A kawe mate for Tainui descendants was held today as part of the Koroneihana, the annual event to commemorate and celebrate the coronation of Kīngi Tuheitia Pootatatu Te Wherowhero VII.
Whānau carried photos of loved ones who died in the past year on to the marae where they were honoured in the presence of the Kīngitanga.
Waikato-Tainui kuia Mamae Takerei said a kawe mate is an ancient tradition practised by Māori and has been passed down through many generations.
"Ko te tikanga o te kawe mate i aua wā, ehara ko te whakaahua, ko te kanohi o te uri e ora tonu nei. Ko te wairua o te mate kei runga i te kanohi o te uri e whakaeke nei ki runga i te marae, koirā te tikanga nē (Kawe mate, traditionally, were about the surviving descendants, rather than the photo [of the loved one]. They carry the spirit of their departed loved one on to the marae, that's tikanga).
"Ka kite ko koe, ko koe te uri, te kanohi o tō tupuna, o tō whānau kua ngaro i tēnei rā (You are seen as the descendant, the representative of your ancestors, of the loved one(s) who have died)."
Te Ahukaramū Royal and his whānau were among those welcomed on to the marae, carrying the spirit of their late father Tūroa Royal, a pioneering Māori educationalist, who died last year in November.
"Kua haria tōna mate i tēnei rā ki runga ki te marae, kua tāpiri ki ngā mate o Tainui, ā, ka tangihia ngātahitia e ngā iwi o Tainui (We've brought him today on to the marae, adding to others of Tainui who have passed on, so that we may all grieve as one, all Tainui iwi)."
Royal said the act of whānau carrying the spirit of the loved one to other marae that share familial links, provides closure because it helps to alleviate sadness that may otherwise weigh people down.
"Tukuna atu kia tangi o tātou ngakau, kia tangi te mapu, kia ea ai o tātou mate, kia watea te wairua, te hinengaro, te tinana (We must allow for our grief to take place so that we can have closure, so that spiritually, mentally and physically we are unburdened)."
Tomorrow, a national kawe mate will be held at Tūrangawaewae Marae for iwi across the country.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
