THE LIFE OF TE KOOTI.

Press, Volume XVIII, Issue 2670, 20 November 1871, Page 3

THE LIFE OF TE KOOTI.

The Opotiki correspondent of the Hawke's Day Herald gives some account of the camp life of Te Kooti— It is Te Kooti's custom, when arising from his sleep, to call his followers to karakia (i.e. prayers) ; when the 32nd or 34th Psalm is sung, altered by Te Kooti to suit himself, prayers are read by him, or some minister appointed to do so. After prayers, parties are I ordered out to hunt food, &c. "When f pigs are to be found, men are instructed to cut off the ears of the first pig caught, and to offer up thanks to the atua. In all cases where food is obtained, thanks are given, and men going out are particularly instructed not to eat, drink, or smoke till return to camp, less the atua should be offended. If a party returns unsuccessful, blame is attributed to one of them having disobeyed the orders given, and that the atua bad kept the food from them. The offender, if pointed out by his companions, is punished by Te Kooti, who in strong terms will sentence him to be deprived of the opportunity of hunting food, by confining him to camp. Te Kooti will often .start out alone in the early morning,, with a decoy kana en his shqiilder, or a tomahawk, to get honey. It is a practice of his to go out and reconnoitre the surrounding country, climbing to the tops of the highest ranges, not returning to the camp till evening. He pretends to undertake all his expeditions to murder or plunder by the inspiration of his atua, as when inspired at the Chathamß to deliver his people from bondage. When so inspired, he will often arise from his sleep and callhisfollowerstogether toprayers, after which he informs them that the atua has given something to him during his sleep, but whether food, man, or woman he cannot tell. A party is then dispatched by him in the direction desired by him. If a man or food is found, well and good, but if a woman she is to be brought to him. If the party return unsuccessful, the man to whom charge of tbe mission was given is tied up and confined in a whare for days without food or fire. Should a messenger, or a man having been absent from camp some time, return, no one dare hold conversation with him till first seeing Te Kooti. He is led up Te Kooti's whare, and remains outside, waiting tbe word to enter. It is a strict rule: no one approaches his whare without permission. Karakia (service) ia held four times a day, the last being the prayer for sleep, when retiring to rest, after which no one is allowed to move about, and silence is kept by all, and no one dare approach Te Kooti's whare after that time. It is a practice with Te Kooti to have intercourse with his followers' wives by telling the men to send them to him, that his atua had said tbey should become enciente. Whatever men may think of this, they seldom dare refuse, or Te Kooti will, at some future time, profess that his atua has revealed to him a traitor, and will request his death. He is never at a loss to find a pretext to dispose of anyone obnoxious to him. When thunder is heard, hia men will inquire the words of the atua ; he will then reply to the effect that tbe atua tells him that there are men among them desirous to escape to tho Government, and that they will be killed. A rainbow is another favorite sign of the atua to him, denoting many things, chiefly as it ; suits him at "the time, it would seem. He threatens all men escaping to Government with a future punishment; however long they live in imagined security, judgment will come for deserting the atua. He asserts that all the Government people will be delivered into his hands, and great power given him, when all seceders will be put to the sword. When a man is to be put to death, the 62nd psalm ia sung over him and then he is led to execution. When on the march or war path no one is allowed to smoke or eat till the word is given by him. All fresh converts to hia atua are re-christened by him with Scriptural names.