TAWHIAO'S BURIAL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXV, Issue 231, 27 September 1894, Page 8

TAWHIAO'S BURIAL.

AN INTERESTING SCENE,

The interment of the late King Tawhiao's remains ab Taupiri yeateiday ia reported by eye-witnesses to have been a most impressive scene. It ia rumoured, however, that the body of the old chief was secretly interred by his immediate hapu on Monday night, in a epob on Taupiri Mountain or the vicinity, known only to a few natives of the Ncatimahnta and Ngatimaniapoto tribes. This would be quite in accordance with native customs. If so, the body will, in accordance with Maori customs, be the occasion of a great tangi aba hahunga, or bonescraping, in a twelve-months time, and will then be permanently interred ab the tribal burying ground ab Taupiri.

Tho funeral procossion of Maoris was an ince.-es&iQf.c spectacle as tho cortege wound its way from in« native camp to the top of tho hill on which the burying ground is situated. Firsfc of all walked a very old man bearing a Hag inscribed " Kingi o te rangim&rie " (King of the peaceful heavens "), followed by an old bobucga, one of tho last of thoortlerof old Maoripriests, who wore a string of largo whale's teeth (iiiho-paraoa) round his neck. Ib is stated that bia principal mission at the burying place which is a small enclosure at the top of the burial bill, was to destroy somto native mats, etc., which had become tapu by being used in connection with the buryingground and the dead. Next came the coffin, borne by eighteen men belonging to. Ngabimaniapoto and Tawhiao'a relatives of Ngatimahuta, and tho Obaki Brass Band playing tho Dead March in " Saul." There was no burial aerrice or any noticeable ceremonial ab the grave beyond the firing of, the usual volleys by the armed Maori police, aboub 150 of. whom acted as tho firing party. The procession was a very large one, the natives marching ton or twelve deep. The temporary Maori aetblemenb at Taupiri is now almosb deßorbed, all the Maori visitors from up-country having left for-their homes.