98 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



It is said that food products could be destroyed — i.e., lands 

 rendered unfertile — by means of magic rites in former days. 

 A charm or incantation termed pa/pa-haro or tc tipi a Houmea 

 was used for the above purpose. 



When going to visit another village it is bad form to go 

 empty-handed (kaore e pai kia haere ko te rae anake) ; better 

 take some article of food for the people you are about to visit. 

 It disarms the critical and prevents sarcastic remarks being 

 made. Such an offering is termed a jmayua or koparepare. 

 Visitors to my 8 ft. by 10 ft. mansion often apologize for not 

 bringing a puapua. 



Omens, Superstitions, &c, pertaining to Food. — It is an 

 evil omen (aitud) to omit a person in the apportionment of 

 food at feasts, &c. You must be very careful never to let a 

 wizard become possessed of a portion of your food, for if he 

 does he holds your life in the hollow of his hand, and can 

 destroy you by his magic arts, using the food as a medium 

 for his charms, for that food contains, or is imbued with, a 

 certain amount of your personality. Hence the danger. 



When a marching war party halt to cook food they must 

 be careful to divide and scatter the koronae, or leaves used to 

 line the oven, ere they lift the trail again. Neglect this and 

 trouble lies before them. To find a lizard (moko tapiri or the 

 moko kakariki) in an oven or in a dish of food is an evil 

 omen. Certain nights of the moon are reckoned unlucky for 

 eel-fishing or planting crops. The following list of the nights 

 of the moon shows the unlucky nights marked with a cross. 

 This list was sent to me by Mr. G. H. Davies, and was col- 

 lected from Wi Tana Papahia, of Hokianga : — 



x Whiro (new moon). x Rakau-matohi. 

 x Tireo. Takorau. 



Hoahoata. x Korekore. 



Ono. Korekore-tutua. 



x Tama teangaua. Korekore - whakapiri (quar- 



x Tamatea. ter). 



Tamateaio (quarter). Tangaroa a mua. 



Tama te Whakapau. Tangaroa a roto. 



x Te Huna. Tangaroa-kiekie. 



x Te Ari. x Tangaroa- whakapau. 



Te Hotu. x Otane. 



Te Mawharu. Orongonui. 



x Atua. x Maure. 



Ohua. Mutuwhenua. 



Oturu (full moon). Hui-te-rangi-ora. 



Eakaunui. 



Sayings and proverbs regarding food are innumerable. 

 We give a few specimens of them : — 



