BURIAL OF A MAORI CHIEF.

Otago Witness, Issue 2761, 13 February 1907, Page 33

BU RIAL OF A MAORI CHIEF.

-T DISPUTE AT THE GRAVE. NEW PLYMOUTH, February 9. A strange scene occurred at the burial of the Maori chief Tohu at Parihaka on Friday. A dispute arose as to whether the body 6hould be placed in a coffin provided by some of the deceased chiefs followers. His relatives objected, and eventually it was agreed that the coffin should be lowered into the grave first and the body placed on top of it. The coffin was accordingly lowered, and then smashed into matchwood. A kapok mattress was then lowered, and the body placed thereon. Numerous mats were afterwaids placed on the body, and the grave was filled in. The death of the old chief Tohu has thrown tho Maoris of Parihaka into a great state of excitement. He had (tho Taranaki Daily News spates) been ailing for some time, though the end came, as is often the case, with unexpected suddenness. The dead chief was well known, and for many years had occupied a prominent position in Native affairs. During Ihe Maori troubles of 1881 Tohu was the lieutenant of Te Whiti, and in November of that year was arrested, with Te Whiti and others, at Parihaka for sedition, and spent some time in several of the colony's gaols. After their release, Te Whiti and Tohu— or Tohu Kakahi, to give him hia full name— still exerted great influence over the Natives, holding bifr meetings every month at Parihaka ; but subsequently, owing to a difference, they parted company, and became rivals, the tubes dividing their support between Ihe two. Those who followed Tohu were the Xgatiruanui, called Poro (the Unhorned), and Te Whiti led the Maire (Horned) Ngatiawa tribe. Both these groat Maoris have been conspicuous in the making of Maori history- The Maoiis give Tohu s age at about 85 ycar=. He was a man of QQinmanduigr personality..

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