BIG MAORI TANGI

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1010, 28 June 1930, Page 6

BIG MAORI TANGI

ANNIVERSARY OF CHIEF’S DEATH “TURNING OF THE MAT” From Our Own Correspondent MORRINSVILLE, Friday. About 250 Maoris from Matangi, Waharoa, Hinuera, and To Awamutu assembled at the Kiwitahi Pa, near Morrinsville, from Friday till Tuesday, to commemorate the first anniversary of the death of Tai Ngakawa Tamahana, Te Waharoa, a son of the wellknown Wiremu Tamahane, the William Thompson of the Waikato wars, better known as “the king-maker.” A great tangi was held a year ago when the chief died at the age of 94. He was buried at Kiwitahi, and the tribe is considering the erection of a suitable monument. When this is unveiled, there will be a largo Maori meeting. The commemorative ceremonies concluded at seven o’clock on Tuesday morning, the exact anniversary of the death of the chief. The tribe gathered in the large meeting-house in the interior of which photographs of the late chief were hung. Those present observed a silence for about half an hour in memory of the chief. The Maori term for this ceremony is “huri takapau,” or “turning the mat over,” a poetical way of indicating that a year has passed since the death of the departed one. The feeding of the visitors was carried out on a big scale, and the provisions taken to the pa by one Morrinsville carrier included the following: £l5O worth of groceries, 1,000 loaves of bread, £ 22 worth of sweets. 12 cases of apples, 0 cases of oranges,

9 cases of pears, and 14 cases of bananas. Several whole pigs, and quantities of potatoes, were also consumed. Tho cooking for the big crowd was done in the old-fashioned Maori style, with stones which were placed upon piles of green manuka, and heated as tho wood burned. Water was poured on the stones, causing" steam to be given off, and the potatoes and pork wero placed on the stones and covered with sacks. Some of the visiting Maoris returned home on Tuesday evening.