HEALING OF THE SICK

Northern Advocate, 13 August 1935, Page 2

HEALING OF THE SICK

WAITARA MAORIS’ CLAIM I WORK OF NGARUAWAHIA j PROPHET. LAME OLD MAN WHO WALKED. ASTONISHING STORIES RELATED, j The restoration to health of a four-year-old Maori child ordered to hospital for apparent appendicitis; the revitalising of a young Maori woman’s paralysed right arm; the return to youthful vigour of an old Maori whose legs were crippled with age; and the bringing back to life of a Maori baby apparently on the point of death these, as a telegram printed in the /‘Advocate” yesterday related are among the amazing cures claimed to have "been effected by Huiatahi, the Maori prophet of Ngaruawahia, at the Manukorihi pa, Waitara, last week. Apparently they are not just the result of illusion or of a temporary effort by the ailing people. It is three days now since Huiatahi' went back to Ngaruawahia and the effects of his healing still remain, to the joy of those who benefited. Sick, Now Well Again. The results attained by Huiatahi were taken as a matter of course by Maoris seeti by a Taranaki News representative at the Manakorihi pa on Friday last. They did not know how it had come about that those who were sick were well again; they had gone to Huiatahi to be cured and he had cured them.

The prophet has relatives at Waitotara and journeyed through Taranaki at the beginning of last week on a visit to them. The Maoris throughout the province knew of his presence and the first to seek his aid was Jacob Kaingaru, Tikorangi. Jacojo’s four year-old adopted daughter ’ Kina had been fretful and had refused food for many days. She was taken on Wednesday last week to a medical man, who ordered her to hospital, diagnosing possible appendicitis. Instead, Jacob took his motor truck and drove the child to Waitotara. “I didn’t have to tell Huiatahi the trouble,” said Kaingaru, “he told me. Then he talked, and after that told me the child would get well. The piccaninny asked for something to eat and Huiatahi. said it was all right, she would be able to eat. “All Right Now.”

“She is all right again now,” added Kaingaru, who was interviewed at Tikorangi. “That was eight, nine days ago. Now she has an appetite for her food and plays as happily.as she did before.”

Kaingaru was asked about Paora, a neighbour of his, an ancient and venerble Maori. Before Huiatahi’s visit Paora, who lives away from the road, was unable to Walk to the highway, because of his crippled legs and had to be taken by cart or sledge. “Paora?” replied Kaingaru. “Oh, he walked back across the farm after Huiatahi cured him.”

Inquiries were then made at the pa and fresh instances of miraculous cures were related. It was quite true about Paora, or old Paul, as he is known.

“What was wrong with him?” “Oh, he was very old,” said one Maori. “Now he gets around like a young map and can jump about.” Huiatahi, after leaving Waitotara last week journeyed back up the coast and arrived at Waitara last Sunday, where he stayed until Wednesday morning. During that he helped several who came to him for aid.

The story of a child that was brought back to life was told by one of the leaders of the pa as he sat on the verandah of the new meeting house. “I woke up during the night and heard the child cry,” he said, “and then the mother was crying that it was dead. There were no heart beats and we thought it was dead, It was taken to Huiatahi. He asked the mother if she wanted it brought bark, but she could not reply. After a while he stood up and talked to God and the King and then he said the child would live. That was four days ago and the baby is healthy now.” Girl’s Paralysis.

A story was also told of a Maori girl, about 20 years old, whose right arm had been completely paralysed since she was four years old. She came from Opunake to Huiatahi, who commanded her to move her fingers. She could not, but after he had offered prayers he told her again to move her fingers. She was able to move them. .Ordered to move her ai’m, she found she was unable to do so. She took her right hand in her left and pulled the arm across her body almost to the shoulder and it fell back • again. Directed a second time to swing her arm she found she was able to. In this case the cure effected was not complete, but the young woman had movement now in her fingers and arm where none existed before.

For seven months the daughter of a Waitara Maori was in hospital and when seen by Huitahai she was too weak to rise from bed. After he had been with her a short time she was able to get up and walk round the verandah, although unable to descend the steps. She has suffered no illeffects since. No Medical Aid. Huiatahi, a *man of slight stature and not beyond the prime- of life, used no medical aids in his cures. He seemed to know what his patients’ ailments were as soon as he saw them, and, said Maoris interviewed recently' gave them no medicines. He merely' commanded them to walk or pronounced that the illness would be cured. If there were no immediate results he would offer a kind of prayer, “talkin CT to God and the King,” and saying that his patients must love God if they wished to become well. Could Huiatahi’s method be called faith healing, it was asked, but an answer was not readily forthcoming. It was easy enough to explain in Maori, it was stated, but not in English. Huiatahi's teaching, explained as briefly and correctly as possible, was that anything could be done with the body; the, patient had to be in the right frame of mind and the soul at peace. When he had effected the cures, he would give the patient a drink first of cold water and then hot water.