MAORI WITCHCRAFT

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 10624, 1 June 1897, Page 4

MAORI WITCHCRAFT

A PECULIAR CASE. Wi Hab Han, a Maori, appeared before the Magistrate's Court yesterday oh an information sworn by Arlhi Te Nahu, charging him with having used threaten* log words Co tno Maori girls, Mirlama HaWoa and Pep!, grandchildren of Arlbl, on a certain day last month, Mr Dinwiddie, who appeared for the prosecution, said the Informant lived at Te Hauke. Rumors had been going about tbe settlement that Arlhi had bewitched two Maori ohildren, who had died. This had canned her very greut onnoyatoe, ob in eonstqnenoe of these rumors, wbioh they alleged were started by the accused, the natives avoided Arlbl, who was believed by the Maoris nt tho pah to be implicated ia theso magical trtokß. To an ordinary European Bnch a thing would be Bcr.sensical, but to tho average Maori it wali a very different matter, und they . had fonod it neceseary to bring the matter before the Court in order to avoid trouble tbat was likely to arlee unless the accused waa dealt with in Borne way. Arlhi te Nahu deposed that she lived at Te Hauke. Samo months ago there was talk ln the hspu that she bad been practising witchcraft, and the natives charged ber with killing two ohildren by this means. The detendent bad said he was a prophet, and that he knew very well she had bewltohe* tbe ohildren, 1 Defendant Instructed the mothor, when she (witness) went to the " orylng over " the tthtldren, to shoot ber when she went to the ceremony. She was not shot, but there had been a great deal of unpleasant ness between herself and the natives ever since. She asked tho defendant whose spirit possessed brr, but he had not been able to cell her. Quito recently she had an bid lady visiting her from tho Wai Into, and dr-feaiinnt hod given It out that tills old laiiy was the wltob, The lattor waa an aunt oi witness, and sloes she had been hero the nooused had revived these charges of witchcraft and had threatened her. Witness and the old lady were very much in dread of their lives, especially as wltneus lived some distance away from other natives, and if any trouble arose they wonld havo ai) assistance. The accused belonged to Nuhaka, and bad no right ci' title at Te Hauke, whore he bad boen aboat three yearß. His behavior had been bo rccentrio that they did not trust him. Witness said she was even afraid to go to tho pah on tho other side of her residence. Accused*. Who ttflro the parties that heard mo using the language formerly : Witness : Quito a number of natives, Mirlama, a young native girl, said she waa the wife of Hawea, and came from Wanganui. She was staying at Arlhl's house, ond had seen tbe accused about the place. Another girl, Fepl, and herself mot Wi Han Hau, who asked them whether they were the grand-children of Arlhi, Accused called out ln Maori, "Go along, you oooked heads ; I'll shoot I yon," meaning that ho would use their I ViAAfJa no tf\f\A Via ulnn an 1/1 Via nnnM | unuun ug iuuui uu ujejv ouiu uu nuuiu shoot Arihl and the old witoh. This was I about two weeks ego, on the main road at Te Hauke. Pepl, another native girl, not married, corroborated the evldenos given by the prevlona wltneßS. Accused stated he had arrived In Hawke's Bay from Glsborne last January twolva months ; he oame to ccc his brother. He (witness) was living at bis sister's piece ac Te Hauke. She was Albert Bapnkn's wife. He was working for Albert last summer, bnt was not> ' working now os he was not well. He knew nothing about tbe statements that the wltneeseß bad been making, and be did not know what to make of tbe oase. He never accased tbem with witob craft— lb was somebody else: now they had turned the statement round ond blamed blm (witness). He had never Areatened Aribi ; he had new been to place, except one doj with Arlhl's ■fm, whom he bad assisted witb some ■peep. After looking- after the sheep ■hey had toaiethln? :o eat. He did not Speak to Aribi at all, and there was no Huteon why Obey should enepeot blm of Arlbl, He had no interest lv IJBplsce and he oould ccc no leason why should bring these oharges against IF-0 Mr Dinwiddle: Had heard tbat nrlhi's boo was very angry about this ■charge of witchcraft, through Arlbl bringing the old woman there. The son bad been saying things about tbe old woman, and that Arlbl should send her back to Waikato. Tbe girls |had made up thiß story to get him into trouble, He wbb going back to Glsborno on tbe 20th of Juue. Alter consultation between counsel and tut S.M,, it was agreed to adjourn tbe ctuo until Juno 22ud, defenduut to leave the distriot iv thu meantime, and not to molest Arlhi ln the future. The dt-fyndout promised to comply with that rtviooflt, counsel intimacliiu tbat if he did that Arihl would be satisfied. J