-
Jude from the remarkable essays by Chief
,pirana Turupu Ngata. is the melancholy tx.