MAORI TANGIS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 197, 5 September 1903, Page 4

MAORI TANGIS.

TO THE EDITOR. j Sm, —It might interest your readers to learn a little about the cost of a tangi, or a gathering of natives on the occasion of the death 01 one of their friends. There died at Puniho pah on Tuesday, the 18 h inst-,, a native named Taiawaho, after a long illness, Deceased was a very quiet, inoffensive man and well respected, both by his own people and also Europeans. It is only about 12 months ago that he built a large seven-roomed house between the pah and the Main South Road. He was of a smart, active turn, very sober and honfst in his dealings. Taiawaho leaves a wife, one Fori (Mutaka) and three daughters to mourn their loss. It was not until the evening of Wednesday that any native visitors put in an appearance, as it was the monthly meeting in Parihaka, Formerly the 17th of each month was the day set apart for natives to meet in Parihiku, now the Prophet holds his day on the 18th, and Tohu and his followers on the 19th, hence the delay in coming to Puniho to cry over the dead (hold a tangi), On Wednesday evening bread and beer commenced to arrive, and three bullocks were bought from a neighbouring farmer (the pick of his stock), then butchers, cooks, and woodmen were told ofi for duty, and on Thursday morning visitors put. in an appearance, about 200 being present by dinner time, when more bread and beer arrived. The funeral took place on Thursday with all the honours that beer and whisky could afford. Then all seemed to forget their dear departed friend. On the Wednesday evening a little girl died in the pah, an arrival from Parihaka, and was buried in the same grave with Taiawaho. The carousal went on night and day, bread and beer still coming in, and by Friday evening the tenth barrel of beer was rolled in with ssveral cases of whisky, and if the labels on the bottle have anything to do with the contents it mnst havo been the " real McOay." I noticed tfcree different well-known brands, Andrew Usher being the favourite. Euting, drinking and dancing were kept going to the music of the j puniho native band, and notwithstanding that the head of the big drum was muffled with a little drop of the " crater " every time the bucket came round, the big drummer kept up hia thud, thud, to the best of time, and the little drummer cracked hia sticks in splendid style. Just as the tangi party was about to break up on Sunday, they got the news that a native died near Opucake, and a little later another death near Wait a'a, ar.d by Monday nearly all t-he visitors had gone to cry (or tangi) over other friends departed. On my first visit to the pah, I was favourably impressed with the kindly ways the Natives have cowards each other, so I saddled my horse and made several visits, and I do say that although some men and women were helplessly drunk, and others what we might call jolly, and 8' me lo ked the picture of sofceriety, g ;oi humour prevailed throughout the whele crop, I should say that there must hav ■ been 400 men, women, and nliikli en present. Every one seemed 'o enjoy themselves. The men made srifeoheß which were most attentively li-i'etKd tr>, the young girls performed the p-ji dance, and the older damos jigs cr step dances, assisted by the ycurg men, who al o danced and performed feats of strength, It might not bfl out of place to mention that all the clothf s and other articles belonging f o the two decrased are buried with them. The clothes alone would cost not, lefs than £3O (thirty pounds). Af'er all was cvor, and I again visited the psh, and found these people almost in a state of a' arvation, nothing but a frw potatoes to eat, ar.d they all now say that is the last tongi they will ever have a*. They would hive been better if t'rxy hid buried the beer money with the clothes. I hope the Gavernmont will do something soon to prevent such brer drinking at Maori tangis, for such eights ara horritlo.— Tain, etc. A Well-Wisher op the Maori.