PICTURESQUE TANGI FOR RUA

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 34, 24 February 1937, Page 14

PICTURESQUE TANGI FOR RUA

— Press Asfioclation. 1

Pound Notes Scattered on Coffin FIVE WIVES PRESSNT

(By Telegraph-

ROTORUA, Last Night. In the eanoe-shaped valley through which the Wainana river flows, at Matahi, Urewera Maoris and neighbouring tribes are gathered mourning with all the ritual of ancient Maori- custom, the passxng of their prophet Rua. Bush clad xanges fall steeply to the smali river-formed flat on which Matahi Pa stands and here between 200 and 300 natives of the Whakatane, Te Whaiti, Huatoki, Opotiki and other tribes are assembled. However, these are only the advance guard of the many who will eventually participate in the tangi as word of the prophet's death has been sent to all tribes in the North Island."" The body of the prophet lies in a coffin on the verandah of his whare, open to the public gaze. It is clothed. in ithe purple robes of prophetic authority. Five of his wives are amongst those present but chief mourner is his grandson Taueaua, eldest son of Rua's eldest son killed when the police party skirmished with the tribe in 1915 in effecting the arrest of the* prophet on a charge' of sly-grogging. There was very nearly blood-shed when two ancient enemies contested priority of .place before the coffin and struck fighting attitudes arined with taiahas. The paramount chief of the Tuhoe tribe, an ancient enemy of Rua, buried his enmity and delivered a long and fiery oration in which he declared the prophet should be buried immediately t and not left to the public gaze as his body was.sacred, The visiting Maoris brought. generous • gifts which were laid before the coffin. 'The Ruatoki representatives arrived jwith a truck load of kumeras and pigs as well as 30 one pound notes which iwere scattered around the coffin. In view of the attitude take'n by the Tuhoe chief, it js expected the prophet will be buried en Wednesday but ihe tangi will continue indefinitely as tha imain body of Rua's own people from ! Maungapohatu have not arrived yet owing to the Tough nature of the country to be traversed. The natives are now constructing as imposing tomb of concrete.