Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1885-10-22
MAORI TAHeI.


was shortly to take place In the settle
ment. Honi, one of the most important
and loyal chiefs in the district, had
passed from his WHARF to the spirit-land
above, and his friends and relations
would soon be assembling from far and
near to pay their last tributes Of respect
to the deceased.
Honi died on a Saturday, and we
heard the tangi was arrange for the fol-
lowing Thursday. With this news we
also heard rumors of important visitors
being expected to attend the ceremony.
These visitors. wha were chiefs Of high
standing in the kings country, were then
attending q sitting at the Native Lands
court, about one hundred miles away,
and if they were unable to attend on
Thursday the tangi was to be postponed
to suit them. 1t was also said that large
presents would be made to the bereaved
tribe by the different tribes visiting
them. The natives secured very good
site for celebrating their curious
customs, being on a piece of fat
and lust below the redoubt and ada
cent to the settlement, 50 that be-
side the natives large influx of
Europeans was expected. On this flat
was an old wooden cottage, with dilap-
idated veranda, and under this veranda
the deceased was to lie in state. The
day Of the tangi was gloriously fine, and
at very early hour the whole native
population Of the district was astir.
The corpse was brought across the har-
Dor in large canoe, containing about
fifteen natives, and black coffin studded
with brass nails was brought over at the
same time. The coffin and corpse were
both taken inside the house to await the
arrival Of the visitors. Cart loads Of
provisions began to arrive in front of
this humble dwelling, and a number of
natives were busy experimenting the
unloading Of the food. The eatables.
though substantial, were not particularly
choice, and comprised about thirty large
cases Of sailors biscuits, from twenty to
thirty bags of sugar. and an almost un.
limited supply of dried shark and fish of
oil kinds, pork, potatoes and kumeras.
About 9 o'clock numerous canoes we're
to be seen arriving from the different
native settlements round the harbor-
some Of them large war canoes, and
Others small and holding two or three
natives. They were all making for the
4erea aFssAt- --4ha- -haanh iIast front afstha
held. Full three hundred natives had
assembled By 10 o'clock and mole we're
still coming. AS each party landed the
chiefs saIuted each other by holding
hands and rubbing noses, a custom which
seemed to vastly amuse some
recently arrived Europeans, who were
watching the proceedings
The body Of the deceased chief was
brought out and laid on the veranda,
while the different tribes seated them
selves together on the grass, forming
half circle in front Of the cottage, the
tribe to which the dead chief belonged
being seated nearest the corpse. Two
of the female relatives Of the deceased
sat one on each side of the body, and
with sticks topped with bunch of fern
leaves drove away the flies that would
otherwise have settled on the corpse
For about two hours first one chief and
then another rose from the midst OF his
people, and delivered what appeared to
be as telling an grafton as Marc Antony's
speech over the dead body Of Caesar. A
native interpreter informed me that each
speech was laudatory of the dead man,
but that not infrequently politics and
praise Of the dead got mixed together
While all this talking was going on
was amused to see how eagerly some of
the natives were watching the arrival Of
several carts loaded with barrels Of beer,
when they ought to have been listening
attentively to the speeches Of their supe-
riors, or joining in the sing-song cry and
lamentations that ever and anon broke
from the assembled multitude. The hot
sun had the effect Of breaking up the par
ty about noon, or at least of stopping the
koreno, or big talk, and introducing
the more important item Of presen-
tations. Many of the tribes made
the bereaved tribe presents of food and
drink, as this went toward entertaining
themselves and other visitors. Two Of
the presentations, however, were par
ticularlv striking. The first was made
by a very old chief who entered the cot
tage, and shortly afterward appeared
bearing in each hand a white wand
about six feet high, split at the top, and
in the split being inserted ten now 81
bank notes, SO that they futtered in the
breeze like SO many small banners. Five
times he entered the house, each time
returning with two similar wands, and,
having stuck them in the ground in
row in front Of the cottage, he quietly
and gravely resumed his seat. leaving
e1OO waving gently in the breeze. The
ceremony was hardly over when we were
startled by cry in the direction of
town, and looking round saw large
body Of natives approaching the tangi
ground. AS they drew nearer they
formed into compact body, the women,
in two rows Of about twelve each, lead
ing; the men were in the same forma-
ton, only about eight deep. Every man
ard rvornan ~ That tbronrr had = hot+la