High on a Hill
Listening to the tributes about my great grandmother Moewaka Jane Rapana (or Nama as she was affectionately called) it wasn’t hard to imagine her walking between us all standing there. It seemed fitting that she would rest on the high hill overlooking her beloved Haranui Marae, able to watch in spirit, those few remaining family members that continued to reside in and around the small community still. Most urupa are situated close to the marae. In these special tapu places, places of natural beauty it is said that Papatuanuku (Mother Earth) cares for the bodies of her charges.
Nama’s Grave
A visit to the urupa is important if one is returning home after a long absence to reinforce knowledge of personal whakapapa (genealogy). As we filed passed Nama’s graveside, many rubbing her photograph and that of Arka’s on their new double-headed granite headstone, this practice reminded me of that one among maori akin to the rubbing of the walls of a newly opened whare (building). As the people file into the room they walk around it’s perimeter, rubbing or touching the walls as they go. It is said that when a person does this they leave something of their essence with the room and that when they pass the building again they are reminded that they were there and are now a part of it. I liked that remembrance, it too seemed fitting.
As Mede and me walked back down passed the other graves we see a single person or clusters of people, gathered around a single headstone, having a quiet kororeo (talk). I like that about my people, their relative ease in doing such things. It’s a strange mix this world of old and new. I stood behind a young women at the graveside, who’d worn stilettoes. I’d smiled a knowing smile.
Hura Kohatu
As time went on, standing in one place meant that by the time the hura kohatu (unveiling) was over her heel had disappeared completely into the soft earth. But I admired her this young woman, she never moved, never fidgeted, eyes always forward and ears straining to catch the words of each speaker. When the weather got minxy and showered us some, then blow-dryed us for good measure I got to thinking the jostling between the day and the weather was getting a bit more like a Saturday afternoon football match than was meant.
Outside the gate of the urupa were large containers of water, on leaving the urupa, its tapu is removed by washing the hands in water. Other urupa can be reached only by crossing a creek. It is here that visitors or family will stop to wash their hands.
Tapu
“In the absence of water, it may be that rewena (home-cooked maori bread) is available. In this case, the bread is crumbled and used to ‘wash away’ the tapu. This action recreates the state of noa, or freedom to move among, and have contact with others. The origins of tapu date back to the time of creation, the time of Gods Ranginui (Sky father) and Papatuanuku (Earth mother) and their offspring Tane mahuta (God of the forest), Tangaroa (God of the ocean) and the other divine siblings.
Tapu is closely linked to the Maori concept of mana and many view tapu to be the mana derived from the gods. Therefore, to maintain the sanctity of tapu, certain behaviours or acts are prohibited when tapu is involved. In early Maori society, this system of restrictions was the closest thing to a code of socially appropriate behaviour. To disregard the rules of tapu was seen as an offence to the gods.
Old maori believe everything in existence has an intrinsic tapu sourced from the connection it has to the gods. The mountains are of the earth, so their intrinsic tapu is sourced from the mana of Papatuanuku, the earth mother. Fish are the children of Tangaroa, God of the ocean so their tapu is drawn from him. The more significant an object, whether it is for cultural, historical or any other reasons, the higher the level of tapu.
Explaining to my Daughter
I explained to Mede the why for of washing our hands remembering in my younger years crabby (or so it seemed) aunties shooing us back to the taps and water containers to wash our hands. I recall washing my hands in resentment because I also recall thinking when you’re young an explanation would be nice too!
When you know better, you do better. Explaining to my daughter seemed to me to be the most logical way of teaching her about her maori heritage while also heading off any cultural resentment that had an inkling to spring up simply through lack of knowledge. Knowledge is Strength so my old primary school motto goes!
The notion of tapu has been upheld by Maori since the very beginning of time. This alone is indicative of the sanctity and respect Maori place on tapu. Although some of the traditions associated with tapu are no longer widely practised, it survives today as a sacred component of Maori life, lore and custom.”
The walk back down the hill seemed easy and effortless. Back in the whare kai (dining room) the cooks had been busy and their helpers had set the tables for our last meal together. The hangi was almost ready to be taken out of the ground.
