Tangihanga

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Tangihanga or Tangi describes the process of mourning in the Māori culture when someone has died. The practices and the process can be different from Iwi (tribe) to Iwi. What they have in common, however, is to express the meaning and significance of the loss, also to those who have already died before.

procedure

Traditionally, tangihangas were held inside a marae , but these days they are also held in private homes and morgues. Tangihangas usually last three days, starting with the death of a person and continuing beyond the burial until the rituals and ceremonies of mourning can be considered complete.

The Maori believe that the tūpāpaku (corpse) is in a sleep-like state at the moment of death. It is customary to leave the coffin open until burial so that mourners can touch, kiss, hug, and weep the tūpāpaku to express their grief. Part of the belief is that the corpse must never be left alone until the burial. Close family members remain with the deceased during the Tangihanga period , supported by older female relatives. On the night before the funeral, family members gather around the deceased, sing songs in memory of them and tell each other funny stories about growing up. The coffin is locked before sunrise.

Many often travel long distances to attend the tangihanga and show their respect for the deceased. Support is usually offered to the family, and it is common practice to offer a koha (gift or donation), usually a sum of money, to the family or community of the marae .

If the Tangihanga takes place within a marae, those arriving are greeted with a Powhiri (welcome ceremony). In the meantime, speeches are made as if speaking directly to the dead person. It is the Maori belief that the spirit of the deceased remains in his body until he is buried.

If a deceased had connections with different tribes, a dispute between relatives about where the body should be buried may arise. The speeches can be heated and exhausting at times, but this is seen as a sign of love and respect for the deceased.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Customs / Traditions - Tangihanga - What Is It? . Maori.org.nz , accessed July 5, 2010 .
  2. ↑ a b The process of Māori mourning and grief at the time of death . FaithCentral.net.nz , accessed July 5, 2010 .