222 Transactions. 



We have noted that a large proportion of deaths were, in 

 former times, ascribed to the gods, who thus punished the viola- 

 tion of tapu. Even those who were said to perish through 

 witchcraft may come under this heading, for the gods imparted 

 the power to such magic spells or charms. But many different 

 causes were given in those days. Here is an example : When 

 discoursing on the history, &c, of the tribe, should a person of 

 the party condemn some statement made as being false, in order 

 to make himself appear important, " two nights," as my infor- 

 mant put it, " would not pass ere he died. For our ancestors 

 would hear their tribal history condemned, and would slay the 

 person who denied its truth. Such is the power of our ancient 

 knowledge. Thus do our ancestors watch over and guard us." 



Death was not often allowed to interfere with important 

 tribal duties. After Whitmore's raid on Rua-tahuna, Tuhoe 

 gathered at Tahuaroa and decided to send Himiona te Piki- 

 kotuku to Roto-rua to sue for peace. He said, " How can I 

 go ? My wife is dying." His wife at once said, " Do not think 

 of me. Think only of the tribe." So Himiona started for 

 Roto-rua. As he was ascending the range above Pu-kareao 

 he heard across the forest-clad hills the volleys which told him 

 that his wife had passed away. But he trudged on, bearing the 

 greenstone battle-axe "Hau-kapua" as a peace offering to the 

 Government. 



An old woman of the Ngati-Manawa Tribe, being near death, 

 caused her people to place her on a sledge and drag her to the 

 base of the range, near Horomanga Creek, dig her grave there 

 and place her in it, where she died. She had told them before 

 as to the day she would die. 



When Mawake, of Kawerau, died his bones were placed at 

 Waitaha-nui. Manaia found them and took the jaw-bone, from 

 which he fashioned a fish-hook. When he went a-fishing with 

 this hook all so gay a sign came to him : a fish called " oho " 

 leaped into his canoe. Then the monsters of the deep rose and 

 destroyed Manaia and his fellow-fishermen. Moral : Don't in- 

 terfere with tapu objects. 



The expression " mate a rahau " is sometimes applied to a 

 natural death. It implies decay, or death as a tree dies — of 

 decay, not by violence or magic spells. The terms " mate tara 

 whare " (death by the house-wall) and " mate koeo " (also termed 

 ' mate aitu " and " hemo o aitu ") are also used to denote a 

 natural death. ; ' A, roa kau iho ano i murinqa iho o taua taua 

 nei, ka mate a Nahu. He tino koroheke a ia, a mate a rakau ai 

 tona mate, ara i toe ano ki te wa e ruhi ai te tinana, a ka mate a 

 ia." ("Nahu died some time after that war expedition. He 

 was a very old man, and his death was that of a tree — that is 



