WAR CEREMONIES. 
81 
offering. Having eaten all the food of the three ovens, he 
took the tapu off the warriors, and they were permitted to 
tangi, or cry, with their relations. The women came out 
armed, and if any of the attacking party had been lost in 
the assault, they fell upon the slaves, and killed as many as 
they could.* Among the Taupo tribes it was not lawful for 
women and girls to eat human flesh, though this restriction 
does not appear to have extended to other parts of the island. 
This karakia was used to propitiate Maru, for success in 
war. It was accompanied with the offering of a pig, or other 
food, which, when cooked, was placed before the priest, who 
repeated the following words whilst tearing it in pieces ; he 
afterwards devoured it:— 
Ko pi, ko pi te ata, ka kai ana, 
Kia kai koe i te kai ngaki o tou wanaunga 
Tenei tou kai i kai naruu ai, 
Kia wangaia kai namu ai. 
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 mamai te umu o te riariaki, 
0 te hapahapai, ka mamai te umu o Tutawake, 
Ka mamai te umu o te wakauwanga, 
Ka mamai te umu o te tirohanga. 
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 : — 
Kau mai! I haere mai koe i hea? Welcome ! Whence do you come ? 
Tenei au, I haere mai au i te Here I am, I come from the ascent 
pikinga a rangi. to heaven. 
Kau mai ! I haere mai koe i hea ? Welcome ! Whence do you come ? 
Tenei au, i haere mai i te lcakenga Here I am, I come from the descent 
a rangi. of heaven. 
Nau mai! I haere mai koe i hea ? Welcome ! Whence do you come ? 
Tenei au, i haere mai au i te Here I am, I come from working 
ngakinga i te mate o Wahieroa. the death of Wahieroa. 
* When Hongi returned from a war expedition, the widow of one of his 
chiefs, who had fallen in battle, rushed down to the canoe as it approached, 
G 
