A MAORI TANGI.
April 2nd.--This day, perceiving that an unusual number of canoes were
passing up the river, all proceeding towards the village of Par-Finneigh,
we hailed one; and, upon its coming alongside, we inquired what had
occurred, for every appearance of bustle or commotion amongst this
restless and war-like people is truly alarming. They informed us that the
great chief A-Rowa, who died four months since, and the ceremony of whose
"lying in state" I had been permitted by his eldest son to be a witness
of, was this day to be exposed to the view of his friends; was to be
cried over; and was finally to be deposited in the tomb of his ancestors.
As this was one of their imposing spectacles which I had never yet seen,
I was anxious to witness it. We soon got a boat ready, and a party of us
joined the throng, and proceeded with them to the village. Upon our
arrival thither, we found an immense concourse of people assembled; for
here, as in most uncivilised or early states of society, the disposition
and good qualities of the deceased are made known by the number of
friends and followers who meet at his funeral. As these New Zealanders
were all fully equipped in arms, they had more the appearance of a
hostile meeting in an enemy's camp, than of a group of mourners about to
be occupied in the melancholy duty of depositing out of sight for ever
the last remains of a beloved chief.
Mooetara, the son and successor of the deceased, came to meet us on the
beach, and seemed much gratified by our attention, our appearance on this
solemn occasion giving him importance in the eyes of all the natives then
assembled. He gave orders for our being conducted with much ceremony to
the place of mourning, where, amidst a number of uncouth pieces of
carving (which, we were informed were all tombs reared in honour of the
memory of several former chiefs, and all tabooed), was erected a small
hut, covered in at the top with thatch, but open at the sides. In the
centre of this hut the bones of the deceased chief were exposed to view.
After having undergone the process of decomposition during four months'
exposure to heat, wind, and rain, they had been collected, cleaned, and
decorated with a quantity of fresh white feathers, which rendered the
appearance of the skull still more frightful.
The women here invariably perform the parts of chief mourners; a group of
them, with the widow of the deceased at their head, kept up a most
mournful cadence, and at every pause in their dismal song slashed their
skins with a piece of shell, till their faces, necks, and arms were
literally streaming down with blood. This mourning and cutting is
completely a matter of business, and is sometimes carried on without
their feeling any real sorrow or sympathy. Parties kept arriving, and
when there was not room for them to thrust themselves round the hut, they
sat down in groups, perfectly unconcerned, employing themselves in
cleaning their firelocks, or playing off upon each other some practical
joke; but the moment a vacant space was presented near the hut, they
deliberately stripped themselves, put on a most sorrowful countenance,
and, seating themselves as near to the ornamented bones as possible, they
immediately began their howling and slashing; no one seemed to like the
idea of being outdone by his neighbour; but when the time allotted to
this ceremony had expired, all instantly jumped up, wiped themselves, put
on their mats, and joined the busy throng. There was, indeed, one real
mourner, who never moved from the bones, nor once lifted up her eyes from
them; she neither howled nor cut herself, and yet she inspired me with
pity and commiseration for her forlorn state. This woman had been the
only wife of the late chief; and I was informed they had lived many years
together, and had a large family; she looked as if she herself was on the
very brink of the grave. The contemplation of the mouldering remains of
her partner through life must have been, even to her savage mind, most
lacerating.
After witnessing several parties perform their funeral ceremonies, and
imbibing, in some degree, the melancholy tone of mind such a sight must
necessarily create, we arose and joined Mooetara. Here I witnessed a
scene that reminded me of an English country fair. An immense number of
temporary huts had been erected for the accommodation of the chiefs and
their families, where they might repose after their exertions, while
their slaves cooked their provisions, of which an abundant quantity had
been provided, consisting of piles of kumara and Indian corn, with heaps
of fish, which were served out, to all who came for them, with a most
liberal hand, and which, of course, added not a little to the pleasure of
the day. After all had satisfied their hunger (and even the lowest slaves
were permitted, on this occasion, to have as much as they wished for)
they jumped up, flew to their muskets, and commenced their war dance with
great noise and vigour. The violence of their exertions caused their
recent wounds to bleed afresh, and added much to the horror of their
hideous grimaces. They then divided into two parties, and had a sham
battle. I must here do justice to the temperate habits of my savage
friends. During my residence in New Zealand, I have known but very few
who were addicted to drinking, and I scarcely ever saw one of them in a
state of intoxication; and, on this occasion, where a profusion of what
they esteem delicacies was provided gratuitously, they partook so
moderately of the tempting fare as not to be prevented using the most
violent exertions immediately after their meal. The entertainment being
now over, the different parties gathered up what remained of the portions
of food distributed to them, and without taking any leave of their
entertainer, or returning any thanks for his bountiful providing, they
all entered their canoes and paddled away.