Tangihanga

Hine-nui-te-pō is the Māori goddess of death, who Maui attempted to crawl through in order to cheat death and give humanity eternal life. His attempted ascent between her legs during slumber awakened her and Maui was crushed as a result. Before he died, Māui asked Hine-nui-te-pō to let people die as the moon disappeared in the sky, only to rise again. She responded with words to the effect of ‘Let him die forever and be buried in the earth, and so be greeted and mourned.’ To this day, due to these events, humans continue to die. Death can be personified as Aituā, which along with being a proper name can also connote ill-omens, accidents, or disturbances of the natural order such as those that violate tapu or mākutu.

Historically, tangi in NZ or Aotearoa began before death with the ōhākī of the nearly departed rangatira, a final speech which in old times often called for revenge upon other tribes. Once dead, their body was smeared in oil and red ochre before being positioned with their chin resting on their knees while sitting. Wrapped in mats and cloaks, they remained in this state while speeches were made to them as if they were still alive. 

The whānua pani, or bereaved family, were and are still expected to stay with the dead body, or tūpāpaku, and not eat until the end of the day when no visitors are expected to arrive. A tradition no longer observed is the exhuming and cleaning of the bones, painting them with ochre, and having them relocated/hidden by tohunga so that the deceased’s remains could not be desecrated.

These days, the tradition of digging up the bones has been replaced by the unveiling of the dead person’s headstone, and due to increasing urbanization, the body may lie in a house or hall if it is more appropriate than taking the body to a marae. 

When paying respects to the dead person, people are encouraged to express their emotions – they are not restricted to only sharing positive memories, but may say what is on their minds. There are sometimes arguments over where exactly the person’s body shall lie – these are considered tributes to the mana of the dead.

There are multiple sayings (or whakataukī) that are often recited when news that someone has died is given or received. A significant one is “Kua hinga te tōtara i Te Waonui-a-Tāne”, which  translates to something like ‘“the tōtara tree has fallen in Tāne’s great forest”. The saying contains the message that someone of great importance to the tribe, and of great mana, has died.

On the last day of the ceremony there is a service presided over by a tohunga, priest or minister – following this, the deceased is taken to the cemetery or urupā  for their burial. Most urupā have at their entranceway a water container, from which people use the water to wash their hands to remove tapu.

The traditional process of exhuming and reinterring bones has been replaced by the ceremony of hura kōhatu (the unveiling of the gravestone), usually a year after the tangi initially takes place..

In a ceremony called kawe mate (translated here to “carry the dead”) the memory of a person will be taken to those who were unable to attend the tangihanga, often to another marae. A photograph is used to represent the deceased.

While the services listed below are simply listing the basics, let it be known that any requested service can be done with regard to any necessary cultural requirements.

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At Lagoon View Funeral Services, we are sensitive to the cultural importance of tangihanga in New Zealand, both historically and in relation to the more modern times within which these traditions remain strong, if very slightly adapted from the procedures of old. For a tangihanga ceremony carried out by those who are respectful of tradition, and knowledgeable in its historical importance, let the team at Lagoon View assist you. Give us a call at 09 527 1866 today if you have any questions regarding our processes.