Page:Maori Religion and Mythology.djvu/71

CH. v. which were two kahakaha cloaks. As Kahu went up towards the Pa he asked, "Which way did the man come." The woman replied, "He climbed over your gate."

By this time Kahu had reached the fence, and caught sight of the young man.

He no sooner saw him than he recognised his likeness to his brother, Tuhoro, and straightway welcomed him—"Oh! It is my nephew. Welcome, my child, welcome." He then began lamenting, and murmuring words of affection over him; so the tribe knew that it was the young son of Tuhoro.

After the lament, Kahu made inquiry for his brother, and the young man said, "My father is dead. I buried him. I have come to you to perform the ceremonies of the pure and the horohoro, to remove my sacredness." Immediately Kahu shouted to the tribe, "The marae (courtyard) is tapu," and led the young man to the sacred house of the priests. He then ordered food to be prepared—a dog of the breed of Irawaru—and while it was being cooked, went with the young man to dip themselves in the river. His companion, a son of his brother, Warenga, remained with the rest of the tribe. When they had dipped in the river, Kahu commenced cutting the young man's hair, which is a part of the ceremony of Pure. In the evening, the hair being cut, the mauri, or sacredness of the hair, was fastened to a stone.