When you go to a marae you either go there because you might be going for a talk, tangi or funeral. These are important things to do when you’re at a marae. Sometimes there could be things to do like cleaning up after a funeral or tangi. I have been to a tangi and funerals. The saddest time is when my papa Hangiroa passed away when I first saw my papa in his coffin I cried out all of my tears. I didn’t want to let him go from my life.
Talking at marae is talking about what you might plan for - where the body is going or what you might be doing for the plan of where people might be sleeping. Staying at a marae and sorting out the bed situation is easy you just got to pick where you are going to be sleeping. Maybe when you go to a marae and talk they might just be talking about what they are going to be doing on a birthday for someone that passed away to celebrate.
A tangi is when you are being called in by the kaikaranga. When you enter in by the marae you will walk up the center the marae and take off your shoes before entering the building and put them by the side so no one steps on them or trip over them while you’re lifting the body and walking. When your inside you take the body up to the front of the marae there will be pictures up in front of people that passed away and that are people that had their tangi there.
When you go to the marae you have a funeral, a funeral is when somebody passes away you stay at the marae for a little while and after a few days you have a funeral you take the body to their grave for where they get buried. When you go to a funeral it’s really sad to go to a family or friend’s funeral, some people wear black clothes for a funeral because it is a sign of respect for the deceased. When I went to a funeral it is really sad because if it’s your family or a really good friend this will mean that it is really sad, you will most definitely cry.
When somebody passes away you usually have a kai. Everyone loves to have a kai. Before you have it you obviously have to do the tables. When I was at my papa's tangi we had a kai after he got put down in the marae. We usually have lunch there for the people that stay there and family that are coming from overseas. When I was at my papa Hangarau ́s tangi I helped put out the forks, spoons, knives and the cups for the drinks I also put out the butter, pepper, salt, and bread It was so much fun because I got to set out it with a tray that you can move around with. When I finished I told everyone to come and have a kai they were so hungry.
There you have it five reasons as to why you should read this in case you do not know what these reasons are when you go to a tangi or funeral. These will help you to be confident and not scared to go and for you to meet new family and friends.
By Mihi-Rangi
