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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 11, 1900)
0 TilE ILLUSTRATED BEE. November 11, 1000. Fair Maori Women- Some Strange Customs Tlum ruiiH Hit) chant Hint used to bo sung hy tlio MnorlH (if New Zealand nt the naming of a fomalu child: "May she bo Industrious In cultivating tlio ground, In searching for hIhjII IIhIi, III WO.'IVlllg KMI'IIICIltH, lu weaving ornamental mats. May hIio ho strong to carry burdens." 'I'hat Ih (hi! corl of hclpmcul thai thu Maori woman was expected to ho to hur husband In thu old ihiyH. In this respect curious to know how old ago will treat sometimes exchanged husbands. Thu old colonists Htul tlio historians of those times report that onco u woman wns married In fidelity was ruro so long as Bho wub well treated (from tlio Maori point of view) and had children. In thu reverse caso vlrtuo was far from common, Just as young girls blankets and thu trinkets of polished green- b(-''oru wnrrlnKu enjoyed much more than stone, dogs' teeth, boars' tuskB. pollshud ropomi lreedom without reproach, shells and feathers, In which my friends Yot lhuro aro Bomo dainty romances told delighted to he photographed. Hut with ,,y 1,10 transmitters of legends lu thu soft all this the Maori girls possess so undo- Soulh Ht'u uveulngs. hovers of legendary nlahlo a charm that not oven the lines of loro wlH 11,1,1 I'ltorustlng the graceful tale inttoolng that still ornament the chltm of of 1,10 wooing of "I"" 'Moa and Tutaiiekal. somo of them, though thu practice Is no 1K'ru 0110 luar,,H ot lho HUrpuHsliig beauty longer a common one with this generation. of 1,10 ,I,al(lt! 1111,0 Moa aU(1 l,cr confession can spoil It It is said that one or two "f loVo 'or 11,0 'ow-born Tutuuekal, which Maori belles have nmrrlc.1 titi..M. (in.. Ih 111111 ll,,,,(1 !u count scarce uring nim- tht) lufiliigi'iiicnts of civilization, Chris tian churchcH, government schools, havo donu little to Improve her lot In life. Maori women aro still the hewers of wood ami drawers of water for their husbands, at them, for it 1b then that Maori women de teriorate Into the most hideous of eren tures. Whether that may be thu result of the hard ami ungrateful lives they live In New Zealand nnd might be modlllcd by r ' I uelf to bellevo even after receiving the con llrniatory squeeze of the hand; of how she swam across the lake of Uotorua to Join him when all of the canoes had been hidden because of the suspicions of hor friends, and then of how shu coyly sum moned her lover and coiiuuitlshly hid her self that he might not Hud her too quickly. To this day her descendants along thu uhuro of thu laku tell thu tale of Mine Mou'b beauty mid chant thu Hues of thu soft poem. Mutiy of thu curious old Maori customs are dying out. Cannibalism has not been practiced for half a century. The present religion of the Maoris Is a sort of Chris tianity Inexplicably Intermingled with an cient tribal forms and riles. Few ot thu .Mauris now tattoo their faces, a custom formerly uuiversal. One occasionally sees an old and orthodox chief or high man whoso face is covered with thu curves, spirals and other designs denoting no mean degree ot artistic ability. It was rulher u serious business, this tattooing, and the operation usually extended over months. One chief, who was in a hurry to attain thu desirably llerco aspect ihut was sup posed to terrify thu enemy and win the hearlB of women, undertook to havo tli whole scheme ot decoration Mulshed In on day, but his courugu was greater limn hit stamina, for he died under thu knife. in former times these highly ornamented heads were greutly prized as war trophies Among thu English adventurers who eunu- MAUHI CHIEF WITH FACE CAHVlNdS MAOUI TEMPLE. least when the) are old. When they aro iilto another sort of existence Is a prob young there's a dllfeiuiico. If tlio Maori loin that 1 have never seen demonstrated, girl works lu the Holds nowadays (Indoor In the old days Maori chiefs ami freemen seivlro bho refuses as dcuruding) It Is to wuro permitted to have several wives and numbers have remained about stationary, suhenio that 1 had nut trieC with dis- bul this reckoning includes halfbreeds in cotmiglng results. 