MAORI WOMAN'S TRANCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18889, 11 December 1924, Page 6

MAORI WOMAN'S TRANCE

I MISTAKEN FOR DEATH, i ;| -~ i : • '•"■ [ A REMARKABLE STORY. | JOURNEY .TO OTHER WORLD." I ' ' The strange story of a Maori woman's trance with a stranger sequel in fact is related by Mr. Goffe, native land purchase commissioner of the Auckland district. The scene is set at Wairoa, Hawke's Bay, and the parties are known intimately. A paramount chieftainess, Wairakau,

had a niece, Pine, a grandnioce, Mrs. "Timu* and two nephews, Hamana and Horomona. At the age of about 75 she became ill and was thought to have died. The news of her death was broadcasted and the people camo in hundreds to attend the funeral rites, bringing food offerings and presents for a great feast. The. supposed corpse lay in state for about three days and then tho people held a moeting and decided that burial should take place forthwith. Horomona, the master of ceremonies, went to wish Wairakau goodbye. He leaned over the body, and his nose touched her in formal adieu.. Immediately the o?d lady sat up in the coffin. . In great consternation the people scattered. Horomona kept his head, how- . ever," and assisted his aunt to bed, making her comfortable and giving her nourishment. The "mourners" then gathered round her, weeping and wailing, and she • paid to them that she must tell of her journey to the other world. This is her

; etory -.—• Her soul passed from her body and floated along in the air until she got to Te Reinga, the extreme north cape of New Zealand, where a'iJ departed spirits of the native people join their forefathers in the other world. Then she went down a cliff from Te Reinga and ■went through space into the water and i:i , the water was seaweed all surrounded by sea nymphs. !she passed through this until -,ho at length passed through a cave and as she went through this archway she looked, and in the next world as it were, sh<: recognised the whole of her an- : cestors that she had never seen in life ■ and had only heard of through the historians. She also beheld a most glorious country, fields tilled and worked, beautiiful flowers and everything that tend to make the world beautiful. She was *mazed at its vronderful beauty. Among Her Ancestors. She recognised everyone of tier ancestors and they recognised her. The usual ■ greetings took place and as the elders were greeting her another welcoming party came from the village higher up. They were adorned in Maori costume and J waved willow tranches and other gi een- • *ry welcoming her, saying, "Haere-mai, - Haere-mai." M the forefront of the wel- • looming party was Pine, the niece whom • she had left in full vigour and health at , Wairoa. She went up to Pine and said: I "Whv, Pine, how on earth did you get 'here'before mo?" Pine replied: "Why, llAunt, 3, sudden illness took me on the .earthly plane and I came by a shorter 'route"so as to be here to welcome you." , | The old lady replied: "It was very good of you to do so and I am pleased to see ~ I you, but what about my grand-niece, Mrs. jTimu?" ■ ! "Oh!" said Pine, "she is here at the | back of the welcoming party, and I will .take you to her," They both approached Mrs. Tnnu, who said: "Oh, Aunt—how is my dear husband, Kerehi?" and tho aunt replied, I "He is well, and is still at Wairoa and has been faithful to you: he is longing for you and there is no other person in the world as you were to him." The Chestnut Horse. • Mrs. Timu then sa.id: "It is very good . of him to be so faithful and I am longjing for him. I have had many opportunities to get married here in the plane, 'but have refused all offers, but the only i thing that is exert ising my mind now is . the Fact that I have not got a horse to till i the land. I possess much (and, but have jto dig with my spade to set the foods. Now. when you go back to Wairoa, you | tell Timu to'send me that chestnut horse." She called it a pullcart. • Mrs. Timu had been dead five years, and the horse was a four-year-old, therefore it was foaied two years after her . I death, yet she named and described it j and said that she must have it with her 'to till the land and set the foods of the i seasons, so that she would have plenty of food in the storehouse and that "Kereiii" ' would not have to work when he came i to her. The aunt said: "Very well, I will deliver your message, but by-the-by, what about my beloved nephew, Hamana, where is he?" • M?Jk Timu answered: "Oh, Aunt, he is up at the village nursing his wound that he got at; GaJlipoli, other\vis3 he vo*uld have been here to have welcomed you. However. I will take you up to him and you will see for yourself." ' I Up a Beautiful Lane. ! They travelled up a beautiful lane until they arrived at the village and passed through the courtyard and right opposite the meeting house, Hamana was standing. The old aunt went up to him and as she approaehed> Hamana turned his back on her. Her aunt said: Hamana, why, my nephew, do you not know me; I am your old aunt?" Hamana turned and said: •'Yes, Aunt, I know you, but I am angry .with you because your visit to this plane is premature. You have earthly duties ■ to perform which have nob yet been done by. you and therefore you should go hack to Wairoa and perform those duties. When you go there, tell Horomona that I nm here waiting for him. I have much land and property, but am working it alone and want him to help me. Tell him to coma as soon as possible. There are others that I wish to see." The old lady said: "Yes, my nephew, I will do as you bid. I will go back to earth."

Tho moment when Hamana bid her to return to Wairoa and she said that she would go back, was the moment that Horomona, the master of ceremonies, touched her nose with his, and she came out of her trance. While listening to the storv. Pine, the niece, laughed and said: Aunt, how peculiar, you see roe hero now. 1 am in full health and have never been fiway from "Wairoa and I am still here," Death Comes Soon After. After this occurred the old ladv performed the whole of her worldly duties, made her will, distributed her 'property and did everything to make her passing from this world peaceful. Exactly one month after this Pine died suddenly; a iveek after that tho chestnut horse died and a. few weeks after that Kerehi passed away and two months from tho fast occasion tho old lady herself died, and, x> make sure that sho had actually died, a nost mortem was held and a doctor's certificate was issued. Abou/ three months ago, it will be rejr,.ui.wred that there was a boating accident at Wairoa and one of those drowned was this very Horomona, who had been tho master of ceremonies. His body was recovered by a very brave act of another Maori, who went out to rescue them in a canoe. The rescuer lias been awarded the silver medal by the Royal Humane Society.