
No matter what, someone from the family will always be sitting or sleeping beside the casket.Ībove all, it is a time of mourning.
Lastly, the loved ones body will never be left by itself. This is an important Māori ritual as they are there to mourn the death of their loved one. The bereaved family are not to do anything during the Tangi. The casket will be near the back wall of the wharenui where you will go to say your goodbyes. This is an important part of the funeral as their spirit is believed to still be amongst everyone. The loved one will be displayed with the casket open. This is a way to bring you into their ‘home’ and explain that they’ll take care of you while you’re there Firstly you’ll be welcomed on to the marae where the funeral is being held. Death is a very important part of Māori culture making the rituals performed at Māori funerals an important part of their identity. Māori funerals take place over a period of 3 days or more to mourn and grieve the passing of a loved one.
Common Māori funeral rituals & how you fit in Remembrance Funerals understand that it can be a bit overwhelming when these rituals seem foreign to you, we don’t expect you to learn them all.īelow we have outlined the Māori funeral traditions and rituals that you should know and understand. Māori funeral traditions and rituals can be difficult to understand when there is so much to learn during the grieving period.