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THE CANNIBALS OF THE BUSH
191
| Takataka te kape; Kapekapea! Ka eke i tua, Ka eke i waho, Ka eke i te Maru-aitu Te ihi nei, Te mana nei, Nga toa nei. Ko tai ko ki, Ko tai ko rea, Ko tai takoto ki raro. Ma peruperu! Ma whiwhi! Ma rawea! Haere ake ra te ihi a nga toa, Te mana o nga toa, Te whatu te ate-a-Nuku Te whatu te ate-a-Rangi. Huri ana te po, Huri ana te ao, He rangi ka mahea; He whai ao, He ao marama! |
I turn them this way, that way. Quickly stir the funeral pile, Now this way haul, now that! Their spirits far have gone; The flesh alone remains; They have gone the way of Destiny. Their courage no longer stirs them; Their pride and power have flown; Their valour's gone! In the fullness of life they fell— Like the fullness of the tide! And now they lie naked before me! They leaped in the war-dance; They were strenuous in battle; But they fell. Farewell! spirits of the brave! The pride and power of heroes! Heart of Earth, and heart of Heaven— For both joined to produce you! Now turns the night— It turns to day again. The clouds obscure the sky; We search for light, The perfect light of day! |
The people sat there on the marae, silently watching the burning of the dead. Far above the trees of the surrounding forest rose the thick black column of smoke from the blazing pile. It went up as straight as an arrow, unswayed by any breath of air, to a great height. To the savage watchers it
