82 Transactions. — Miscellaneous . 



The wind known as " tutaka,nga-hau " is laid by means of 

 cursing it vigorously, as follows : — 



Pokokohua ! 

 Poko-ko-hua ! 

 Riri — e! Riri— e ! 

 Riri te rangi i runga nei 

 Riri nga hau. 



The umu-pongipongi is also a rite of magic used in order 

 to take human life {he umu kai whanaunga). Compare 

 fakabogi = murder, in Tongan, as also fakabogibogi. 



A strange legend of Te Eoto-iti mentions a horde of demons 

 or uncanny objects which were despatched by Te Rongo- 

 pu-iti against the Moturoa Fore at that lake. These taniioha, 

 or goblins, appeared in most extraordinary forms, such as 

 he uma kau (a being all chest), he upoko anake (a bead only), 

 lie tap aim (war-cloak), &c. I much fear that the seer who 

 saw these wondrous beings must have been unwell at the 

 time. However, the Maori priests and mediums had some 

 very extraordinary hallucinations. 



Ahi Whakaene. 



This was a rite by which many different spells of magic 

 were performed in the good old days. It is said to have 

 been a sacred fire kindled by a priest, and over which the 

 ka-mahnnu and other rites were performed. 



A rite is performed at the ahi whakaene whereby the 

 personality (alma) or the hau (intellectual and spiritual force) 

 of man is destroyed, when the body of such man must perish. 

 When the priest kindles the sacred fire he repeats the follow- 

 ing charm, known as hika ahi (fire-generating) : — 



Hika atu ra taku ahi, Tu ma tere 

 ToDga tere ki te umu toko i-a-i — e 

 Tere tonu nga rakau 

 Tere tonu ki te umu — e. 



Another rite performed at the ahi whakaene is that known 

 as whakautimtu. To encounter the moko kakariki, or green 

 lizard, or the moko tapiri was an evil omen. The person 

 seeing one in his path would at once know that it had been 

 sent by an enemy to destroy him and possibly his clan also. 

 Such an occurrence is termed a " kotiptt." The first thing to 

 do in such a case is to kill the reptile and get a woman to 

 step over it, in order to avert the omen. This is called a 

 "ripa" or '" ivhiti." The people then collect to perform 

 the whakautuutu rite. The priest kindles the ahi ivhakaene, 

 and the reptile is cut into pieces, which are thrown into the 

 fire. As each piece is thrown in the name of a tribe, or 

 sub-tribe, or noted magician is mentioned : " So-and-so shall 

 eat you" — mentioning all people whom it is thought likely 



