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The Maori: Yesterday and To-day

Games Ancient and Modern

Games Ancient and Modern.

In these days the games of cards, billiards, and other fascinating pastimes introduced by the pakeha have displaced most of the old Maori village games, and the foxtrot and the infinite variety of weird dance-hall contortions are a feature of the social gatherings in the kainga. Maori string orchestras and Maori choirs delight many a pakeha audience as well as their own folk with their perfect expression of the soul of music.

Waikato half-caste girl, in dancing costume, old style, in wharepuni entertainments.

Waikato half-caste girl, in dancing costume, old style, in wharepuni entertainments.

page 204

At Rotorua an endeavour was made some years ago to revive some of the old Maori games which had almost been forgotten, and some of these amusements are now reproduced in the popular entertainments given by the tribesfolk of Ohinemutu and Whakarewarewa. One of these interesting games of other days is the titi-torea (originally titi-to-uré), in which short sticks are thrown with bewildering deftness from player to player, to the accompaniment of a lively rhythmic chant. An example of these songs may be heard on the gramophone now. Another game is matimati, played with the open hands by two people sitting opposite each other; it is a trial of mental and manual quickness.