192 
WAR CEREMONIES. 
This is a jeering' song, the food of their forefathers plant- 
ing was war, which sent those who indulged in it to the 
Reinga, where they would feed on the sand fly, the food of 
spirits. 
Before going to war, an offering was generally brought to 
the priest who placed it before him, and, having uttered 
these words, eat it : — 
Ka mama i te umu o te riari- 
aki, o te hapahapai, 
Ka mama i te umu o te Tuta- 
waki, 
Ka mama i te umu o te wa- 
kauwanga, 
Ka mama i te umu o te tiro- 
hanga. 
Light is the oven of the great 
ariki, the lifter up, 
Light is the oven of Tuta- 
waki, 
Light is the oven of the wor- 
shippers, 
Light is the oven of the be- 
holders. 
When a war party returned from a fight, if they had been 
unsuccessful, the priest met them with a large branch in his 
hand, as an expiatory offering, and uttered this karakia : 
Nau mai ! I haere mai koe i 
hea ? 
Tenei au, I haere mai au i te 
pikinga a rangi. 
Nau mai ! I haere mai koe i 
hea ? 
Tenei au, I haere mai i te 
kakenga a rangi. 
Nau mai ! I haere mai koe i 
hea? 
Tenei au, I haere mai au i 
te ngakinga i te mate o 
Wahieroa. 
Hikitia mai tau rakau ki 
runga te wata ; 
Tau rakau kia kai mai kou- 
tou; 
Tau rakau hikihiki taiaroa, 
Welcome ! Whence do you 
come ? 
Here I am, I come from the 
ascent to heaven. 
Welcome ! Whence do you 
come ? 
Here I am, I come from the 
descent of heaven. 
Welcome ! Whence do you 
come ? 
Here I am, I come from work- 
ing the death of Wahieroa. 
Lift your weapon above upon 
the altar ; 
Your weapon, that you may be 
permitted to eat ; 
Your beautiful weapon, lift it 
up on the sacred stage ; 
