Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1907-08-15
MAGIC OF The MAORI
Strange Powers Exercised by the.
Tribal Priests.
.DAZED AN ENGLISH BISHOP.
Result Of an Attempt TO Convert To-.
hoto to Christianity Singular and
Pathetic End Of the LAST Of the Old
Heather Tohungas.

Pathetic End OF the Last Of the Old
Heather Tohungas.
What In the past has been termed
magic presents itself now to the sci
entifc mind as an Imperfect use OF
forces the full knowledge Of which we
have vet to acquire. The Maori priest
OF old, or tohunga, as he was called,
was master of many powers which
can now be explained by hypnotism,
although his methods of pretending to
procure messages from the gods were
doubtless due to craft. Yentriloquism
also was practiced by the priests, par
ticuIarly when communication was de-
sired with a deceased relative. There
remains, however, a mass of evidence
proving that these men possessed pow
ers which can only be explained, says
a correspondent Of the Pail Mall Ga
zette, by processes into which we are
only now beginning to have any in
sight
Many white men are familiar with
some of the outward forms of the OBJ
servances of the Maori priests, but Of
the inner meaning and origin of their
ritual we know nothing. In the teach
ing handed down to those chosen
among their direct descendants under
circumstances of great secrecy the
pupil was put to several tests in order
to prove his proficiency.
First he had to take in his hand a
hard, smooth and round stone and,
repeating o karakia, or incarnation
called hoa, to shatter the stone into
fragments, and that only by the mental
operation of willing, without any phys
ical effort. 70 all the priests opera
tions the karakia was a necessary adj
junct. 1t supplied to the Polynesian
mind an outward sign connecting cause
and effect. The old time Maori be-
Iieved, indeed that the karakia, the
form of words used, wrought the de-
sired effect, and the efficacy of this In
cantation depended on the absolute
fidelity with which the formula was
pronounced.
If the pupil was successful in the
stone test he was next made to try his;
powers on some animate object, such
as a flying bird, the process being the
same as before. According to the
Maoris, the bird was always killed IL
the pupil was proficient Or he might
hoa a fleeing enemy and cause him
to be seized with all those agonies Of
retardation which we are all familiar
with when suffering from nightmare.
Then came the final test, the pupil
being ordered to exercise the power
Of willing to death some near relative
of his own in order to show that in
the exercise Of his powers he could
rise superior to the feelings Of natural
affection. This was the dread makuku.
and it is well known that if a Maori
believed he was thus bewitched he
was sure to die. Here we see the ef-
feet Of hypnotism and suggestion con-
fveyed by telepathy. Sometimes u
priest who considered himself deeply
Iaffronted has been known to win to
death whole family for the act of
lone individual, and all, even the babe
7 at the breast, have wilted away.
II
the power OF influencing the dead. The
4 present writer was witness of the
4 following incident: A branch of the
i Arawas, the tribe Of the district Of
4 Rotorua, being at war, had suffered
defeat, and one of their braves had
been brought home dead. The van
Il auished sought at once to find cut By
& some omen connected with the dead
chief whether they would be success
full In their next encounter.
The tohunga was requested to pro
cure the desired omen, the people
squatting In q ring about the bier
advancing a few PAGES from the deaf
body, the priest began to recite a pow
Ierful incarnation, intent on maxim,
the deceased give some sign, the eye
Of all present being fixed on the siail
warrior. Presently the corpse was oh
. Eserved to move slightly to one side, 81
which a great cry Of joy rose iron
: the people. The movement was inter
! Ipreted as sign Of future victory
!, This feat was often performed by til
! ltohunga of olden times.
Tohoto was the last Of the old tofur
! gas. The number of his years coul
4 hardly be guessed at. He was almos
Ia Methuselah of the Maori, his rae,
land, careless as to his personal al
pearance. he wore his hair long
visited him several times, but so e,
!. tremely sacred was his person hel
E that it was only after repeated d,
q lays that was allowed to see hin
e Indeed, he considered that white pc,
9 pie We're not fit to associate with, 3
L they had no system Of tapu, nor al
a They regard things which were tap
+ to the Maori with any reverence.
+ was deeply interested in his mantle
. tattons, partly for their strangenes
/. and partly perhaps because had M:
i self assimilated many Of the Mao
i superstitions BY the mere force
4 propinquity.
v From the first he had resisted all 3
n fort of the missionaries to induce hi
d to abandon his ancient faith for Chri
% tianity AS he still had large Il
4 lowing who for his sake refused