45Q Transactions. 



Such are the performances at the ahi taitai. At this fire were performed 

 many sacred ceremonies pertaining to the home, but not those pertaining 

 to war. The first bird taken served as an ofiering to the gods. It was 

 placed on a tree near the taitai fire. Then the officiating priest recited 

 the charm by which birds were lured to the tribal lands. Then persons 

 might commence bird-snaring." 



A taitai charm is given in Taylor's " Te Ika a Maui," the translation of 

 which should be looked at askance. 



Any place where a taitai fire had been kindled remained sacred. So 

 tafu was such a spot that any person trespassing thereon was believed 

 to be doomed to death unless he procured the services of a priest, who, by 

 means of a certain exorcising rite, could save his life. The priest would 

 charge a fee, payable in goods, for his services. 



Paitini states, " The first few birds taken when the season is opened are 

 cooked at the taitai fire and eaten by the officiating priest, and this act of 

 his lifts the tafu from the proceedings, and the rest of the people, including 

 women, may partake of food, take part in the ritual feast. The taumalia 

 or thanksgiving charm is recited at the above rite, when the first birds are 

 cooked. After the tafu is abolished, women were sometimes served first 

 with food. The rau huka fire I spoke of before was a taitai fire." 



The women spoken of above as being first served would be women of 

 rank only. 



Tutakangahau explains that whakau is a charm repeated over food that 

 is excessively tapu, in order to render it innocuous — that is, lest its tapu 

 be harmful to those who partake of such food. The whakau rite lifts the 

 tapu from persons and food. The taumaha is another charm repeated over 

 food that is tapu in order that it may be safely partaken of by the people 

 — it removes the tapu. There are many difierent taumaha charms, each 

 having its special use. 



Taumaha in Nukuoro seems to mean a feast or ritual feast. The Euro- 

 pean grace repeated over food about to be partaken of is alluded to by 

 Natives as a taumaha. 



Tutaka says, " There is a taumaha repeated over first-fruits of birds, 

 fish, &c. — the first of the season brought in. The first bird taken is carried 

 to the village home, where the priest manipulates it. The ceremony is per- 

 formed at the ahi taitai, a sacred fire kindled by the priest, or by a perso;i 

 termed a takuahi, whose sole duty is to kindle these sacred ceremonial fires. 

 Such fires are always ahi pahikahika — that is, fires kindled by the friction 

 process, generated by hand. They are never kindled by means of brands 

 from another fire. 



" The first thing done by the priest after the fire is kindled is to repeat 

 over it the charm (or invocation) called the taitai : — 



" Ka ka te ahi taitai. Katahi ka taitai. Ka tu te tohunga, me te rakau 



i tona ringa. (The taitai fire burns. Then the taitai rite is performed. The 



priest stands with a wand in.his hand) : — 



" Taitai, taitai, taitai 

 Te kail uunui, te kau roroa 

 Te riipe tii, te rupe pae 

 Pekepeke hauaitu te manu waero rua 

 Te liau e tu nei, taitai 

 Mai ra a tu, mai ra a pae 

 Pekepeke hauaitu te hau e tu nei. 



Ko te karakia taitai tenei. Koinei nga kupu i tapu ai te ahi. Ko nga atua 

 katoa ka whakanohoia ki taua ahi, hai patu, aha ranei. (This is the taitai 



