Best. — Maori Forest Lore. 249 



Ka ma moe tu 



Ka ma moe rere 



Ka ma moe to wkakaaralria 



Wliakaarahia i te ata kapara 



Ka ma tatua man wawe 



I te ata kapara 



Ka ma nga pukenga 



Ka ma nga wananga 



Ka ma koki matan 



Enoi taiura. 



By this rite the priest has now taken off the tapu pertaining to> 

 the proceedings and the food. The people can now eat of the 

 food and continue their labours." 



Such is old Tu's account of these tree-felling rites, the best 

 description I have collected. The taumaha was recited over the 

 foods at all ritual feasts. Another form may be seen at page 96, 

 vol. xxxv, of the Transactions. All religious rites were per- 

 formed early in the morning, before the people partook of food, 

 or after sunset. When about to perform any rite, the officiating 

 priest divested himself of all his clothing, and secured a girdle 

 round his waist. This girdle often consisted of nothing more 

 than a few green branchlets of karamuramu (a Coprosma). The 

 true meaning of the above ceremonies and invocations was to 

 placate Tane (the origin and tutelary deity of forests, trees, and 

 birds) and the gods of the Maori pantheon, that they might not 

 resent the felling of the tree or trees, and hence punish the fellers 

 thereof for their sacrilegious act in slaying the offspring of Tane. 

 The first sacred fire and rite are for the gods (atu'a), the second 

 for Tane. 



Another note, from Pio, of Awa, is brief and unsatis- 

 factory : — 



" Another remark : Persons go to the forest to fell a tree 

 for a canoe. The first thing done is to kindle the ahi purakau. 

 When it burns up, a chip, a piece of bark, is put on the fire, 

 as also some mauku (a fern — Asplenium bulbiferum). The fire 

 is kindled at the base of the tree. Then the karakia is recited : — 



Ana ra te ahi 



Ki te take o te rakan 



Te maramara o Tane 



Ka pokaia koa 



Te riu tapn nui o Tane 



Ka tapakia koa 



Te kanru tapn nui o Tane 



Wliiwkia mai, rawea mai 



Rei kura, rei ora 



Torohei.* 



Then the tree is felled. There will be two scarfs cut in that tree,, 

 the imu tua and the imu whakahinga." 



* Evidently incomplete. — E. B. 



