Ghosts and spirits in Māori culture
The topic of
Kikokiko are known in Māori belief as malevolent ghosts that take possession of living people, making them lose sanity. Taniwha are guardian monsters that reside in bodies of water such as rivers or lakes and can appear as sharks, whales, dragons or even floating logs.[1]
Death
Following a death, Māori custom requires the body of the dead be returned to its whānau (family) as soon as possible. The whānau is then called onto a marae for a tangihanga (funeral) to remove sadness and clear the spirits. The ghosts and spirits are called to join those who are already living in the afterlife. It is believed that if certain rituals are not conducted, the whānau of a dead person are likely to face stress and unhappiness and if the spirits are not satisfied, they may choose to take someone else.[3]
Sometimes, when a person was nearing death, beyond hope of further living, a procedure known as tuku wairua was traditionally performed by a tohunga