MAORI HUT AT WHANGEREI.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXV, Issue 3650, 31 March 1869, Page 3

MAORI HUT AT WHANGEREI.

We were 1 informed last' evening by Captain Wing, of the s.s. ' Halcyon/'thafra great gathering of Maoris, to the number, of WO, h,ad taken place at Whangarei/ For several days past the 'natives have been flocking, in from all .parts, buying large supplies of food ;iheavy feasting, korerosj and; war dances succeededthe arrival of every fresh' lot. The principal' object 'of the - meeting was carried out on M6nday f namely,; io disinter th» bones of a chief named King/! who died some months ago, and subject them to the ancient Maori btfstom of being picked. The 'operation, is, carried with impressive solemnity, the wildest description of tangi now and a&ain breaking forth- from the mouths of all present." After the interesting and pious 1 duty had been fulfilled by the deceased chief s t followers, the ' bone* were carefully packed together and again deposited . in the ground 1 . AJA J circle composed of the principal men of jhe tribe wag then, formed round, the remains, some mystic words .were uttered, and the feast and dance again were resumed with additional energy, and kept up until the provisions were exhausted.