In front of the great house on the _marae_, or village square, stood the sacred _Niu_-pole, a _totara_ pine flagstaff, nearly fifty feet in height, with a yard about fourteen feet long; the staff was stayed like the mast of a ship. The war-flags of the Hauhaus were flown from the _Niu_, and the people daily marched around its foot in their "_Pai-mariré_" procession, intoning the chants their prophet had taught them. This _Niu_ was one of the first worship-poles planted in Taranaki by the Hauhau prophet's command, and it was the centre of many a wild fanatic gathering. At its foot there was planted a large piece of unworked greenstone--as was done when the first house-pillar was set up--as the _whatu_ of the sacred pole; this block of _pounamu_ is still there, says Bent.
Round this staff of worship, where the bright war-flags hung, the people marched daily in their strange procession, chanting their wild psalms. Tito te Hanataua was one of the priests of the _Niu_, and he led his tribe in the services after the Hauhau religion.
Some of the chants were amazing mixtures of English and Maori; some were all pidgin-English, softened by the melodious Maori tongue. Here is a specimen of the daily chants, intoned by all the people as they marched round and round the holy pole. The priest shouted, "_Porini, hoia!_" ("Fall in, soldiers!"); then "_Teihana!_" ("Attention!"), and they stood waiting. Then they chanted, as they got the order to march:
_Kira_ Kill _Wana_ One _Tu_ Two _Tiri_ Three _Wha_-- Four-- _Teihana!_ Attention!
Round the sacred flagstaff they went--men, women, and children--chanting:
_Rewa_ River _Piki rewa_ Big river _Rongo rewa_ Long river _Tone_ Stone _Piki tone_-- Big stone-- _Teihana!_ Attention!
_Rori_ Road _Piki rori_ Big road _Rongo rori_ Long road _Puihi_ Bush _Piki puihi_-- Big bush-- _Teihana!_ Attention!
_Rongo puihi_ Long bush _Rongo tone_ Long stone _Hira_ Hill _Piki hira_ Big hill _Rongo hira_-- Long hill-- _Teihana!_ Attention!
_Mauteni_ Mountain _Piki mauteni_ Big mountain _Rongo mauteni_ Long mountain _Piki niu_ Big staff _Rongo niu_-- Long staff-- _Teihana!_ Attention!
_Nota_ North _No te pihi_ North by East _No te hihi_ N. Nor'-east _Norito mino_ N.E. by North _Noriti_ North-east _Koroni_-- Colony-- _Teihana!_ Attention!