What happens at a tangihanga?
The tangihanga ceremony which Māori use to mourn the dead has changed very little over time. The body is prepared by an undertaker, then taken to the dead person’s marae. After the body is buried at the urupā (cemetery) a minister or tohunga walks through the dead person’s home to remove the tapu of death.
What do you say when someone dies in Māori?
They know not decay or death, they live for ever; they are unlike the people of this world; man is born but to be caught in the snare of Hine.” So it is that, when a person dies, an old saying of the Maori folk is quoted: “Me tangi, kāpā ko te mate i te marama” (Let us mourn and weep for him, for truly he dieth not as …
What did Māori do with dead?
In preparing the deceased, Māori would smear the tūpāpaku (dead body) with kōkōwai (red ochre) and oil, then sit it up. The knees were tucked under the chin and the arms wrapped tightly around the legs. The body was then wrapped in whāriki (mats) and cloaks.
Where do Māori go after death?
When Maori people die, a tangihanga (funeral ceremony) is held. This takes place at a marae, an important communal meeting house that is considered wahi tapu (a sacred place).
Why is a tangihanga important?
The tangihanga is the enduring Māori ceremony for mourning someone who has died. It is commonly called a tangi, which also means to weep, and to sing a dirge (a lament for the dead). The dead play an important role in Māori traditions.
Do Māori embalm their dead?
In preparation for the tangihanga, Māori have become accustomed to taking their dead to a funeral home to be embalmed. Embalming is a chemical process whereby the corpse is sanitised and preserved which allows the whānau to proceed with the tangihanga, while maintaining a dignified image of the deceased.
What does tapu mean in New Zealand?
Tapu is the strongest force in Māori life. It has numerous meanings and references. Tapu can be interpreted as ‘sacred’, or defined as ‘spiritual restriction’, containing a strong imposition of rules and prohibitions. A person, object or place that is tapu may not be touched or, in some cases, not even approached.
Do Māori believe in the afterlife?
Many Māori people believe that the spirits of the dead watch over the living. For this reason, Māori families will hold unveiling services and blessings of gravestones of those who have been gone for a year or longer as a way of remembering and paying respects to those who have died.
What do you do at a Māori unveiling?
Headstone Unveiling Ceremony Those in attendance gather around the headstone and recite psalms and perhaps a brief eulogy before removing the cloth. The Memorial Prayer, called “El Maleh Rachamim,” is recited.
How long do Māori funerals go for?
three days
It is considered an honour to perform the final funeral rites for a loved one and debate can rage from both sides of the marae. Modern tangihanga take three days but there is no set rule and can take much longer.