218 Transactions. 



F 'or matamua (see ante). (3.) Umu waharoa : For the bulk of the 

 people. 



The imu pararahi seems to be the same as No. 1. But my 

 notes on Ngati-Awa rites are very meagre. Tutakangahau, of 

 Tuhoe, says that the pararahi was an umu marae — i.e., for the 

 bulk of the people. A Ngati-Awa member states that among 

 that people women were not allowed to partake of the pure 

 foods. 



Caves and holes, chasms, &c, where bones of the dead are 

 deposited are called " whara." They are usually situated in 

 very secluded spots, and are often most difficult of access. 

 Some of these caves, situated in precipitous cliffs, have to be 

 approached by ladders, or by a person being lowered from the 

 summit of the cliff. One at Kua-tahuna can only be gained 

 by climbing a tree, then laying poles from the tree-top to the 

 ledge of the cliff-face where the cave is. Some, with small 

 entrances, are blocked by means of stones. Some, again, are 

 mere rock shelters, not true caves. 



As the bearers of the bones of the dead proceeded to the 

 cave or tree where the bones were to be deposited, a priest 

 preceded them repeating the following (E haere atu ana ano, ka 

 timata le karakia waere atu a te tohunga) : — 



He kimihanga 



He rangahautanga 



Ka kimi ki hea ? 



Ka kimi ki uta 



Ka kimi ki hea ? 



Ka kimi ki tai 



Ka kimi ki te Po 



Ka waere ma kereta 



Ka waere ma kereti 



Ka kitea mai te hau o te tipua 



Te hau o te tawhito mai te rangi tu 



Kai te kahui mate i te Po 



Kai te kahui ora i te ao nei 



Tena ka kitea koe ki tua 



Ka kitea koe ki te wliai ao 



Ki te ao marama. 



The bones of each person are made into a bundle, and are. 

 or were, often smeared with red ochre (kokowai) before being 

 placed in the cave. The party who carry the bones to the 

 whara have to be whakanoatia, or freed from tapu. before re- 

 turning home. 



Among the Maori people, the elements of fire and water 

 were the recognised purifiers of persons, objects, and places 

 which were tapu (sacred, or unclean). Oriental peoples utilised 

 them for the same purpose. In ancient Rome, on the return of 

 relatives of the dead from the cremation of the corpse and the 



