The Awa Moana Rite

The following account of a ceremony performed ere commencing a voyage was collected by Mr. John White:—

When the people had taken their places in the canoe, the man officiating as tohunga, or adept, took off his clothing, and wrapped some seaweed round his body to serve as an apron. He then took a piece of seaweed in each hand, and, facing toward the east, he stood erect and repeated the following:—

Ka hura tangata uta
Te tiaki atu ki tangata tai
Ka hura tangata tai
Te tiaki atu ki tangata uta.
Pera hoki ra te korepe nui, te korepe roa
Te wahi awa, te totoe awa
Whakamoe ko Tu, ko Rongo
Te tama i a ia te awa me ko wai
Kauraka tama e puritia
Tukua atu tama kia puta i waho i te tawhangawhanga
He putanga ariki no Rongo
Ki te ata tauira maiea
Ki taketake nui o Kahukura
He moana i rokia.

He recited this aloud as he stood waving the seaweed before him. He then cast the weed into the sea, saying—

Tena te mau, ko te mau tapu a te aitu
A te tipua tawhito a Tangaroa.

He then pulled the seaweed from his body, and again clothed himself, his garments having been left some distance away from where he performed the ceremony. This ceremonial performance was for the purpose of rendering the ocean calm, but is here abbreviated.

The same authority gave the following: When a canoe is over-taken at sea by a storm, or the sea chances to be rough, the adept of the party recites the following charm:—

Ei, tena te ara, te ara ka iri
Ko te ara o Tane
Tane i te pu, Tane i te tamore
I tupu mai ai to whanau ariki, e Tane!

page 221

Then a hirihiri charm was repeated—

Kotahi ki reira, kotahi ki a (Mea)

naming in this manner the various tohunga (priestly adepts) of standing of the tribe. On reaching land the adept procured two kakaho, or flower-stalks of toetoe (Arundo conspicua), one of which he cast into the sea as a dart is thrown, and the other he chewed or bit the end off. This freed the party from tapu, and the members thereof could partake of food.

There was often a considerable amount of ceremonial observance connected with a new waka taua, especially in the event of such a vessel having been constructed for a special and important occasion, such as an expedition to avenge a slain tribesman.

In the legend of Rata, brought from Polynesia by the ancestors of the Maori, we may note the advice given to Rata by his mother on the completion of his new canoe: "Carry the ahua [semblance, personality] of your canoe to your elder, that he may perform the kawa ritual over it, and name it, also charm the course of your canoe and teach you the charms by means of which you may bring to your assistance the monsters of the deep, who will bear your vessel onward in such manner that no enemy may overtake you; likewise the charms whereby you may call on the offspring of Rongo-huakai."

Herein we note the curious practice of performing ceremonial rites over the ahua or semblance of some object—a common occurrence in former times, and one which the writer has seen practised within the past few years among the Tuhoe Tribe.

The charms recited in order to expedite the passage of a canoe, to remove obstructions and dangers, to calm the waters, are termed awa moana, and their action is expressed by the term hoa. As Rata's adviser put it, "Kia hoaia te ara o to waka" Ara and awa denote the path or course of a vessel across the ocean.

The monsters of the deep referred to are various species of whales, which are said to have guarded and assisted the vessels of old-time voyagers when called upon by responsible persons. The offspring of Rongo-huakai are four man-eating species of shark (mango), known as au-pounamu, huri taniwha, makomako, and waha-tara.

Further advice given to Rata was: "Let your voyage be commenced in the month Akaaka-nui, when Marewa and Autahi [stars] are hanging above the horizon, that you may experience a long continu-ance of the fair weather of Matariki." (Te paki o Matariki =the fair weather of the Pleiades.)

Prior to the departure of the expedition of eight vessels, the canoe of Rata, the leader, was hauled ashore and up to the turuma (latrine) page 222of the village, where the priestly adept Whakaiho-rangi performed certain ceremonies over it and recited all necessary ritual to ensure the welfare of the vessels and their occupants, the fleet being represented by "Aniuwaru," the outrigger canoe of Rata. The following is one of the ritual chants recited on that occasion:—

Tau ake nei au i taku nei tau
He tau tika, he tau aronui
He tau matua, he tau tipua, he tau arorangi
He tau ka wheau mai nou, e Ruatau! E Aitupawa …e … i!
Tu-matauenga tau tika mai ki tenei uriuri
No Rangi nui tamaku rangi … e … i.
Tenei ka tau, ka tau ki tenei pia
Ki tenei tama na Tane nui a rangi … e … i.
Tau ake nei au i taku nei tau
He tau tika, he tau aronui, he tau tipua
He tau na to aro, e Tu-matauenga … e … i!
Whai ake nei au i taku nei whai
Kia tau mai nga tipua
Kia tau mai nga atua kai tipua,
Kai atua, kai tangata
Ki tenei tama nau, e Tama-kaka! E Tama-torokaha … e … i!
Tenei to ara, he ara tipua, he ara atua
He ara no o uriuri, he ara no to tama
Ko Aniuwaru kia tau tika
Kia tau atu ki tuawhenua ki Pariroa
I te pu o te tonga … e … i.
Tenei ka whakamau atu taku aro ki nga tipua
Ki nga atua kai tipua, kai atua, kai tangata
Kia ihi nuku, kia ihi rangi
Kia ihi to tinana, kia ihi o mata
Kia ihi o taringa, kia ihi o niho kai tupua
Kai atua, kai tangata
Wheau atu ai ki muri o tuaropaki rangi, o tuaropaki nuku
Ngau atu ki Tupari
Ngau atu ki Tuamatua
Ngau atu ki a Hine-one
Ngau atu ki a Hine-kirikiri
Ngau atu ki Maunga-tutumaiao
Ka tatau te po turuturu
Ka tatau atu te po tamaki rangi
Ka tatau te po ka wheau atu
Ki te po tiwha, oti atu … e … i.
page 223 Ko Rata ihi nui, ko Rata ihi roa
Ko Rata ihi tipua, ko Rata ihi atua
Ko Rata ihi tangata ki te Po
Ka wheau atu ki Rarohenga
Ki te Muriwai hou oti atu … e … i.
Hau mai to rongo he rongo tipua
He rongo atua, he rongo tangata
Ka mau te hu wairoa ki nga rangi
Ka mau te hu waiora ki te wa ki tapatu o nga rangi
Ka mau te hu waiora ki te wa ki nga mata kainga
Auroki, aumoe ana mai Matuku-tangotango
Aumoe ana mai Pouhaokai
Aumoe ana mai Hine-komahi e Rata … e … i.

