--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Hardy, Rufus K. collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 11 number: 12 published: 1908-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Hardy, Rufus K., "Salute No Man by the Way," *Improvement Era* 11, no. 12 (October 1908): 953–958.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera11012unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera11012unse start_page: 953 end_page: 958 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1908-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera11012unse publication_year: 1908 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1908, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Salute No Man by the Way "SALUTE NO MAN BY THE WAY." BY PRESIDENT RUFUS K. HARDY OF THE NEW ZEALAND MISSION. After traveling among the Maoris, natives of New Zealand, one is not surprised at the Prophet Elisha, when sending Gehazi to the son of the Shunamite woman, commanding him to "Salute no man by the way." And again, when Christ sent forth the seventy, we find this same strange command, "Salute no man by the way." The Maoris, you will understand , are descendants of Israel . Transporting the Company Overland. 954 IMPROVEMENT ERA. How do we know? Well, about six hundred years, B.C., Lehi, an Israelite, and his colony left Jerusalem, and by the power of God were led to a land of promise, America. Several hundred years after their landing in America, one Hagoth built ships and set sail on the great ocean now called the Pacific Ocean. According to history, some of these were no more heard of until we trace through tradition their landing at Hawaiki. From Hawaiki the Maoris' forefathers came to New Zealand, in large canoes. They had not with them the sacred records of Israel, but customs and traditions were handed down from generation to generation, consequently we do not wonder at finding many Israelitish customs among them, and particularly the one of greeting, which explains, "Salute no man by the way." Picture No. 1 shows a company being transported from the landing place to the village which is some miles inland. Upon nearing the pa, or village, a messenger is sent forward with the news that the visitors are approaching. In return the hosts dispatch a member of their own tribe, practically void of clothing, bearing in his hand a token or symbol from his people. Upon approaching the visiting party, he indulges in the old time dance of welcome, together with the pukana which is nothing more nor less than a pulling of the most horrible faces imaginable, a rolling of eyes, and a protruding of the tongue. Children are taught this from their infancy, so that men are past-masters in the art. Then, casting his token at the feet of the visitors, he retreats, always with his face to the visitors and his back to his own tribe until within a short distance of the marae, or village campus. The token, a green branch or bunch of huia feathers, anciently signified peace, love, and good welcome to the visitors; the stone ax, or mere, or piece of flax tied tightly into a knot, on the other hand, meant that differences existed between the tribes which only wise counsel or battle could overcome . The Maori, without a written language, still has a high sense of etiquette and proper decorum, especially towards his visitors, so that their human calling cards, upon state occasions, are just as essential as are embossed and engraved ones. The messenger slowly retreats until lost in the midst of a company of women and girls (Picture No. 2) who approach, wav- "SALUTE NO MAN BY THU WAY." 955 ing green branches and singing the Maori wuafa-songs of welcome, which are accompanied by their lusty and long-drawn out cries of, Haere mail Nau mail The women, still dancing, retreat, and their places are taken by from fifty to one hundred, practically naked men who dance the ancient war dances, and they are many and varied as were their battles, so that each posture and change of attitude is to remind all present of the deeds of valor of their sires, upon occasions which are too well remembered by the now living and peaceful remnant of Maoridom. This welcome ended, portraits of the departed chiefs of the Singing Songs of Welcome. tribe are conspicuously displayed, and the tangi, or wail, is heard. This, from some distance, sounds like the noise numerous mosquitos make in swamps, at night. But when near, it is the most melancholy, sad, and pathetic sound one ever heard. Through the crying come the broken words of anguish for those who have departed. Truly it is as ''Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted." The tangi ended, the chiefs belonging to the village proceed with long and eloquent speeches of welcome, which in turn are answered by the visiting chiefs, after which the people of the village form in line to permit as speedily as possible the real saluta- 956 IMPROVEMENT ERA. tion, or hongi to take place. Very often victuals, and in some instances beds are provided the visitors before this part of the ceremony is reached, depending upon the length of korero, or talk, to be indulged in. The hongi always comes after all matters have been amicably settled, and is the form of salutation handed down for many generations, and consists in the greeting parties clasping right hands and pressing their noses together, strength of the pressure denoting the strength of love, and unless tears from both The Maori Form of Salutation. freely flow, accompanied by low spoken or chanted words of condolence, love and cheer, the greeting is one not characterized by much love. In the case of relatives meeting after a separation, particularly where deaths have occurred during this time, the hongi, or nose pressure, lasts from five to ten minutes with each person. In a line such as you see in Picture No. 3, where there are hundreds of guests to be greeted by hundreds of hosts, the native ''SALUTE NO MAN BY THE WAY." 957 suppresses his strong desire and curbs his overflowing love until the operation is one of from ten to thirty seconds for each individual, and by the time you have pressed noses with two hundred people you can truly say that the injunction, "to greet no man by the way," was a God-given one. Picture No. 4 represents some of the cooking utensils of the Maori. Those in the fore-ground, pots, etc., are modern ones brought to him by the pakeha. They are used mainly for the preparation of foods of a liquid nature. Anciently, his method of procuring hot water was by placing water in a hollowed log, and throwing hot stones into the water until it was the required temperature . The Maori oven, or hangi, is the treasure and gift of his forefathers to him. This method of cooking food is a very successful one, and consists in first digging a pit, the depth of which is governed by the quantity of food required; then placing, properly, wood in the pit so that when ignited it will burn clean and leave nn charred or smoking ends. Upon this wood is placed stones, Maori Cooking Utensils. 958 IMPROVEMENT ERA. which are selected by the Maori for their hardness and heat-retaining qualities. In the picture you will notice there are upon the heap, horse shoes and scrap iron, which the modern Maori finds to answer as well as stones. As the wood burns, the stones fall to the bottom, and when the wood is consumed, are at white heat. Then over the whole is placed a layer of aromatic leaves; then a layer of potatoes; next a layer of meat; then a layer of sweet Products made by the Sisters of the Relief Society. potatoes; then a layer of fish. All this is held in place by flax neatly woven, and which surrounds the pit giving it the appearance of a short smoke-stack. Then, over all this is poured several gallons of water, and the steam thus generated is made, by covering the whole with flax and dirt,'to deliciously cook the meal in such a way that none of its juices or flavors are lost. Picture No. 5 represents work done by sisters of the Relief Society. Aukland, N. Z.