The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-12-22

lldo AlduC d SOOu
thing out of being a guide and
preserving the customs and folklore
of her people at Rotorua. Rotorua
Is the Yellowstone National Park of
North Island, New Zealand,
must" stop for every tourist and
just a few hours drive from Auck-
land. All the U. s. troops stationed
in New Zealand who have been
given leaves to visit Rotorua know
Rangi. Anyone has ever been there
to see the hot springs and the gey-
Sers knows Rangi. It's impossible
to miss her.
LEADER OF TOURS
When a party arrives at the re-
sort, Rangi takes charge. She
speaks excellent English, with a
| typical New Zealand accent She
organizes the half dozen women
who sing the native Maori songs
and do the traditional Maori
dances. They all wear the gaudy
old Maori dress-with western civ
ilization shoes and stockings in cold
weather-and Rangi explains all
about the feather capes and the
bead work. It's a good show, with
no more than the usual amount of
| tourist corn.
When it's time to get dinner, the
native women take their pot of
beans out to some convenient
f1ssure from which steam is seeping,
and set the pot over the natural
double boiler till the stew Is done.
The washing is done on the same
principle - just by dunking the
clothes in a hot spring till clean.
For bathing, there are convenient
pools of cold spring water right next
to pools of steaming hot water, so
you can soak in the latter and
finish off in the former, and the
native Maoris do. Rangi explains
the works.
Today, practically none Of the
Maori people go in for this beaded
headdresS with feathers stuck in it,
such as Rangi was wearing for the
nose rubbing picture with Mrs.
Roosevelt. The Maori people are
among the Smartest of the Polyne-
slams, having an 7. @. on a par with
the best of the HawaiianS. They're
fare above the average of the other
Pacific islanders.
MAORIS GOOD CITIZENS
In New Zealand the Maoris are
we'll educated, make good farmers,
good citizens and good soldiers and
take place right alongside the
white folks in New Zealand bus
mess, government and life. They
have complete economic and social
freedom, and there has been con-
siderable intermarriage with the
whites. The Maoris are tremendous
ly proud. Maoris in the New Zea-
land divisions in the Middle East
campaigns fought bravely, right
along with the best of the Anzacs.
There are about 10000 Maoris on
the islands today, and most of them
consider it bit quaint to get dolled
up in the old native costumes.
Rangi still does because it's good
racket for her, particularly in the
tourist season. Being an authority
on Maori customs, she has travelled
far afield, giving lectures on the ma
tive folklore. In way, she's kind
of an Eleanor Roosevelt of her peo-
pie, and when she rubbed noses
with Mrs. Roosevelt-well, it was a
good gag, but the two gals have a
lot in common, even if Rangi's old
aunt does have the most beautiful
purple tattooed chin you ever saw.
Rangi has organized concert COM
panies and taken them on tour, 60
ing once to Australia. She has
made recordings of Maori songs.
There used to be great rivalry be-
tween Rangi and another of the
women guides at Rotorua, over
who would conduct royalty about
the place. Rangi apparently won
Mrs. Roosevelt. And about this
nose rubbing business, it's nose
pressing, not nose rubbing, and the
Maoris consider it much more san
itary than kissing, and, come to
think of it, maybe it is.
What it really is, is touching
foreheads''. indicating the meeting
of minds. The fact that noses touch
is supposed to be- just incidental.