ABSTRACT
After the freeing of the land from tapu an air of excitement began to pervade the villages. The forthcoming rites, with their religious dancing of an unusual kind, were by far the most spectacular of the seasonal cycle, and claimed the interest of the people to a high degree. The dance period was divided into two sections, referred to as the Taomatangi and the Urangafi. The former, which came first on the programme, consisted of four days’ rites, with dances performed for a short space of time in the late afternoon, while in the second period a different set of dances began at dusk and continued throughout the night till dawn. While the crowds assembled round the Marae the Ariki Kafika remained in his house. When all was ready he was notified and came down to border of the sacred ground. There he wound round his waist a new piece of bark-cloth, and tied coconut leaf round his neck.
