BURIAL AT UPPER WANGANUI.

Grey River Argus, Issue 154, 8 January 1867, Page 3

BURIAL AT UPPER WANGANUI.

The following is from a correspondent of the Wanganui Times, who was an eye and ear- witness of the curious proceedings. The wisdom of the advice given by Topia to his friend is undeniable, but the danger is that like most good advico, it will only be regarded so far as it coincides with the fancy of those to whom it was given :— " We were received by seventy or eighty Hau-haus of both sexes, .whose, heads were completely covered with weeping willow, used by them on that occasion as an emblem of deep mourning. They took the corpse which our natives brought up in a coffin, which was at once removed to the inside of the pah and placed alongside the nid or sacred pole. Then they commenced a tangi which lasted for about two hours. After the usual ceremonies the Hau-hau priest advanced to' the coffin, placed both his hands on the lid of it, and called out to the top of his voice, ' Hauhau, Hau-hau !" He then muttered something to the remainder which neither myßelf nor the natives with me could Understand, but the Hau-haus immediately formed into line and commenced to march round the sacred pole. As each man came in front of the Hau-hau priest, he took him by the left hand, and placing the right hand on his heart stooped down and muttered something, rose up and moved on round the pole. This ceremony occupied over half an hour, when the coffin

was lifted and carried round three times ; it was then convoyed to the last resting place, and the whole company returned to have a korero of which the following is the substance. Topia; the leading chief present, distinctly told them that further lighting was useless, as they never gained anything by it, but on the contrary lost everytliing. He said with great emphasis : — " Hau-haus, in all our fights xve have ■not gained a single, battle, and I think that is sufficient jwo'of that the Mud of God is against us, and that our works are evil. Another thing I have to say is this, we aro not only at Avar with the Pakehas. but we are killing our own race : father against son, and son against father, and tribe against tribe, which is a sure way to exterminate ourselves. Lot us live in peace with our white brethren and also the Maoris " He concluded by saying that his wife should return with onv party and go to Wanganui, and he would follow her in a few days. All the speakers followed in the same strain — there was to be no more lighting, or they would soon put an end to the Maoris altogether. Topia's wife immediately prepared for her journey, left with us, and she is now amongst you in Wangantii. Previous to her departure, the priest wanted her to walk round the sacred pole, but she obstinately refused to perform tlie ceremony. Topia has since left there, and is now in London on his way to town ; he will, most likely, be in Wanganui by the time this reaches you. Ho told me that tho natives — Hauhaus — of Muria Kohia are fearfully bitter against the Queen natives, and relates the following outrage in proof of the bad feeling which exists between them : — ' The other day a Queen Maori was out shooting pigeons, and having gone too far in the direction of the Hau-hau pah, he waswaylayed and shot dead, his head 'cut off and taken away, and his body completely cut to pieces." 1