1 was on lie point of thu count. Insanitary conditions of lit- resigning every hope of preserving m keuii the death rate up to mi equality with girlhood's throat and waist line when my the birth rale family physician guaranteed to cure me. Theso .Maoris might be rich If they choose of course he regulated my diet. Ex- to leaso or cultivate their rich lands, but tussive Hush Is invailably the consequence 11 UUIVIIUIHIO " -tiV .... ..... I I. I I.I I I ,l to thu Islands In thu early days a ghastl) "' 'u " "' -..., c. ..u-..e... or uigcstivo irregularity, tnoiign oiio nia trade developed in thu heads. Sometimes I'U"I'l nnd aro content to dig kauri gum, nol bc, scslblu of malassimilatlon, and as much as iJL'O was paid for a specimen, f" Blwo ,t'ur brU8h f Uiu whites. aown on ,cco or ,,a,)or hu HOl Usl ,,, which went to somo museum or collection rllu bt,uuly ot th, wo,,,lu" ,-usult? " foods 1 could out, with an equally careful in Europe. Of course, these heads were "larrlaSL's us well as less formal alliances catalogue of thoiio that were to be avoided, supposed to be obtained In fair and open wl t'' whites, and It Is to hu feared sweetB, cream, bakers1 bread, potatoes. wiirfiuu between lho tribes, lint It Ih u nm m u, lra. p,0(is, grapes, peaclies, Danaillih. procure thu means of buying new drcBsca thu possession of a suitable assortment was ouestion whether thu ready market did not sI'1l,uII(I aboriginal type will be hard to pjumH heels, carrots, ground artichokes. or honnulB aflur thu fashion of hur white, supposed to intiientu dignity ami greatness, result In prlvutu unterprn.es of decapi- ""u- slstors, or ribbons ami laces, uven on oc- tho inothur of thu Hrst born ranking ns union. Judge Miming, in his "Old Now ii . , n i i;i i casion stockings and shoes. Thuy aru prutty bead wife, tho others remaining lltllu hot- Zealand," rulatcs a conversation which ho uo" l" lVCUUCL I lCSIl and bowltchlng bomo of thusu modern Maori ter than slaves. As a rule there was no hud wlth a "imkuna inorl," or naturalized "Ulvo mo u woman who Is not tho slave girls with their natural graco and beauty distinctive mariiago rite. Uirls iib thoy wliltu man, who had a collection of these of tho bou-bou, soda water and chicken flush, unspoiled and Just alluringly tinctured K'u" up oesioweti iiivors on wnum muy numun relics. puto habit, and, bu hur wuighl what it with thu splcu of European coiiiutry. t luncheon 1 was allowed to eat eggs or fish or a weo bit of roast fowl with butter less bread; green salad minus oil or cream lu the dressing and a plain boiled green oatmeal, green vegetables cooked lu cream and water with meals were all nbsoliilcl.. prohibited. One cup of coll'ee with milk in it, some whole wheat bread, one egg and an oiaugo was what he gave mu for my breakfast, alternated with Hsh, toast and pleased and tho more suitors thoy had tho "'Looking at tho eds. sir?' it was ono i.mv. rn lmimi.hu..,. not ..niv t.. rid .....I 'M'l'le when 1 cried out for ti change. Hear tho enthusiasm of a stolid Hrltoii """ aiuuuio wuro wiuj olcouiiicii. wiiuu f tho pakuhn formerly mentioned. 'Yes,' euro her of superiluous llesh, but mako her over them. Mr. Hay, author ot Hrlghtor a Kill hud n preferenco for ono suitor tho aa t turning 'round Just tho least pos- as lean mid healthy us u hound lu the Hiituln." wrltcB: matter usually ended hy her going homo 8lU thing quicker than tho ordinary. 'Kds process." "Hrluhl and cheerful, neat and eomuly. with him and tlio two lived iib mull and wife. ilns ,uun ,t gutting scarce.' says ho. '1 That In what tho woman in the naiine pleusuiit partners at u bush ball mo theso M(-' were Hometinies known to curry off should think so,' says I. 'We ain't nd n velvet gown said to her friend when they vegetable, seasoned with salt, for dinner half anglicized daughters of tho Nguto- lrl ' forcu wllu "cr relatlvcB objected L.,i this long time,' says ho. 