INJURIOUS SUPERSTITIONS.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume II, Issue 6, 25 February 1862, Page 11

INJURIOUS SUPERSTITIONS.

The following paper was published in the year 1856, but as the evils which Takerei Te Rau and his friends particularize are on the increase in some places, it is considered advisable again to remind our Native readers of ihe iiij'U.ious tendency of these heathen practices ;and the most effectual mode of doing this perhaps, is to place in their bands the sentiments ol* their owu countrymen on this subject. Taupiri, November 20th, 1856. 0 ye Tribes, and ye divisions of Tribes, and the men who rightly think in the midst of the tribes. Do you be strong, and put all evil down in the tribes. The following are the things which cause evil in the tribes:— Witchcraft.—Do. not sanction this nor allow it to be said it is right: Witchcraft is a falsehood, Acts, 13 c. 6-12: this evil is growing in the tribes, and. a person being accused falsely, was murdered, and thus our relations are killed, because we believe a lie, and think witchcraft is true. Truth, be; thou strong to oppose evil: and thou, great ihnuglu, work the things which make for peace, that the people may live in good. Put away all Maori gods, from amongst i the tribes, and cease to believe them, that' the Almighty may not be angry, Deut., 32 c. j 13-42 y., Exod., 20 c. 1-6 v. | Let the works of the Native gods be spoken of, that is, the deeds and ceremonies of the Native Priests, who when they use their incantations over a sick person require goods to be given to them, which if not done they pretend their incantations cannot succeed, as they have no' offering for their gods; money being given they perform their ceremonies, and ll.ese not succeeding, they have recourse to a false accusation, which is that some person caused the death. This is also another raise practice of these men (the Priests;) they use the influence of the New Testament in conjunction with their own incantations to gain the attention and sanction of the people who may have turned to Christianity : and also to try to enlist the assistance of a Christian teacher to have family prayers with the sick person morningand evening, which if a Christian teacher does, the people who may hear of it, are led to believe that the acts of these Priests are sanctioned by the ministry, and as such they sanction it, not knowing that there is future evil in such doiugs. In future days do not go after other gods

afMMWs&s-jm another modd'of proceeding whir the Maori Priests (when anyUu rig. has been lost) they sav jyersop ;stolfen\ it,.\v6fcb ndunce .the/sickriess individual to ; bie c^M sferegPTdingibe ritfes o(! tapii, or 5. l>aye beeii bewitched: now it is a ttie) ,Niit|v.b gods which leads the fs ir^ie : . And these g;6ds meddie, and "lience, our friends are mufdered; do not let this thing exist in the (midst) or the people, lest if lead manv astray., Causetodepart.from amongst you lh £ P&spfu who may adhere to the Native gods.% ; and sorting of this limbs, or second sight, are- the principal support of the.Maori gods. Wje>ijl explajn these things, Dteaws are of themselves nothing, it is caused by the heart searching within ihe bodjf, wjien (the body) is.asleep.. Starting, (is- caused) by the. body being hence: ifo bones start, which will be caused also by long walking'. Second Sight" (is) a turning of the brain, hence (men) s?y we have seen such a thing. This is also another wrong (evih digging to thebeart'ofman. Do not believe these false things, lest the evil Spirit .tempi and mislead you. . This is Gur desire, that, you may. increase in knowledge, and all caution, that you may see and know that which is m>t. right, (or goes in an opposite direction to truth, and justice) that ye may. be able to withstand the wiles,of the Devil wiien he rises to war. Eph. 6c. U-17. Next are the Wahy, incantations and cere* monies. Great.is the deceit of the .Wahu, Priests who repeal their incantations over sick persons, winch having been seen by the New Zp,alandei:s, they lollciw after these deceits and incantations: but their incantations are of New Zealand, but the language is that of Wahu,..so. that these new.' incantations may mislead the people. Let us remember the deceit and evil in the years gone by. iM. llie year (here came (a man of the namp of) Kariri,.whose new ntfni'e adheres to him of ahu. Ttie money which he received, for his many diseases was 50/. ! I)i %. year |854 the works of the Aokatoa were sptoken of; great was amount of! money which, he, received, for his work He p.oi'nlecl out, and told the people of their

diseases, Je-alsp any person whom the person 1 so charged Hi be free from such charge, bu£ ,neyertbl'e& ? durst not contradict 1 liinvfor fe;|p ,Ophe gods lie had at his command. The heart, In its native slate, believes all thingsr - ■- - There are also otbflp persons like the above. Ueriiararua, and Tawharu, had gods at their comm&iidv arid ttta cefeiuOjii& OPlJehiarama wepe dancingund singfrig. TljfldfTdwfiifrti was dreamm#' i FMienfl j the peopleof Ural and tlm! place; litis is our word;; the l wore* of' the teachei k s ! of Waikato and that ye be cautions* and do notlurniothis falsework; becausein former ifmes; weall-believed that he Maori incarnation and' ceremonies were true, but now in these days, we fallV' Condemn these things { eradicate these thfngs : ; should: we hear that there is any person in the tribes who upholds the Mfttiri fccautaiions, great wilt be;our ahger tofrardtfliWh. Be it known toyotr; these-' fcitefe things are; oly intendedV6 gain nioney. This also ; is another evil which is- id the; midst ofus. 1)0 not ask payment for a brides If stte isi allowed to marry/tliepareiiis rtiifet not go and ask payment (of lier husbahd). Is it right, do 1 you thiivk, for purchase a human being as you do wheat, or : potatoes, or flour, or even as a pig? Great is yOor' wrong, if you tbnssell ybur daughter; cease, from' this for ever; Do not? allow cursftig'; our Maori cursing; is nothing : if any man ask payment for havingbeeu cursed,ndonrttgiveir, but rather do not : use evil words* or words of murdor, as the Scriptures Say ti:at curses are evil words. Do not lay wagers* Nor get drunk. 0 ye young people forsake these evil things, let your actions be guarded by the precepts of the Gospel, that we may live in peace. The following men .are. the persons from wlioni these words! come. TakePei Te Kau , TipeaeTahotika HiomT&onui Hi«iiona(Mangawai;a Tawtti Paauiri: EMkallwcastg* . Ep'teiWerstlfcißOt' HirinlTePekefangi Wain* Kowekome TeiraTc Kduo ~

Taniora Ngahiri AVarena Te AhUkaramu Hopi Kahaka Heta Tarawliiii And many others,.