In this ritual chant Tu-matauenga and other gods are called upon to assist Rata in his enterprise, and avenging of his father's death, that his vessel may safely reach the far land where Matuku and Pouhaokai, the slayers of his father, dwell.

In the legend of Kupe we find the following charm recited by him in order to recover his canoe from the depths of the ocean, whither it was being dragged by a huge octopus:—

Heuea ki runga
Heuea ki tuara nui o Hinemoana
Nau, e Kiwa! Ahua ki runga
He ihinga a rangi, he ihinga moana
Tau ake nei au ki runga te iri tu
Te iri awaawa, te iri a tai … e
Ki te kahu tai, ki te kahu wai nau
E Kuru-rangi … e … o.
Oi eke, oi eke, marewa, marewa
He takinga nuku, he takinga rangi
Ki tenei pia, ki tenei aro nou,
E Kiwa … i … oi.

Herein Kiwa, the Guardian of the Ocean, is appealed to for assistance.

Ko te karakia tenei o Takitumu, i tere mai ai i te moana (The ritual chanted over "Takitumu," by means of which she was enabled to cross the ocean):—

Ko wai taku waka?
Ko Te Puwhenua pea taku waka.
Ko wai taku waka?
Ko te ara moana taku waka
page 224 Ko wai taku waka?
Ko Uruhau taku waka
Ko wai taku waka?
Ko te take o te rangi taku waka
Ko wai taku waka?
Ko te timu o te rangi taku waka
He waka kautere nui, he waka kautere rangi
He waka atua no nga rangi taku waka
He waka tapu taku waka no nga apa rangi
No nga poutiriao taku waka
He waka tapu taku waka
No nga tawhito taku waka
He waka tapu taku waka
No Kahukura taku waka
Ko wai taku waka?
Ko Takitumu taku waka
He waka no Hine-korako taku waka
No wai taku waka?
No Tama-i-waho taku waka
No wai taku waka?
No Maru taku waka
No wai taku waka?
No Tunui-o-te-ika taku waka
He waka atua taku waka
No te ihonga nuku, no te ihonga rangi
No takere nuku, no takere haea te piere nui
Haea te piere moana, haea taku ara
Ko te ara o wai?
Ko te ara o nga apa a rangi
Haea taku ara, ko te ara o nga tawhito
Haea taku ara, ko te ara o nga wehenga kauki
Whakahoru noa ra i te moana waipu
Haea taku ara, ko te ara o Tutara kauika
Taku ara ko te ara o Ruamano taku ara
No wai taku ara?
No Arai-te-uru taku ara
Waerea, waerea taku ara
He ara moana taku ara
Takoto, takoto te ihu o taku waka nei
Ki roto i te awa moana o takere nui, o takere roa
Ka takoto te ihu o taku waka
I roto i te awa tai heke
Heke te tai nui, heke te tai roa
page 225 Heke te au kume, heke te au rona
Heke te au taiparipari ki whea
Pari ki tawhiti ki tiritiri o te moana tuauriuri…e …i.
Ka ea, ka ea taku waka i te ihi moana
Ka ea, ka ea taku waka i te tai nui, i te tai roa
Ka ea, ka ea taku waka i te ngaru tu, i te ngaru wharewhare
Ka ea, ka ea taku waka i te tai wharewhare i te tai maranga
Ka ea ki te ihu whenua, ki te tai uru, ki te tai marangai… e… i.
Ka whakaea, ka whakaea taku waka.
Tenei to tapuwae ko te manu ka roha, ko te manu ka tiu
Ko te manu ka whakaangi ki te ihu whenua
Ka tau taku waka, ka tau ki take whenua … e … i.
Ka tere, ka tere tenei waka, he waka no nga pia
He waka no nga taura, he waka no nga tauira
He waka no nga ariki, he waka no nga tamaroa
Ka takoto i runga i te au kume, i te au rona
I te au whakaea ki tawhiti.
Ki tiritiri o te moana ki te ihu whenua
Amohia, amohia taku waka e nga kauika o Hinemoana
Awhitia, awhitia mai nga papa o taku waka e Tutara kauika
Awhitia mai nga papa o taku waka e te wehenga kauki … e
Takoto, takoto taku ika taki ko Ruamano i taku waka
Takoto, takoto, e taku ika
Waerea, waerea te ara moana o taku waka
Ko koe, e Arai-te-uru, ki roto ki te awa o taku waka o Awarua
Tahia te au moana, tahia te kare moana
Tahia te huka moana ki tawhiti muri
Ki tawhiti whakaaweawe ki te hiku o taku waka.