'Tho devil.' met while out calling thu other day. 1 took clams, oysters, Hsh without suuco, wluitua. Thuy can prattlo prettllv in thulr l" tllulr unl""' 111,(1 0,1 tl,u olllur nnn(1 ay I- 'Ono o' them eds has been hurt Tho friend looked reproachfully over her rt'('11 vegetables, salad dressed with salt soft Maori English, whllo thulr glancing wouion sonietlmes committed Btilcldu to )a,i(' BuyH he. 'I should think all wuro trlplu chins at tho puunu velvet gown uud 11,1(1 vinegar, a scrap of pretty well done uyes and saucy lips are provoking the by "vol(1 llvl,1 wltu "wu ,wl,0, thy tBHId. nithor so,' says 1. 'Oh, no, only ono ou remarked. "I suppose that's a Joke, or, if buL'f' whuu 1 wearied of Ilsh, and apples or no means loo hard hearts of I'akeha (whlto) Occasionally there would be a family con- ,.,, Bays i,o; 'tho skull Is split and It you uro going to advunco somo such ad- oranges for dessert. I was allowed celery, biishnien. Then would you appreciate thu 0 "vo OV('r "10 ,r,;lllKo "f " woman, the won't fetch nothln',' says ho. 'Oh, murdor! vlco as skipping rope, running a carput n((Haies, olives, salt Ilsh, plenty of gluten charn.B of our Maori belles, under the In- l'lllur, " llc1' "as long-wlndud I see, now,' says I. 'Kds was wurry scarce.' sweeper or walking twice a day to tho urt,a(1- without butter, a little wine, hut lluonco of music uud thu tlanco. supple forms l,w,' 1V 11,0 rothora of tho bride, who, saya he, shaking his own 'ed. 'Ah,' said top of a ten-story building, pleuso don't. not n crumb (,f ca,!U- 1,(lt H,,Kar llll,,n' 1,01 uud graceful motions, scented hair uud Mower wreaths, smiles and sparkling eyes, tho graces of nature not wholly lost under tho polish of civilization. A SI it or I Utile, "l'ro-einlnent among the young women of Tnnoa Is Hukope, princess of tho Ngato lu any case, were the ones to bo consulted, j. "rhey had to tattoo a slave a bit aco.' fv.. m-Ip.i .hi ti, , n u ,t .r,...lv. t,,t a drop of soup and not a taste of water. tho parents having Utile to say lu tho mat- says ho, 'and tho villain ran away, tat- on them, as well as losing a good digestion "0no aI1(1 a "a'f or two hours after each tor. It sometimes happened that n girl tooln" and nil!' says he. 'What?' said I. and lots of vuluablu time. Kemudles for 0,1 f my frugal meals I was told to drench would ho betrothed (tapu) to a muii lu her 'Doited afore ho was lit to kill,' BtiyB ho. women of your waist measure, which I chastened stomach with long draughts Infancy, but as u rule thoy seem to huvu 'Stole off with his own head?' saya I. should guess to bo about twenty-two Inches, of perfectly pure water, neither cold nor had qultu as much to do with thulr own That's Just It,' says he. 'Capital felony!' can hardly apply to mo. I doubt If you ll0t. bl,t n temperature of about 08, fates in this respect us have our Amorlcuu says I. 'You may Buy that, air.' says ho. over weiehed m..r.. n,,... i!tr. nn...,.i0 i ,.n and under ualn of Increaslm: weinht I whatuii. Sho Is ii beauty, our Hakopo, and K'r'H of t0llay- '(loot! morning Bald I, and wnlkcd away your life." directed to walk four miles a day, a more, sho Is goo.l us she Is beautiful. Ilur ""o was oven an easier penormunco pretty smartly. 'Loose notions about In "Two years ago," solemnly averred tho ln0 "lorc 1 lk(-,(1. but not u half a mile color Is a soft dusky brown, under which Jn" "'""lago. Thu dlssatlslled husband tills country,' said I to myself." paiino velvet's owner, "1 tipped tho beam k'Bs. u I lioita to ho saved from a fat you can see tho blood warming her dimpled lla' ,0 l,l,t tho wlfo out of doors, after It Ih u question whether this rnco of stni- at 17 pounds, with tho brightest prospect ,1,I(1("c aKo- cheeks. Her figure Is purfectlon'B self, wlllcl1 'l mx ",wVl 'or "' other man to w,,rt nnd beautiful people Is not dying of running rapidly up to tho liuO mark. I "Tho conditions looked hard, but tho rlpoand round and full, whllo every move- "J0 1,ur: or did divorce operate to tho ,r. Vrom 1840 to 1870 their numbers fell had n long line of fat grandmothers ahead doctor was llrm nnd I was ambitious for a ment rhows some new giaco and more ,,n""' "bV ul " umii m io.uuu. ainco men tnoir ot mu nnd there was not a Hesh-eraslng twenty-two-Inch waist, so after a little futllu pleading for softer terms of self denial I went seriously Into training. 