Evening star., 1943-12-13
Maori Princess Fetes G.|.'s
In Role Like Mrs. Rooseve|t's

he is much nearer to the Polynesian
of New Zealand
In the canoe house stand on
blocks, two big red war canoes or
Wakataua, covered with intricate te
red scrolls. These bear curious re-
semblance to the spirals which are
the root of ancient Greek temple
and vase designs. When she holds
a regatta the princess has the canoes
somewhat prosaically hauled down
to the river with an American farm
tractor.
Each canoe is about 70 feet long,
much bigger than the ordinary waka
or fishing canoe. A hundred paddlers
send the Wakataua sweeping along
the cold mountain waters of the
Waikato.
Princess Is Land Hungry.
The Princess. like all Maoris. is
land hungry. She has many mouths
to feed. She supplies tons of pump
kins, potatoes and kumuras to mill
tary camps, and would like to sell
more. To do so she must have more
land for the ~ families that live
under her tutelage She has her
eye on some 1893 acres in single
place which she could acquire if, as
she has been trying to 90, she could
sell to a museum one of her war
canoes for $1,000, about S22 500. The
Princess is realiSt, and want land
more than regattas.
When influenza swept the valley
OF the WaikatO in the heart of the
north island Maori country, TIE Puea
came back to this land of dark fir.
green paddock and cold swift
streams which she loved. The gov
ernment had contiscated the land.
But her grandfather TaWhiao had
made a prophecy: Here shall l
build up my race and the grand
daughter took over the fulflIment
OF the pledge.
The parents of many Maori chill
dren died in the postwar influenza
epidemic. TIE Puea gave the orphans
a home. Her people had loved the
land ever since her canoe. Tai Nul.
a name as meaningful to her as the
MayfloWer to New Englander.
brought h@ forefathers from the
tabled island Of Havaiki. now known
to be Identical with Raiate2 in the
Society Islands.
Brought up Orphans.
She brought up the orphans. Most
of them loved her and all respected
her. A few drifted off to the cities.
taking their lot with the landless
industrial workers in urban tene-
ments. Some stayed and accepted
her code.
The farm was paid for by digging
OF gum in the fields. Princess TIE
Puea once received a British lord in
her gum boots.
Her lessons of hard work still goes
on. Her people are still paying half
the cream checks from their dairies
10 the government to meet the mort
gage on their land. The present
labor government, according to Te
Puea, despite it's predominantly
urban and industrial connections.
has been more interested in the good
OF the Maori (aS the Maori sees it,
than conservative governments of
the Nationalist party.
Out in the yard behind the big
hall where the Americans feasted
couple of nights ago, one can see
Stlll hanging the blackened potato
bags and heavy clothes redolent of
food that were used to cover the
feaSts. 1t was baked Polynesian
style. in a hangi, or oven in the
ground. AfterWard there were canoe
hurdllng races, with laughter as the
gay brown men of Ngaruawahi
toppled into the water. Now that is
over. and the Princess is hard at
work making the farm produce
another feast for the Americans.
American Movies.
Even the British military mission
under Maj. Gen. J. S. Lethbridge
to visit her and try her earth
baked pig and Waikato grapes.
And perhaps some of these mill
AIRY men, like one American CORE
Spondent. may have mediated on
The Maoris as they crossed the bridge
leaving the Pa OF the Princess and
stopped in front of the cinema house
IN the white village nearby.
Two films were to be shown there
that evening. Their titles told the
story of the melange that is New
Zealand culture today. and the inner
oewilderment that must take possess
sion OF the Maori, The descendants
Of the great canoes OF tabled Havaiki
were to see Home in Wyoming"
and THE Mayor of 44th Street"
For Maori who lives under the
matriarchal system of the TIE Puea
and goes to American movies at
night, it must be pretty difficult to
hgure out where the world is going.
tcopyriEht 1a43 Chicago Daily News,