Meanwhile Kahu was on the beach, where guests were usually entertained, busied about sending off a canoe with food for the Atua at Hawaiki, and for Houmaitahiti, food both cooked and uncooked. This canoe was made of raupo (a species of bulrush). There was no one in the canoe, only stones to represent men. There Kahu was busied sending off his canoe, when his wife, Kuiwai, shouted to him, “Kahu, Kahu, there is a man on your resting place.” Then Kahu cried out, “Take him; shove him down here.” The woman replied, “Who will dare to approach your pillow; the man is tapu.” Then Kahu shouted, “Is he seated on my pillow?” “Yes.” “I am mad with anger,” said Kahu; “his head shall pay for it.”
Ihenga was dressed in two dog-skin cloaks, under [pg 57] which were two kahakaha cloaks. As Kahu went up towards the Pa he asked, “Which way did the man come.” The woman replied, “He climbed over your gate.”
By this time Kahu had reached the fence, and caught sight of the young man.
He no sooner saw him than he recognised his likeness to his brother, Tuhoro, and straightway welcomed him—“Oh! It is my nephew. Welcome, my child, welcome.” He then began lamenting, and murmuring words of affection over him; so the tribe knew that it was the young son of Tuhoro.
After the lament, Kahu made inquiry for his brother, and the young man said, “My father is dead. I buried him. I have come to you to perform the ceremonies of the pure and the horohoro, to remove my sacredness.” Immediately Kahu shouted to the tribe, “The marae (courtyard) is tapu,” and led the young man to the sacred house of the priests. He then ordered food to be prepared—a dog of the breed of Irawaru—and while it was being cooked, went with the young man to dip themselves in the river. His companion, a son of his brother, Warenga, remained with the rest of the tribe. When they had dipped in the river, Kahu commenced cutting the young man’s hair, which is a part of the ceremony of Pure. In the evening, the hair being cut, the mauri,[40] or sacredness of the hair, was fastened to a stone.
[pg 58]
Then Kahu went with Ihenga to the Koari, where the ueta of the corpse had been left, and there chanted a karakia. They then rested for the night.
The next morning the ceremony of the Pure was finished, and the following karakia was chanted by Kahu:—
Complete the rite of Pure,
By which you will be free from
The evil influence of Po,
The bewitching power of Po.
Free the canoe from sacredness, O Rangi;
The canoe of stumbling unawares, O Rangi;
The canoe of death unawares, O Rangi.
Darkness for the Tipua, darkness.
Darkness for the Antient-one, darkness.
Some light above,
Some light below.
Light for the Tipua, light.
Light for the Antient-one, light.
The uwha[41] is held aloft.
A squeeze, a squeeze.
Protection from Tu.
After this they went to partake of food; and the oven of the kohukohu[42] was opened. While the oven was being uncovered by Hine-te-kakara (the fragrant damsel), she took care to turn aside her face, lest the savour of the kumara and the steam of the sacred oven should come near her mouth, lest evil should come to her. She did not even swallow her spittle, but constantly kept spitting it forth.