1 was ndvlbcd to take my exercise in tho morning and I agreed. Kvcry day, rain or shino, and In splto of clamorous committees and tyrannical ilrcbsmakers, 1 rose from tho breakfast table, arrayed In my short skirt, and tramped off tho four miles. Coming homo 1 sat down and spent fifteen minutes drinking a full pint and a hnlf ot water that had been boiled and set awny In a bottle to cool, or I took Saratoga Klssongen ono day and Vlchey tho next. "Hy my wutih I timed myself for the potations tluu after luncheon nnd dinner and 1 am proud to say I never missed the two brimming goblets. "After two mouths of this treatment I began to feel distinctly slimmer. On weighing I found I had lo3t only Hve pcuiids, my gowns were as tight of flt us cvei nnd my chin as richly luxuriant. That war n discouraging outlook, but I grasped nf,nln nt hope, when the doctor undo mo go on. 'It will tako you till of a year and a half,' ho said, 'to got rid not only of tho accumulated fat, but to corroct tho tendency of your digestive system to convert four fifths of everything you eat Into loose masses of fat.' "I took henrt of grnco; tedious ns tho process wns, 1 kept on, nnd now I feel freo to say that tho reason nine-tenths of the stout women fall In their endeavors to removo their llesh Is becnuso they demand immediate rownrds for their efforts, nnd finding they do not hecomo nppreclnhly thinner In n month or six weeks, rolapso to n normal diet or grasp nt somo now devlcu for reduction. "I grimly determined I would seo the euro out, and my determination was strengthened, first by tho do.-tor's assur anco that the slow process of reduction Is tho ono nnd only ono thnt neither In jures tho digestion nor wrinkles the skin." seductive curve. Her rich brown hair reaches far below her slender waist, uud when It la dressed with crimson pohu tnknwa blossoms, the orange Mowers ot tho kowhalngutu kit kit or the soft, downy whlto feathers that the Maoris prize, It would compel the admiration ot any London draw ing room. Her features may not bo Grecian, hut what professional beauty of London can compare with our Hakopo ns sho Is, glowing with the rich warm color, the subtle dclU-utics of form and nil the luxuri ant beauty that is burn between tho South sen anil the sun'.' "To bear Itakopo slug Is to believe in the sirens, to ehnt with her uud receive her looks uud smiles Is to be the victim of n gentle wlti In raft. Oh. Hukope. 1 hopo yon will somu day marry a pakoliu ruugutlru (whlto gentleman) and endow him with your 10,000 acres." Heautiful us the Maori Hakopo undeniably Is, sho commonly dresses In n calico frock -and nothing else unless It Is a straw hut. Her llounces and ribbons are not always new or fresh when sho Is costumed In tho latest Auckland iiiodrH for church. If sho tlons silk stockings ami tight slippers for the dunce she does so with Infinite pain and kicks them oft at her earliest oppor tunity to smoke a comfortable black pipe with somo of the ugliest of thu old women of her tribe, and. moreover, lu her home, which Is smoky beyond tho peradvonturo of a doubt, probably smelly, possibly dirty, sho commonly wears nothing more than an old nutlvo blanket and would feel not the slightest shamo wuro It to slip to the ground before you. Ior she 1b a child of nature nnd free from nrtlfitinl standards, like one of nature's fearless nnd splendid animals. Maori nature does not change. Tho ac quired veuuer of Kuropcun civilization Is at best but skin deep nnd tho girls, one uud ull, still treasure tho native tuttud m f ( IlKAUTIFUL MAOHI OIHL, WITH PACK TATTOOING AND FULL COSTUME. MAOHI HELLB.