Maori Death and Ritual

By Katherine Olivieri

Maori culture is rich in mythology and tradition. Though much has changed over the years, the Maori still preserve the essence of their beliefs and traditions continue to play a significant role in Maori life. The ritual surrounding death and the mourning process is one practice that has remained more or less intact among traditional Maori. It reflects not only the endurance of Maori tradition but also reveals Maori perceptions of the soul and the afterlife.

Maori Funeral: Tangihanga

In Maori culture when a loved one dies the usual process of preparing the body (tupapaku) takes place. The hair is traditionally oiled, combed and decorated with feathers. The body is perfumed and clothed in fine garments. As in most cultures there is a funeral service (tangi) where family and friends (whanau) gather together to grieve openly and loudly. The Maori believe that the dead should be addressed, revered, and remembered. Among the Maori there is the belief that living must come together and offer support to each other on the marae. It is said that through this process of support the living become aware of their place in life. The living also remember the role of the deceased loved one and acknowledge the continuing influence of his or her spirit after death.

The tupapaku (body) is usually held at the marae, the traditional meeting place of the Maori people. “The importance of the tupapaku being held at the marae is, in part, the fulfillment of the wairua or spiritual being of the Maori –the belief that those who have died are always with the marae, that the recently dead are released into the care of the long dead.” Moreover it is not uncommon for a wedding to take place in the marae while a body is being held there. Thus even after death the person will continue to form a part of the tribe’s life, witnessing all tribal meetings, and blessing births and marriages. For the Maori it is not unusual to celebrate two seemingly different occasions, one related to the living and the other to the dead, in the same place. According to a Maori wairua life and death are intricately connected.

A significant belief among the Maori is that the body of the deceased should not be left alone at any moment after death until it is buried. And any speeches made during the tangi are spoken directly to the body because the Maori believe that even though the body is no longer functioning, the spirit of the loved one is present and continues to be aware of everything that takes place. This practice once again reinforces the assumption that though the body has ceased to function, the soul continues to be aware its family and tribe.

Once the body arrives at the marae the tangata whenau (home people), who have prepared the marae for its arrival, wait so that they may pay their respects. They wear taua (mourning wreaths) upon their heads and position themselves so that their attention is focused solely on the dead. The process of powhiri is the welcoming of visitors to the marae. Women stand along the sides, waving kawakawa leaves, representing the path by which the spirit must leave the present world and enter the one beyond. The Te Karanga (call of welcome) performed by the women consists of words and emotions that both welcome the body and the spirit to the marae and acknowledge its journey to his or her ancestors. At this time the women also bid farewell to the ancestors of the deceased and to all others who have died. The family and descendants of the dead are also mentioned.

When the body is secured in the marae, the tangi (grieving process) can begin. The family and friends of the tupapaku shed their tears openly and express their grief loudly. Perhaps this is an attempt to expunge their sorrow, a sort of cleansing ritual for the family. Or perhaps it is an expression of loyalty and love towards the deceased. It is possible that the Maori are so loud in their exclamations of sorrow because they know that the soul of their loved one is listening.

According to Nagata, even as the wailing and crying continues, the te whaikorero (speechmaking) begins. The whaikorero starts with a proverbial statement of classical Maori oral literature (tauparapara or whakatau). The body is addressed in symbolic language “which tells of its sacredness and special status and encourages the spirit on its sojourn to the spirit world.” At this time kinship ties are acknowledged. Indeed the ancestors of the tribe are considered such vital part of the mourning process that at the end of the whaikorero the speech expresses sorrow at the loss of past ancestors. Thus in death the loved one becomes a part of the great ancestral line further linking the tribe to the past.

On the night before the burial the Po Whakamutunga (final night), the whanau (family and friends) gather together and sing songs to remember the dead. They relate anecdotes about growing up and remind the deceased that one day they will see each other again. In reliving these happy events, the Maori seek to remind themselves that there is life after death and that the future holds the promise of a joyous reunion with their loved ones.

