hau-hau

n.

a Maori superstition. Thissuperstition arose in Taranaki in 1864, through the crazyfancies of the chief Te Ua, who communed with angels andinterpreted the Bible. The meaning of the word is obscure, butit probably referred to the wind which wafted the angels to theworshippers whilst dancing round an erect pole. Pai Marire wasanother name for the superstition, and signifies «good andpeaceful.» (See Gudgeon's `War in New Zealand,' p. 23 sq.;also Colenso's pamphlet on `Kereopa,' p. 4.)