Tu-hinga | TranscriptTranscript: Apakaroa
Hepetema 11 1877
Kia Henare Matua.
E hoa tena koe te noho mai na i runga i nga mahi i maharatia i era atu ra kua pahure ake nei a ma te Atua koutou e tiaki e atawhai heoi te mihi.
E ta kua tae mai tau reta i tuhia mai e koe i te 29 Akuhata e mea ana a te Kupu a te Kawana ka hinga ia me tana pira ae he mea tena kua kiia kia au i era ra atu i kiia i mua he tau taka ringaringa tenei na maua ko te Kawana hei tau hoki e puta ai to te maori korero i enei ra kua waiho atu e au ta maua taka ringaringa ki taku hoa ka whatoro ahau ki Kahuranaki hei taka ringaringa hoki maku me Tamaki hoki.
E hoa e noho mohio ana ahau i enei ra e puta ana nga whakaatu o nga ra e mahi mai nei koutou kia au. Mo te kupu whakaae a te Kawana mo nga tono o era atu tau kia rongo mai koe ki ta aku kupu me kaua e whakaaetia e koutou taua whakaae a te Kawanatanga no te mea kua ki au i mua kia koutou kia kaua e tukua he mahi ma taua kawana me te Kaunihera e puta ano ta aku kupu i mua kia kaua e mahia tera mahia taua kawana e tatou a i runga i nga tono a nga Iwi Maori kia tu hei mema he kupu ano taaku
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i runga i tera mahi a nga iwi nei ki tonu ahau kaua rawa koe e puta ki runga ki tera mahi a te Kawanatanga ahakoa nui nga whakahe mo to kore e puta ki taua mahi kihai au i pai no te mea kia au hoki kaua rawa tatou e tango ki nga mahi o taua Kawanatanga ahakoa he aha te mahi ahakoa mahi iti mahi nui ranei no te mea kei runga i nga kupu whakaae te ara o te mate mo tatou
heoi te mea e mau ana i roto i a au ko te mate a te kawana e ngau nei i Aotearoa koia ahau e korero nui ai i mua kia kati tonu he mahi ko te motu nei.
Heoi aku kupu kia koutou.
E hoa kia kaha rawa ta koutou mahi ka pena tonu te ahua o taua Kawana ma koutou e titiro i te mutnga o ta koutou mahi kia au ia e kore rawa ia e penei me nei ra ona kua pahure ake nei.
Na Apiata HungahungaWhakamāoritanga | TranslationApakaroa
September 11, 1877
To Henare Matua
Friend, greetings to you as you continue with the matters that were considered in recent past days. May God protect and care for you all.
That concludes the greeting.
My friend, I received your letter dated August 29 about the crown's failed proposal. I already knew this would happen, the crown representative and I had come to an understanding about it. Now is an important time for Maori to have their say. I've told my friend about our agreement, and I'm planning to make similar arrangements with Kahuranaki and Tamaki.
I see clearly what is happening and what you're trying to achieve. But listen carefully, the crown has responded to our previous requests, but you must not accept their terms. Remember my earlier warning about avoiding involvement with the crown and council. I repeat, we must not participate in their systems. And about the tribes wanting to take positions as members, I have thoughts
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on this too, about our tribes getting involved. I firmly say, do not participate in government affairs. I know you have faced criticism for keeping your distance, but I support your stance. We cannot involve ourselves in any government business, no matter how small or large it may seem. To accept their arrangements is to walk a path that will destroy us.
I am haunted by how colonial power continues to consume our land. This is why I have spoken so strongly about ending all engagement with their systems here.
That concludes my words to you all.
Keep your position firm, for the crown's behaviour hasn't changed. Think carefully about where your actions will lead, I believe the future will be much harder than what we have experienced so far.