Next the body leaves to be buried. In the past, the body would be suspended from a tree so that the flesh could decompose. Then the flesh would be removed, the bones cleaned and painted. Finally the bones would be buried. This practice has since been discontinued due to obvious sanitary concerns. The Maori now simply hold a funeral service and burial.

During the Te Ra Nehu or funeral service the eulogy is usually given by someone close to the family. The first part of the Te Ra Nehu is held at the marae, the second part takes place at the graveside. After the funeral service, the mourners wash their hands (hori ringi) as they leave. A group of people from the marae remains to remove the tapu where the deceased lay.

Once the body is buried in the urupa or family cemetery, “the spirit travels to the Pohutukawa tree. The spirit then slides down the root of the tree to the sea below. The spirit then emerges onto Ohaua, which is the highest tip of the Three Kings Islands, for the final farewell before rejoining the ancestors”. After the burial the family has a feast the purpose of which is to distract and relieve the family from their grief. Next the house is blessed. Similar to an exorcism, the purpose is to assure the family that the spirit of the dead will not hover over the household. It is not uncommon for the person’s belongings to be burned or disposed of in this cleansing ritual.

In the Kawe mate (taking of the spirit of the deceased) the whanau takes the spirit of the loved one from marae to marae to provide an opportunity for others to mourn the death. This ritual can take a day or several days to complete, depending on the number of marae visited. In the past the Kawe mate took place over a number of days because of the large quantity of maraes to be visited. The Maori now limit themselves to visiting two maraes. The Kawe mate itself can take place several months or even a year after the death. The mourning process ends with the te Hurahanga Pohatu (the unveiling of the memorial stone). Similar to the Kawe mate, this event may occur at any time after the burial. It is usually done within the first five years.

Urupa: Selection and Significance

The selection of the Urupa or cemetery is an important part of the burial process. Usually the Maori create the urupa in conjunction with the marae so that the whanau is charged with its care. Often the individual wishes to be buried in their whanau urupa. Likewise the family expresses the desire to bring the deceased “home”. However marriage can produce a connection to more than one urupa. In this instance there is usually a tono (claim). A tono is a special request made by family or marae members for the body to be buried in a particular urupa.

According to Tauroa, most urupa are located close to the marae. It is said that in these places of natural beauty (tapu places), Mother Earth (Papatuanuku) watches over the bodies of the Maori. As in Western culture, the urupa contains some form of family plot, that is, families are usually buried in the same row. This conveys the meaning that as the family was together in life, so too will they be together in death. Interestingly, it is common for a person to visit the urupa if her or she has been absent for a long time and is only now returning home. The purpose of the visit is to remember one’s personal whakapapa (genealogy).

Maori Funeral Tradition and the Contemporary World

As time passes cultures are forced to adapt as the changing world makes it increasingly difficult to preserve ancient traditions; The Maori are no exception. Since the arrival of Captain Cook, the Maori have been exposed to a variety of outside influences that have often challenged their beliefs and at times forced them to change their practices. In the contemporary world technology and urbanization as well as changes in socio-economic status must also take their toll on Maori beliefs. So what effects if any have these outside forces had on Maori funeral practices and beliefs? Do the Maori still believe in the myths and legends associated with the burial process? Do contemporary Maori actually believe in the afterlife and the presence of the spirits of their ancestors or are they merely going through the motions of the funeral?

These last two questions are somewhat difficult to answer. As with any culture, each has its share of believers and non-believers, and with every subsequent generation it hard to find people who faithfully adhere to old beliefs. Let it suffice to say that it would be foolish to assume that contemporary Maori, especially urban youth, take the ancient myths and legends literally. It is far more likely that they respect the concepts and ideologies that these myths represent. Whether or not the Maori continue to believe in ancestral spirits is a question best answered by the individual Maori. It would be presumptuous to say that the Maori are merely going through the motions, slaves to an outdated tradition.

