BURIAL OF A CHIEFTAINESS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14001, 6 September 1907, Page 3

BURIAL OF A CHIEFTAINESS.

THE TANGI AT PUKETIKAKI,' , MOURNFUL, MAORI Rim. , SCENES ATTHE KAINGA. Tho death of Pcti Parata, '/ a Maori chieftainess of noble lineage, which occurred at Puketiraki last Sunday, has'been deeply felt by the various clans in tho North and South Islands, and since Monday' parties of Maoris from all parts - of the colony havo been arriving at Puketiraki to pay the last'mournful'tribute to tho remains of their illustrious dead.

Deceased was said t6 rank liigher than any other Maori in- tho ' South Island. Sho was descended,'from the two main tribes—Ngaitahu arid Ngatimamoe,—who, though ac one time constantly nt feud, finally united after the Ngatimamoe had been almost exterminated. The clans branching from these, to which the ehieftainess also belonged,' arc those of Tcruahikihiki, •To Ataumaru.o, Ruri, and Rangitane. Tho two main tribes dominated the whole ot tho South',.lsland .till the; arrival of the British. ' . . . ,

A GATHERING OF THE CLANS. Deceased was 71. years old,-: and left 11 children', 52 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren. When-she (died telegrams ■woro sbnt to tho clans at Wellington, Masterton, Grey town, Martinborougli, Wairoa Fcathcrston. Iv'aikoura, Pieton, • Golden Ray, Croixclles, Nelson. Port I.^vv, and many other place, h possessing Maori setand Maoris from. thence . wero present in force at the tangi, which commenced on Tuesday, and at the funoral, which took place yesterday, afternoon. The vpeople from Oiakon' were tho first to /arrive, while those from Wairarapa arrived at the tangi on Wednesday • night. The children of deceased woro chief mourners those present being T. Parata, M.H.Ii. Parafa, W. T. Parata (of Duncdin), Mrs .1. Ellison (Puketiraki), T. 11. Parala, Mrs Topo, Mrs G. Taiaroa, Airs Tai To Tau, Mr 11. I'arata, and Mr C. It. l'arata (Woltington). WIDESPREAD. SYMPATHY...

Telegrams of comlolenco poured into the house of mourning, till tlio funeral, took place. Tho Hon.' Sir J. G, Ward wired ,"I deeply regret to bear the sad'news in your house of great trial and trouble. Please accept for'.yourself' and 'family tho smcero sympathy ;of Lady Ward' and myself. It is • a great'. blow -to you; old friend. I am truly sorry for you." Telegrams of sympathy were also' received from the Hons. George Fowlds and James Carroll, Messrs Kidd, Colvin, T.Mackenzie, Lawry, Greenslade, Kailiau, Ngafa- John Stevens,, M.H.R.'s, Henry- Fokhviek arid Aiahuta, M.L.C.'s, • Jackson • Palmer ; (Chief rTtidgo.of tho Native Land Court), and very many other pakeha;and' Maori not abilities; Some beautiful wreaths were received from Sir Joseph- and Lady-Ward, 1 ' (bo Ministry Mr H. and Mrs Maire, "Dunedin," and Dr Trilby King. Tokens of .regard were sent, from Raukura, Tamahau, and Mocraki,.. and similar gifts from tJi& various clans in attendance. SCENE OP THE TANGI.

Puketiraki is a dolightfidiv-situated spot, whero green hills rise from the sea, sweeping into a beautifully-curved bay fringed with silver sand. .Into this a .promontory juts, with cliffs like battlements, making, with the narrow neck that joins it to the ■land, an ideal defensive position against an, enemy without, artillery. Here, it is stated, many an .assault was repelled in tho r warlike days of old Maorila'nd, and there the tribo would retreat with their belongings when the hostile forces came .thundering dowji from tho north. • Nowadays* howpvor, a more peaceful place could hardly uo imagined, and even yesterday tho surroundings seemed hardly to be. disturbed, but to harmonise with the wailing an<] weeping of women,' and tho 'roar of waves breaking disconsolate on tlio deserted

THE CEREMONY.

