Tangihanga

Throughout the tangihanga, the tūpāpaku is flanked by the bereaved family (whānau pani;[3] sometimes called the kirimate or mourners),[4] who take few and short breaks, dress in black, and sometimes wreath their heads in kawakawa leaves.

Traditional beliefs may be invoked, and the deceased is told to return to the ancestral homeland, Hawaiki, by way of te rerenga wairua, the spirits' journey.

It is traditional for mourners to wash their hands in water and sprinkle some on their heads before leaving the area where the tūpāpaku lies in state.

Traditionally, the visitors would bring famous taonga (treasures), such as kākā and kiwi feather cloaks and pounamu mere, which would be placed alongside the tūpāpaku.

As with the area the tūpāpaku lies, it is traditional for mourners to wash their hands in water and sprinkle some on their heads before leaving the cemetery.