CHAP. IV.] 43 



CHAPTER IV. 



The Food of the Natives their Clothing their Dances Witch- 

 craft Modes of Burial Ideas regarding the Soul. 



I HAVE already mentioned what the prevailing food 

 of the natives was before the Europeans introduced 

 maize and potatoes, and still is in many parts. As 

 there are, however, many curious circumstances 

 connected with this subject, a few remarks may be 

 interesting. A New Zealander has two meals a 

 day, one in the forenoon and one just before sunset. 

 Generally the female slaves or the elder women 

 prepare the food, each family for themselves, or 

 sometimes several together. The native oven, hangi 

 or kohua, made in the well-known manner with 

 heated stones, is situated either in the open air or in 

 a house (te-kauta) constructed of logs' at a small 

 distance from each other, so that the smoke may 

 escape. The fire-wood must be taken from the bush : 

 all parts of old houses, canoes, fences, &c., are 

 strictly forbidden (tapu). Before the meal is cooked 

 baskets of sedge or flax are made, in which the 

 different parties receive their share. Generally the 

 men and women sit apart from each other ; the tau- 



