N.Z. Herald photo Throughout the sunny weekend hundreds came to pay homage to the dead chief of the Tainui people, Kingi Koroki. They came to be greeted with a chant of welcome and lament from black-dressed women, their heads wreathed in green. They came from every major tribe, Te Arawa, Te Taitokerau, Ngati Porou, Tuwharetoa, Ngati Kahungunu, from Wanganui and Taranaki, bringing with them their gifts and songs of grief. They came, Maori and pakeha, noble and humble, old and young, in large groups and small, from every part of the country. They came representing churches, governments, universities, schools, cities, boroughs, and other organisations. They came bearing messages of sympathy from many races, notable among them being Prince John Ulu valu, son of the Premier of Tonga, Prince Tui'pelehaka, with his party of men and women dressed in black with plaited mats about their waists — their own traditional sign of mourning. N.Z. Herald photo Among the first mourners to arrive were these two Ngapuhi women. Mrs S. Maiota and Mrs Hoki Hui, M.B.E., both of Russell. Before leaving the marae, members of the Tongan royal party bow low in their final tribute to King Koroki.