66 
WHARE-KURA. 
way in, a kind of sacred store of odds and ends, than any thing 
else. But the Whare-kura is spoken of as having been a very 
large edifice, in which all the tribes were accustomed to meet 
together for worship, and the rehearsal of their several pedi¬ 
grees, as well as the heroic deeds of their ancestors, for holding 
their solemn councils, and administering justice. The word 
literally means a red house, from the color it was painted, and 
it is said to have been in existence before they left Hawaiki. 
Its extreme antiquity is seen from the circumstance of all 
those who are recorded as having met there, being now re¬ 
garded as their most ancient gods. The temple had a porch 
or verandah to it, such as they still make to their houses; 
this was placed at the gable end by which they entered ; and at 
the other extremity was a small building in which the high 
priest resided, and seventy other priests had their houses ranged 
around, each building bearing the name of one of the heavens. 
The posts which supported the building were carved to 
represent their chief ancestors. 
The different tribes which met there, were ranged in two 
grand divisions, one party being on one side of the building, 
and the other on the other. One company possessed a staff, 
called Te Toko-toko o Turoa, whose owner was Rangi-tawaki. 
The other side also had a staff, named Tongi-tongi, which 
belonged to Mai-i-rangi. Perhaps these individuals were the 
chiefs who marshalled their respective companies. 
In the Whare-kura, no food was allowed to be eaten, and the 
breach of this law was punished with death. From this, per¬ 
haps, arose the custom of cooking in a separate building, or 
kauta, and their still eating outside their houses. In fact, the 
chief’s house, in some respects, seems to preserve a remem¬ 
brance of the Ware-kura, and to be a kind of temple, having 
its household god and altar, represented in the carved post 
which supports the building, and the hearth which burns before 
the image of the great progenitor of the family. 
The tribes which assembled in this ancient building are still 
enumerated: 
1. Kauika and his chiefs, Kauika-nui, Kauika-roa, Kauika- 
papa, Kauika-wakaroa-korero. 
