“TENA-KOE!”

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1920, 28 December 1918, Page 4

“TENA-KOE!”

■ “Tena-koc! docs not mean ‘‘good day, v said Colonel Porier, speaking ;it a meeting of the historical section of the Philisophic Jl Society, at Wellington, “it means' ‘that is you.* The-repjw is • < lcna-ra-koe, : ’•meaning •and that -is you.’ Then comes the final ‘term-ano-ra-koe,’ meaning ‘and that is you again.’ Maoris did not ‘rub’ noses. They merely look each others’ hands and touched their noses together, with closed eyes, lor to look was a breach of etiquette. When a stranger paid a visit to a kainga or a pa he was required by etiquette to sit silent until spoken to by his host. Another peculiar custom was the manner of speeding (he parting guest and welcoming him home. His departure was treated in an off-hand manner, lest a show of grief should depress the wayfarer and render his way heavy and weary. Alien he returned, however, he was greeted by weeping and wailing, for then (here was no reason why his near ain’t dear ones should hold hack the evidences of t heir aft eel ions.