Best. — Maori Eschatoiogy. 235 



In regard to the tawa mutu, as in the case of the pua reinga, 

 the explanation comes from Rarotonga. Tawa (" tava " in 

 Rarotongan) is the gulf or abyss below the pua tree into which 

 the spirits of tiie dead descend. " Kua mate io [iho] ra a Kui- 

 ono, kua aere [haere] atu ra tona vairua [wairua], ka kake i te 

 pua ; ko te rere ra i tava [tawa] ' (" When Kui-ono died his 

 spirit left him and went and ascended the pua, whence it leaped 

 into tawa"). 



Here we have the origin of these two terms, preserved in song 



by the Maori of New Zealand for centuries. Tawa is known to 



the Maori as the tawa mutu, or last chasm. 



Ka tuku tenei au ki te reinga 

 Ki te tawa mutu. 



The explanation given by Paitini, of Tuhoe, is the nearest 

 one to being correct that I have obtained locally. He said, 

 " The tawa mutu is connected with the rimu hi motau at the 

 reinga. It means the end of the spirit's journey." 



Kia tuku-pototia te tinana 

 Te pua reinga Id taku matua. 



And from another song, — 



Heoti taku tatari ki te ope taua 



I a te rama 



Kia wawe taku iti te iria te pua reinga 



Ki taku matua 



Kai noko au i te ao 



Whakaraukotetia e te ngutu. 



Again, — 

 As also,— 



Ka rumaki au ki te pua ki te reinga. 



E noho ana i te ao marama 



Te rumakina ai ki te pua ki te reinga 



Ki oku hoa ka wehe i rau rangi. 



And lastly, — 



• Peke ana au i te taingariu o Kanapanapa [a canoe] 

 Hai kawe i a au te pua ki te reinga. 



All these are extracts from local songs, laments, &c. 



Another expression sometimes noted is that of " te tatau-o- 

 te-po," or door of Hades — the gates of death.* One Apatari 

 is said to be the keeper of the door or entrance to the reinga. 

 Mini is said to be the ruler of the po, or world of darkness, the 

 spirit- world, f It is singular that two names are given to the 

 underworld — the po and the reinga ; as also two rulers of the 

 realm of spirits — Miru and Hine-nui-te-Po. Possibly there is 

 some distinction between them — perhaps two spirit- worlds. We 



* " Journal of the Polynesian Society," vol. vii. p. 55. 

 -j" " Journal of the Polynesian Society," vol. v, p. 116. 



