EITES AND CUSTOMS RELATING TO THE DEAD. 
217 
part of tlie island, as did also tlie ideas entertained of their 
state after death. 
The interment of the dead was considered a duty of the 
highest importance, especially that of the chiefs ; as for poor 
slaves, little thought was bestowed upon them ; they were 
buried or not, according to circumstances ; the master 
generally contrived to save the body from being lost by 
eating it ; when by any chance one came to a natural end if 
the corpse laid in a spot where it was not offensive to the 
living, there it was left ; if otherwise, a hole was dug, and it 
was thrown into it ; but when a chief died, the mournful event 
was immediately made known ; a loud howl or wail brought 
all the neighbours together, who joined in the doleful cry. 
The wives and near relations, especially the female ones, 
testified their grief by cutting the face and forehead with 
shells or pieces of obsidian, until the blood flowed plenti- 
fully, suffering the streamlets to dry on the face, and the 
more perfectly it was covered with clotted gore the greater 
the proof of their respect for the dead ; the hair was always 
cut as a sign of grief, the men generally cut it only on one 
side, from the forehead to the neck. Since the introduc- 
tion of guns, the custom of firing has been adopted, as 
a powerful aid to the human voice, in testifying sorrow for 
the dead ; a native has no idea of silent grief ; the greater 
the noise, the greater the sorrow, and the longer it is kept 
up, the greater the honor paid, every friend or relative shows 
his respect for the dead, by the number of guns discharged ; 
this is called he maimai aroha. 
One of the first things was to make the kaheru, or spade, for 
digging the grave when such was needed, this was rendered 
sacred by the karakias which were repeated* whilst it was 
* The karakia used on this occasion, is a very long one ; the following is 
the commencement : — 
Ko pi ko pa hua te ata, Closed up, closed up, 
Ka kai e, i nga, (In the womb of night.) 
Kainga ngaki o te With the early dawn, 
Matua, i waiho Eat the sacrifice of the dead, 
I te ao nei, From the cultivation of your father, 
Ko pi ko pa hua te Which is left in the world. 
Ata, ka kai-e-, Closed up, closed up, 
