The hono is the part of the mihi that separates the living from the dead.
Stage 4 - Hono
It is important after acknowledging the mate and they have been farewelled that you yourself return to be with the living. The following samples are various ways of doing this.
| Te hunga mate ki te hunga mate | The dead to the dead |
| Te hunga ora ki te hunga ora | The living to the living |
| Apiti hono, tatai hono | The lines are joined |
| Te hunga mate ki te hunga mate | The dead to the dead |
| Apiti hono, tatai hono | The lines are joined |
| Te hunga ora ki te hunga ora | The living to the living |
| Apiti hono, tatai hono | The lines are joined |
| Ratou te hunga mate ki a ratou | Those the dead to them |
| Apiti hono, tatai hono | The lines are joined |
| Tatou te hunga ora ki a tatou | Us the living to us |
| Apiti hono, tatai hono | The lines are joined |
| Ratou kua wehe atu ki te po | Those that have departed to the night |
| Apiti hono, tatai hono | The lines are joined |
| Tatou e tu ana ki te ao | Us who stand in the light |
Notes
This section is heard often today at the end of a mihi, although about 30 to
40 years ago, it was not common at the end. The way that the writer was taught
places it here, for the joining and separating of the two worlds. The Hono is
used to join the dead to the world of the dead so that we can carry on speaking
to the living without mixing the two worlds.
However, in the Maori World
there are many different ways of doing things and this is one way.
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