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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Tonguez" data-source="post: 1034316" data-attributes="member: 1125">The Ritual of WelcomeBlazing Tamanui, the Sun climbed steadily towards his zenith, his countenance bright against the azure belly of the Sky, whilst below him the people of lined the beach and gathered for the Ritual of Welcome scheduled for noon. Tanafa Rongua stood amongst the assembled nobility and frowned when Lani appeared not pleased that she was late. Still she said nothing as the Urukehu takes her place behind her mother.Fortunately for the latecomers the Lady Mata'vaine, matriarch of the Clan had not yet arrived with her fierce and scolding tongue. Instead she was still making her way down from her sacred quarters where she and the Chief Makea Takanui had been dressed in their finest tapa, feather cloaks and corwns of mother-of-pearl, red fathers, pearl and then made offerings to secure the favour of the Atua.Descending from the path the Lady, the chief and their small honour guard approached the rise above the shoreline where an open space had been cleared to act as the marae for the welcoming of the visitors. On either side of the entrance way to the marae stood two Tiki figures with fierce eyes and wide mouths, they had been carved from the wood of the Hau tree and would protect the marae from hostile forces.Behind the wooden icons the Marae Courtyard was enclosed by a low stone wall beyond which rows of coconut palm grew defining its edges. Opposite the entranceway, at the far end of the Marae courtyard, was a raised platform of shaped coral upon which, like a bird in his exquisite cloak of red feathers, stood the ‘Speaker for Takanui’, the flamboyant Tineiafi. Tineiafi was the Official Speaker for Chief Makea on all official occasions and thus Master of Ceremonies for the duration of the festival. He was was of middleage yet his body was still strong though not as sculptured as in his younger days. For the Welcoming Ceremonies his bronze skin had been oiled and perfumed, and dusted with yellow clay, about his neck hung a gleaming Mother-of-Pearl Talisman.Right now he stood poised and ready, a staff gripped in one hand receiving whispered messages and giving succinct instruction. Before him on the platform seated in accordance with their status and their rank in descent from the founding ancestors were the family of Makea Takanui along with the senior Priests and other high officials of the district and Island each dressed in their finery of white tapa skirts, feathers, fine mats and intricate shellwork. Some of them wore high and elaborate crownsTanafa Rongua, Lani was there amongst them as was Ru-Hina  her eyes bright and smiling as she gazed down upon the taut back of her brother Maeharoa who stood amongst the ranks of the Warriors, the sacred Taiaha ‘Kaiuru’ quivering in his hand.The pople gathered around the marae and down along the beach and an expectant hush hung over the island until finally a trumpet blast sounded from the point. Within minutes the masts and sails of three great double-hulled Vaka Purua came into view as the flotilla of visiting ships moved into the harbour and towards the shore."Turou, Turou"  in a deep bass toneTineiafi called from his platform the chant intended to ‘clear the way’ for the visitors to land. Puna Tani watching saw the flicker as a broad path opened through people milling about as they were moved back by some unseen hand - a bright path leading the vaka to shore.  Vaka Taua were launched from the beach too, decorated long boats that would speed towards the approaching double-hulls with military precision and harangue them with challenges and boasts before falling back to shore where Maeharoa and his warriors waited</blockquote>

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