Las Vegas optic., 1914-11-30
RAWEIS TELL OF
THEIR LANDS
GLORIES
NEW ZEALANDERs DESCRIBE
MORE RECENT ATTAlNMENTs
OF HOME COUNTRY

i Clad III lu6 queer DuI picturesque
costume of the native Maoris, the
Raweis, three gifted Polynesians, pre-
lsented remarkable picture Saturday
night at the Duncan opera house of
the transition Of New Zealand from
savagery to culture. They took their
audience back to so years ago when
the tribes led the wild life of sayages,
to the present day when municipal
ownership of public utilities in the
New Zealand cities makes them the
best governed and most up to date In
the world.
The lecture was given as the second
| in series under the auspices Of the
lY. M. G. A. The audience was en-
thusiastic over the presentation in
music, song and story Of the South
Sea islanders life. The setting was
superb, for there were primitive cos
tunes galore, curios of rare interest
and colored photos which gave one a
fair conception of the marvellous is
land scenery.
Mr.. Rawei, the prIncfpaI lecturer of
the trio, was born in the wilds of
northern New Zealand among the most
savage people, but at the age of IL an
English woman of wealth adopted him
ard educated him and he was gradu
ated with honors from Christ Church
University. His wife, Hine Taimoa, is
fine Maori type, and she also de-
scribed the life Of her native people.
In opening his lecture Mr. Rawei
took his audience back to the happy,
outdoor life of the islanders half
century ago; lie presented pictures Of
the beautiful streams, the great water
falls and the wonderful geysers which
shoot up 600 or more feet with a fear
ful roar.
Then the three Raweis sang a canoe
chorus, their arms swinging in grace
ful accompaniment as they padded
an imaginary canoe down the stream.
Suddenly the picture changes; the
Maoris abandoning their love Of peace,
thirsting for savage war. The weird
chant begins, followed by incantations
which reminds one not a little Of the
primitive American indian about 10
swing his tomahwk in battle Fiercer
and fiercer the incantations grow un-
til the crash OF attack is reached,
and then one can almost see the saw
ages hurting themselves desperately
against the enemy.
Marvellous, indeed, were the colored
photographs shown Of the islands de-
scribed by the poet as
Those Ieafy isles upon the ocean
thrown,
Like studs of emerald Ger a silver
zone"
The pictures were followed by views
OF the city Of Auckland today, city
which owns it's own trolleys and car
ries boys and girls to school without
charge; a city which runs its own pub
lie utilities and, according to the lee
turer, runs them for the benefit of the
people who pay the taxes.
Following the lecturer many in the
audience accepted the invitation to
inspect the curios and costumes which
were on the stage and many maryeled
at the sight of garments made of
bark and wood hammered flat and
held together by the stick sap Of the
native trees.
The third number or the lyceum
course will follow right on the heels
OF the second. The Y. M. G. A. already
has announced that the next enter
tainment will take place on Monday
December z This number will CON
sist of the Killarney Girls. Rita Rich
and six other girls from Erin will ap-
pear in some exceptionally fine sing
ing and dancing, portraying the ia
nous folklore Of old ireland.
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