Best. — Maori Marriage Customs. 65 



be well off she may assist her parents. No special clothing 

 or furnishing is prepared or made by a woman when she 

 marries. When married those of the highest rank receive 

 the most presents, useful and ornamental, although there is 

 no recognised system of making wedding-presents, as with us. 



A man shows no avoidance of his parents-in-law, as among 

 some races ; he is, on the contrary, often more friendly with 

 them than with his own people. 



In a marriage between persons of equal rank the husband 

 has the greatest maua (authority, prestige), both in regard to 

 property and also in respect to the conducting of tribal 

 affairs. Taking the family of such persons, the wife would 

 be the next in authority ; and of the children the eldest son 

 takes first rank, then the eldest daughter, then come the 

 younger children, male and female. The youngest child 

 would possess the least authority of all the children. 



If a woman of rank marries beneath her she will always 

 retain her superior viand and rank above her husband. Still, 

 this woman loses caste to a certain extent by such a marriage, 

 and the tribe will say that she has lowered herself by marry- 

 ing such a man [ka karanga te iwi, na te moenga i te tane 

 hehe i ttpuheke ai taua wakine). 



" When Kareko married Tmioti she committed an offence, 

 for she was of high birth while he was a ware (person of low 

 birth). Hence Ngati-Tawhaki sent a ta^ia (see ante) to de- 

 mand satisfaction, and I handed over to them a piece of 

 land known as Matawera as utu (compensation)."* 



We will now give a few proverbial sayings of the Maori, 

 and a short list of terms and expressions which may be of 

 some interest in connection with our subject : — 



" Te inati o Mawakeroa." — This saying is applied to the 

 passing-away of a woman and her maiia (power, prestige, 

 authority) from her own people or clan when she marries. A 

 son marries and abides with his people, but a daughter marries 

 and goes to live with her husband's people, taking her mana 

 with her; she deserts her kin for a husband. 



" Mau te ivahine, makii te ivhemia, kia ai koe i te tore 

 tangata, kia al hoki au i te tore xvhenua." — To you the woman, 

 to me the land, that you may breed men while I breed food. 



Tane inoe ivhare — E, kurua te takataka ! 

 Tane rou kakahi — E, aitia te urej 

 (An indolent husband — thwack him on the noddle. An industrious hus- 

 band — be kind to him.) 



Tane = man (vir), male, husband. 

 Wahine — woman, female, wife. 



* From Wi Patene's evidence in Hikurangi Block hearing. 

 5— Trans. 



