LOOKING BACK AT THE
MAORI RECEPTIONS

The 17,500 Maoris, young and old, who attended the special Maori receptions to the Queen, did not go back to a few days of life in the Stone Age; they went to salute their Queen as modern, educated citizens of a modern State. Yet they preferred to greet the Queen with their ancient ceremonial.

This was not merely from racial pride. It was because they really had something different from the pakeha manner, and yet something singularly appropriate to the occasion. For such a welcome the Maori has a ceremonial that is subtle, dignified and appropriate. It is indeed, a remnant of a Stone Age culture when the visits of prominent chiefs were the greatest events of life, but this feeling towards guests and visitors did not disappear with the stone adzes; the plain fact is that the Maori can still express feelings of joy at the coming of a Royal visitor, through song and dance, with an artistry quite different from the ceremonial of the pakeha.

To honour the Queen many thousands of Maoris returned for a few days to their ancient culture: organized in tribes, they rallied at Waitangi, Ngaruawahia, and Rotorua.

Many came from the big towns or cities on December 28. At Waitangi the Queen was entertained by groups of performers from Auckland, Whangarei and Helensville. Many of these young men and women were born in country districts where the Maori way of life still to some degree exists.

But economic circumstances attracted them to the cities to find a home and make their way in various occupations. From day to day they work to adapt themselves more and more to the city and pakeha way of life, yet even these people never completely lose contact with their traditional culture. The Orakei and Mangere groups, mostly born and bred in Auckland, are still held together by their tribal ties; and, helped by their leader, Mr Nau Paraone Kawiti Puriri, they meet regularly to train themselves in Maori dancing. They were invited to Waitangi and, about 50 strong, performed most creditably before the Queen. More difficult is the problem for the many city-dwellers whose tribal ties are severed, who have no clear-cut leadership, and have lost contact with the traditional culture. Of these people, 150 performed before the Queen under the modern tribal name of Ngati Akarana.

Unfortunately, their training period of six weeks had been a little short, but this very importane occasion showed that the traditional culture still had a grip on them. With good handling by the Auckland leaders maybe this grip will be retained, and these people will thus be given a greater sense of identity and security. If it could come to pass, this would be a fine result of the Royal Visit. Joined with the Ngati Akarana were the people from Whangarei and Helensville, who had, for some time before the Royal Visit, Maori dance groups training and performing regularly, although this, too, had been a revival of arts previously long dead in these districts.

About 3000 Maoris, including many schoolchildren, saw the Queen at Waitangi. Of these, 1000 stayed under marquees at the camp, and lived in the old Maori style for two days or more. The dances they performed before the Queen were all traditional dances, although very simple ones and well-known among experts.

HENARE TOKA
Henare Toka, photographed prior to forming the challenge before the Queen at Waitangi. Mr Toka is not only a wero expert, but also a noted carver, and the three challenge sticks in his hand were carved by him. They represent Tangaroa, Tu, and Rangi-and-Papa, and were laid, respectively, before Her Majesty, His Royal Highness and the Prime Minister.
(Photo: National Publicity Studios)