Story: Hawaiki

An orator’s farewell for the dead

At a tangihanga (ceremony of mourning) it is customary for speakers to refer to a person’s death as a journey back towards Hawaiki, the source and the destination of human life. The speaker in this case is Martin Wikaira of Ngāti Tūwharetoa.

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How to cite this page:

Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, 'Hawaiki - The significance of Hawaiki', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/video/475/an-orators-farewell-for-the-dead (accessed 20 April 2024)

Story by Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 1 Apr 2015