The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-08-30

Auckland, \. z, Aug. 6. 1907.
We returned Saturday afternoon.
Aug. 5, after fine trip of ten days
from Auckland TO Rotorua. wairakei
and Taupo in the North Islands of \.
z. We went by railroad, stage coach
and lakes, journey of over 500 miles
altogether. I shall try 10 give YOU
few lines about some of the sights we
saw. 1 enjoyed it all SO much L shall
always be glad to talk about it.
There were many Maori villages
through which We passed and We were
glad to see 50 much of the people. The
Maori people do not live in the cities
much but mostly out in the country
on their own lands, caring for their
own fOeks of sheep and cattle or farm
ing products. These people look Just
like the Hawaiians and talk much ike
them Only the women tattoo. general
Iy on the lips and on down TO the chin.
Their language is very similar. many
of the words being written, spelled. pro-
nOuneed and of the same meaning. OF
course much of it is different. but any
Hawaiian could soon learn it. The
Maori is very much infested in Ha-
waii, calling it Hawaiiki. They all
claim that their forefathers came from
Hawaiiki and are quite proud of it. and
anything 1 could say about Hawaiians
coming from New Zealand or otherwise
they would not listen to or accept.
One day while at Rotorua I took a
boat and went over the lake OF the
same name to the island of Mokoia in
the middle of the lake to see what they
call their "god" from Hawaiiki, and
they tell long story of how their fore
fathers brought it over TO the Maori
land some 600 years ago in one OF the
larger war canoes. They have it set up
on cement stand in separate house
by itself and charged me 25 cents to
see it. This is the usual fee charged
at many of the shows and sightseeing
places in New Zealand. The god is a
stone figure of a large person in sit
ting posture with its hands elasped in
front OF it. There is hole in the back
of its neck and shoulders used in former
days, and even now at times, to put in
piece of the kum-u-ra (sweet potato)
at the time of planting to secure a good
crop, and they still claim that when
they continue this practice they never
fan of good crop even though the
adjoining lands may be suffering from
drought. l examined their "potato
god" very closely, putting my hands
on it, and must say it looked and felt
just like the sandstone of Waianae.
Still l have my doubts about its com
ing from Hawaii in the way they say
their fathers brought it here. 1t is a
large piece of stone about 600 to 500
pounds, and to bring it in a canoe with
men, water and food for so long a voy-
age, is hard to believe. Yet such a
thing might have been done. / know
much is said of the great things that
the old natives did in former years and
/ may have to accept this wonderful
act as one Of them.
One Sunday, July %, my daughter
Margaret and / attended the dediea-
tional sevices Of new church building
6Ox3O in size, built by the Maoris at
Maurea On the banks of the Oahu chan
mel joining the Rotorua and Rotoriti
lakes This channel Is a beautiful run
Of water full of large fish passing from
lake to lake at all times. Fish are
plentiful here but no one Is allowed to
catch them at this time of the year.
and only in summer by paying a license
to the government They fish during
September to April, the summer months
IN this country. Even then they can
only catch what they want to eat or
give away. At no time can any one sell
fsh caught in any of the lakes and riv-
ers Of New Zealand. Fish are only sold
that are caught in the ocean. Under
these circumstances and on account Of