Tangi - My Maori Heritage

A tangi is the tradition way of doing a funeral for the Māori people. I have been attending these rituals since I was young. The person who has passed will be placed at the end of the marae (hall) and the closest of relatives or friends/etc lay closest to their caskets. The remainder of the family/friends lay along the sides. This can last 1-3 days (on average) and this is when you would say good bye to the person you loved before they are buried. Beds are provided by the marae in most cases and you have to be welcomed onto the site. This is done with singing and other traditional actions.