According to an essay by Paratene Ngata “changes in socioeconomic circumstances, population and family structure, and modern living have had a profound effect upon the traditional grieving and mourning practices of Maori people.” In the past Maori enjoyed a strong land-based whanau and support system. Maori youth of today, however, are landless and urban. Ngata argues that the young have not had access to the language, knowledge or cultural foundation necessary to adequately carry out the burial practices and fulfill their cultural obligations. “Fragmentation and the wide dispersal of the whanau support unit, the pursuit of many other modern lifestyle goals as well as the increasing social and economic costs in maintaining traditional ties, have eroded the fabric through which grieving, death and dying practices are interwoven. As a result there have been numerous changes in grieving and mourning practices.

As Maori families move away from home especially to the city it becomes more difficult to observe the traditional mourning practices. Sometimes families are unable to return their dead to their traditional burial grounds or marae. It is far less expensive to bury a loved one in the nearest cemetery than to undertake the cost of transporting the body. It also more convenient for the family to visit the deceased in a city cemetery than it is to return to the family urupa. Another noticeable change that has come as a result of urbanization is that tangi ceremonies are sometimes held in the private homes as urban marae are being constructed. The Maori often find that urban funeral homes do not meet their catering needs and thus prefer to have the funeral at home. The home is not without its shortcomings however. Often private homes are too small to accommodate all the relatives, neighbors and friends, the lack of space in turn inhibits the free and open expression of grief. Ngata also reports “the organizational rigidity and "red tape" of some modern institutions and health services has also caused many problems and distress amongst those who adhere to traditional Maori practices.”

The Story of the Guardian of Death (Hinenuitepo)

Tane Mahuta, the god of the forest and the birds, and Hineahuane, the woman made from the earth, had a daughter Hinetitama. Hinetitama or the Dawn Maiden was the only female god. As Hinetitama grew, Tane Mahuta began to wonder who would be her husband. He consulted with his brothers but they told him that it was his decision. Tane Mahuta then took the form of a man and Hinetitama fell in love with him and became his wife. She gave birth to Hinerauwharangi.

Then one day the wind whispered to Hinetitama, “Who is your father?” On another occasion a wave asked the same question. Hinetitama then became curious as to the identity of her father. Realizing that she had no recollection of him, she asked her husband. He told her to ask the posts of the marae. Suspecting the truth, Hinetitama asked Tane Mahuta a second time. He then made a particular gesture. Shocked, Hinetitama told him that she would leave him and go to the lower world. Her words were, “The path of Tahekeroa to the lower world shall be laid down for all time. From the Muriwaihou I will look up to you and our offspring moving in the world.”

Tane Mahuta objected but Hinetitama was determined to leave him. Her final words were, “Remain, O Tane Mahuta to pull up our offspring to the day, while I go below to drag them down to night.” Then Hinetitama chanted karakia to weaken the power of Tane Mahuta. Next she told their children to go to sleep. Finally she went down to the entrance of the lower worlds. There the guardian of Tatau o te Po tried to dissuade her, but Hinetitama remained determined and said, “Let me remain, that I may catch the living spirit of my descendants in the world of everlasting light.”

Hinetitama changed her name to Hinenuitepo. She was the first to take the path to Rarohenga and she stands at the end of the path to welcome her children. The legend says that though the body of man perishes the spirit of the deceased goes to Rarohenga where Hinenuitepo, the guardian of death, will care for it.

Maori Quotes/ Proverbs About Death

Ka hinga atu he tete-kura - ka hara-mai he tete-kura. As one fern frond (person) dies - one is born to take its place.

The heart provides the breath of life, but the Mauri has power to bind or join. Those who die have been released from this bond, and the spirit ascends the pinnacle of death. The Mauri enters and leaves at the veil, which separates the human world from the spirit world.

Notes

All information was obtained from:

Tauroa, Pat and Hiwi. Te Marae-A Guide to Customs and Protocol. Auckland: Reed Methuen Publishers Ltd., 1987.

Nagata, Paratene. Death, Dying, and Grief: A Maori Perspective

http://www.seddonpark.co.nz/resources/deathmaori.htm

The Story of the Guardian Death was retold based on a story by Hana Weka

http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Shores/9338/hine.htm

Maori quotes and proverbs about death found at:

http://www.standford.edu/~krouse/mauri.html