. As the passengers 'alighted from the ■train the mournful Poyrlieri" (call to lament) rose sadly from the settlement besido the sea, Fraught with' melancholy the call ilaerc maijiaere mai, haere mai. Irunga lie nnga aitua," throbbed ■ through the oilcnco, rose and fell, and died awav in quivering echoes among the hills. 'The mourners just arrived returned the call | tho 'women wailing passionately, as the party descended the hill '--to the house runanga; n fair-sized wooden building whore- tlio dead lay coffincd in state. So numerous wero tho visitors that the accommodation of the settlement was insuffi-' cient to meet, the 'demands made upoii it. and a numbor of bell tents had been pitched beneath giant. gums in a paddockadjacent, with' two marquees, which served as shelters and dining looms. A Union Jack drooped half-mast from the flagstaff, and from the whare came the sound of those addressing tho dead, the plaintive intoning of the mourners, and weeping, that merged and mingled sadly with the low thunder of eurf ,to seaward. Within the whare'a most impressive scene was presented. Jscar tho far end was tho coffin, raised and surrounded with .splendid mats wonderfully woven of feathers, wreaths, and lelics. Arranged on the coffin were the greenstone battleaxcs used in countless wars by deceaseds ancestors, and captured and reeapturwl time after tirric. Eound the walls sat Maori women and children in coloured shawls on-mats or' straw, black hair hanging forward over flic shoulders in plaits, little children carricd on the women s backs looking on in widc-ovcd astonishment, or joining in tho general "lamentation. Noiv arrivals were mournfully greeted, and after the hongi (touching ot noses) the weird apakura, or wail for the dead, would bo raised, gently ;at first, in almost a whisper; then louder and louder {HI it rang amon ? . the rafters and was borno away among the hills.,by the wind, Aue, Auo-t-c—e, piercing ' , and . dolorous. When at its height a chieftain, cawed spear m hand, woiild stand forward and address tho dead, and as lie spoke the wail died gradually away -to silence. The speaker fixing his gaze on the. coffin, worked himself up to impassioned flights of oratory, eulogising the 'dead, "now faded to join the great ancestors among tho mighty shadows." He mentioned her benevolence referring to the departed as a safe anchorage to friend.and traveller alike. Breaking into poetry, he would speak of tho creation, of the story of Jfangi, Papa, lane, and of Hinetitama-. tho first- woman. The lament would burst out afresh, and the chant of Haore, atu ra ito (Farewell I Go 'into tho land of death) would be raised, arid as it died away'in a.'moan .the speaker, exhausted, would step back, to be replaced by another. Bound tho coffin knelt weep"iff "omen of the family of deceased. Thero were also addresses to the . living, and-to tho childron of tho .dead"ehieftaincss, calling upon them to follow in the footsteps of their, mother, tho friend of tho orphan, At 1 , o'clock all assembled to take a Inst look -at tho dead, and the wailing was redoubled, as one after another tho assemblage stepped up to look through the glass shutxor at the peaceful lace of the dead womim'that lay within •MAORI TYPES.

Oiitsido the whard'th'o seono'was quite as picturesque, but not nearly so mournful A b . ri S ht scheme of colour wae presented by the women, who stood, in groups renewing acquaintances or touching nosc6. One Qhieftainess in particular was a : centre of attraction, with sprigs of greenery twined in her coal-black hair. Slio: wore' a back <lrcss; round her neck, whs a scarf of vivid yellow; slio also wore a, scarlet, sjsn and ovor all a brightly-coloured shawl, i io hps and chin were tattooed with the Maori device, as were the cheeks of somo of tlio other women present. Other ladies, tired with their exertions, sat against tho watts of tho house, and smoked pipes and Cigarettes. A row of camp kettles steamed and bubbled over a wood fire. Eating was in' progress in tho marquees,- and pork, meat and mutton birds wore being constantly brought from a hut beyond, one room of which did duty as a butcher's shop and tlio other as an ofiioc. A STRANGE SCENE.

Shortly after 2 o'clock the, officiating clergyman, tho Rev. Herbert Jones, with tho eurplicod choir, arrived at the house, which was soon crowded to tho doors! Hymn books were distributed, and the sevyico commenced in Maori. The chieftains in their cloaks of coloured feathers.- stood close to tho coflin, with tho chioftaincsscs, in their cloaks and insignia of rank. The hymn sung was "An To Ihu Tiroliia" ( Jesus, Lover of my 6oui"). The voices Ot tho women wore well modulated and sweet, and blendii) K with the deep bn;s of the men, ajid the liquid treble of the cnonsters rendered tho effect most harmonious and pleasing. A-number of visitors from ■ Dunouin had come down on purpose, and seemed to be struck with the strangeHess of tho scene. • The chiefs witJr their feat here, tile cloak 6, the coffin witli "thn greenstono battle-axes, 1 tlio- bizarre-twisted colours on the rafters, tho white stoics of the choir, tho clergyman, tho well-known hymn in a stranpro tongue, and an enormous carving of the hideous Maori' deity; Tcko Teko, glfiwaring .dawn upon it all!;

