TOHUNGAISM

Manawatu Times, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 12910, 6 October 1914, Page 8

TOHUNGAISM

"A case of alleged tohungaism wasj heard at the Patea Court recently. A young Maori, named Poi Awarua, was charged with having, pretended to cure disease by supernatural powers, this being an offence under the Tohunga Suppression Act, 1898. It was stated that a Maori woman from Parewanui had come to Little Taranaki to be treated by the divine healer, and that she had died. Another young Maori woman maintained that Poi had treated her and had put tea and mixed potatoes on her head, whilst another man, who believed he had an evil spirit, was alleged to have been hit on the nose and then made to drink his own blood with the object of driving out the evil spirit..

For the defence it was stated that the Maori woman from Parowanui had not been treated by Poi. The yonng Maori woman who claimed to have had tea poured on her head, was alleged to be suffering from swollen eyes, which had all the appearance of having been caused by blows, and when Poi saw her he bathed her eyes with tea, but did nothing beyond that. With regard to the case ot driving out the evil spirits, it was maintained; that the man in question had violently assaulted Poi. Several young fellows rushed him, and he was »iruck on the nose, and this accounted for the bleeding, but the drinking of blood was stoutly denied. Two witnesses for Poi maintained that the defendant had never pretended to posses 3 supernatural powers. He was a preacher, however, and had exhorted the Maoris to give up the worship of idols and the gods of their ancestor». The Magistrate accepted the evidence of the prosecution, and fined defendant £lO and costs. Ho said that he would have imposed a term of imprisonment instead of a fee were it not for the fact that defendant did not make money out of his practice.