Best. — Maori Eschatology. 199 



cave where lie many of the dead of Tuhoe. On some of the 

 skulls the tuhi marei kura (see ante) may be seen, marked with 

 red ochre. 



The burial-places of enemies, or of a conquered or vassal 

 people, received but scant respect at Maori hands. When the 

 Rua-wahia Block case was before the Native Land Court, Mikaere 

 stated in his evidence that " The Ngai-Tuaraitaua people came 

 from Waitaha, from O-tama-rakau, and settled at O-kataina and 

 at Rua-wahia. They put their dead in a cave named Rau-piha. 

 We used to play there as children, breaking the skulls with 

 stones. That burial-cave was not of our people. Ngai-Tuarai- 

 taua were slain by the descendants of Apu-moana." 



How different the case when the burving-ground contains 

 your own dead ! "A thing much dreaded by the Maori people 

 is a burial-cave. No one trespasses there, no person desecrates 

 the spot. It is a thing feared. Should a person trespass on that 

 place, severe affliction will affect such person. The bones of the 

 dead will turn upon him and afflict him sorely. Although the 

 person may deride danger from such an action, yet he will not 

 survive. I say, though he seek the priest in order to be saved, 

 yet he will not survive. Those bones are destroying him." 



The tapu from touching a dead body was extremely strong 

 and prohibitory. It rendered the person unclean, and unable to 

 mix with his family or fellows until he had been purified— the 

 tapu taken off him. As a source of such defilement the touching 

 or handling of corpses was pre-eminent, as it is among the Parsis. 

 The special class of Nessusalar, or " unclean " bearers of the dead, 

 among the latter people were also represented among some 

 tribes of Maoriland, where certain persons had assigned to them 

 the task of handling dead bodies (usually one such person in each 

 village), and these persons were continually " unclean " (tapu), 

 so much so that they were forced to live as outcasts from tribal 

 society ; shunned by all were they, compelled to gnaw their food 

 as dogs do, on the ground, not being able to touch it with theii 

 thrice tapu hands. 



Whakanoa (Removing the Tapu). 

 Near every Native village in former times a pond, spring, or 

 brook was utilised as a place where sacred rites were performed, 

 and set aside for that purpose. These waters would not be used 

 for domestic purposes. It was known as the " war tapu " (sacred 

 waters), or " wax whakaika." Lifting the tapu from persons was 

 often done at such places. This custom still obtains among 

 the Tuhoe Tribe. When taking the tapu off bearers and burial 

 parties, the person who officiates as tohunga (priest, shaman) 

 conducts the party to the waterside and bids them take off their 