• • THE FUNERAL. _ The clergyman and choir left' the building, and tlio, mourners, resuming their wreaths of greenery, the air was rent with lamentations as the coffin was passed out through ono of tho windows (it must never leavo thQ house by the door). A 6 it was homo away wailing burst out unrestrained. Women leaned from tho windows sobbing, and again the mournful dirge rang, out: "Aue! Aue! Farewell! Go unto the land of death,!" Headed by tho cross, tho coffin was borne slowly up to the cemetery, and to tho tolling of the church hell the procession,- a.; long ' 6crpc»fcino ribbon of colour, wound slowly up the green hill in tho sunshine. "•

Tho four chiefs who formed an escort(according'to anoient custom) to the dead wore—Teono To Ururaki, from Waitaki; Tieka; Molii Mohi; Kini Riruru, from ■Molynoux; arid Kai-Tai Pahai, from Colae Bay. Tho coffin was carried by 12 chiefs— Honaro Maire, Teono Paka, Tatan<i Weter'e, Wanaka, Wekn, Tnntlku Karelai,' Tipene, Teoti Hohaia, Too no Arapata, Namana Waaka, Teono Reriara, Paraika Paretc, and To Wera. Whaitiri. Tho marshalling and arrangement of details wero in charge of tho chief .Honaro Maire, who, as nearly 300 -Maoris wero present.' had his geporarship put to tho test. The litilo ch]irch at Iho hilltop waa not nearly largo enough fo ■ accommodate those attending. Tl(o service held therein' was, of couree. impressive, and also conducted in Maori throughout. ,• The' church was emptied to tho "Dead March" in "Saul," and-the mournora gathered round the open grave. Hpautifiil bouquets of flowers were placed oriMho coffin as-it. was lowered. The serviqo over, tlio relatives wept bitterly into tho grave.-,in which shoyclfulls of mould,wero, quickly. covering 'tlio coffin of Pcti Parata. Th<t womon. stood thero' wailing, pitcously till .the grave i.w,?6' nearlv filled in.' Then ono by one they descended tlio hill, stopping every few yards, with arms stretched to/the sea, to; break into loud laments. ~ ,'i ; THE EVENING CEREMONY.

'tlio tangi was held incessantly from the commencement till the body was removed from tho house. The Maori seom6, however, lo become less impassioned, ' and although one chiof when addressing tho dead worked - himself into a 'fit, according to. an old authority present the tangi is r.ot what, it. used to be, when women, naked to the waist, would he almost delirious with grief, and cut their breasts and limbs with flint and pipi shells till blood 'flowed vfrecly. After- the'.funeral tlio European visitors from Dunedin left «by the express, which was stopped for the purpoee. Tho Maoris sat down to dinner in the marquees, having hospitab!) everyone within hail to join them. Large quantities of ' pork, butcher meat, bread, butter, mutton birds, etc., had been brought in as presents by many of 'tlio clans. A great deal moro was supplied by tho Paratas, so there wa6 no lack of provisions. • In the evening another important ceremony was held, which is known among Maoris as tho poroporoaki (farewell) to the living. Were it not for an occasional tangi drawing, them together from all parts of tho colony, it ie doubtful if many of the scattered tribes would ever meet. They thereforo take full advantage of such occasions. Tho, ceremony was held in tho whare,' where speeches wero delivered. Eulogistic references were made to the departed, news items wore exchanged, and subjects affecting the Maoris in particular were talked over. Old legends, in all the mystio sorcery that, makes up the Maori long ago, 'woro told and dilated upon. How, for instance, there was no death until the great ancestor boasted that he would climb into the open mouth of the sleeping divinity and .drop, foremost, on to her heart. How all the Maoris gathered together to witness the performance, and how tho birds oiime too. How'the great ancestor got halfway into -tho goddess's mouth, and' looked so droll with his leg 6 dangling over her chin that all the people laughed, and the birds laughed. How that laughter woke the goddess, who shut her mouth with a 6nap, and unintentionally bit- the great ancestor in twain, thus bringing death into the world for the Maori. As to the prescribed laments, each tribo would-seem io hnlvo its own, The addresses to the dead are handed down from ono generation to another. Sometimes an orator, inspired bv grief.' invents -a new one. ■ It. is not written down, but remembered, and in turn goes down to posterity with tho others. ' .

A_ telegram was received from the Prime Minister (t|ie .Hon. Sir .Toscph Ward) regrettine .his inability.' to, bo present, at tho proceedings, owing to pressure of Government affairs/ • '

The mourners nrobably leave for their respective destinations 'to-day.

Among tho sheaf of telegrams received from prominent. Maoris was one from the Hon. Mr ,Mnhuki. -M.L.C.-, which, translated, read: "O fiiro 1 flreeting to vou in your sorrow for the less of her that i 6 dear to you. She has gone to her ancestors, her elders, and ■ her people. Pass on, 0 mother, to the long-sleep from which no ono can wake. Friend, I sympathise with you arid your family". Be bravo in .your sorrows." i