166 
TAPU. 
any other work, until that was finished ; so also in fishing 
and hunting ; this applied not only to those thus employed, 
but to others as well, the kumara grounds were tapu, no 
strange natives could approach them. Even the people of 
the place, if not engaged in the work, were obliged to 
stand at a distance from the ground thus rendered sacred 
by solemn karakia doubtless this was a wise precaution 
to avoid interruptions, and keep them from stealing ; no 
one but the priest could pass in front of the party engaged 
in gathering in the kumara, those who presumed to do 
so, would be either killed or stripped for their temerity. 
The woods in which they hunted the rat were tapu, until the 
sport was over, and so were the rivers, no canoe could pass 
by until the rahue was taken down. 
In the early days of the Mission, the tapu was a great 
annoyance, its members were often unable to communi- 
cate with each other, until the dreaded pole was removed, 
but at last they determined to observe the tapu no longer ; 
their boat was manned, and they rowed along in defiance 
of the sacred prohibition ; they had not gone far, how- 
ever, before they were pursued, the boat was dragged 
ashore, and all the articles in it seized, amongst which were 
some bottles of medicine and pots of preserves ; these were 
immediately eaten, and great wrath and indignation ex- 
pressed ; but by preserving a firm deportment, the natives 
were conquered ; the medicine perhaps had its share in ob- 
taining the victory, as they found they could not meddle 
with Europeans with impunity ; they held a meeting, it 
was then resolved, that for the future, as Europeans were 
a foreign race, and subject to a different religion, the tapu 
should not apply to them ; afterwards, as their converts in- 
creased, the permission was enlarged to take them in as 
well ; finally, the tapu became disregarded by all, and fell 
into disuse. 
Those who were tapued for any work, could not mix again 
in society until it was taken off, or they were waka noa } 
made common, and deprived of the sanctity with which they 
had been invested. This was done by the priest, who re- 
