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RELIGIOUS RITES
CH. iv.

On the morning following the burial, some men go to kill a small bird of the swamps called kokata, and to pluck up some reeds of wiwi. They return and come near the grave. The tohunga then asks "Whence come you?" The men reply, "From the seeking, from the searching." The tohunga again asks "Ah! what have you got? ah! what have you gained?" Thereon the men throw on the ground the kotata and the wiwi. Then the tohunga selects a stalk of toetoe or rarauhe, and places it near the grave in a direction pointing towards Hawaiki to be a pathway for the spirit, that it may go in the straight path to those who died before him. This is named a Tiri, and is also placed near where he died, in order that his spirit may return as an Atua for his living relations. The person to whom this Atua appears is called the kaupapa or waka-atua. Whenever the spirit appears to the kaupapa the men of the family assemble to hear its words. Hear the karakia of the kaupapa to prevail on the spirit to climb the path of the Tiri.

This is your path, the path of Tawaki;
By it he dimbed up to Rangi,
By it he mounted to your many,
To your Thousands;
By it you approached,
By it you clung,
By it your spirit arrived safely
To your ancestors.
I now am here sighing,
Lamenting for your departed spirit.
Come, come to me in form of a moth,
Come to me your kaupapa,
Whom you loved,
For whom you lamented.
Here is the Tiri for you,