224 Transactions. 



" ahi tute," or tute fire, " ahi rokia," or rokia fire : these ex- 

 pressions are really equivalent to " the tute rite " and " the 

 rokia rite." But in the performance of these rites sacred fires 

 were kindled by the priest — kindled by the friction process, hence 

 they were styled " ahi fahikahika" or generated fires, for such 

 sacred fires must be so generated by means of the ancient and 

 primitive process of the Maori ; they could not be kindled by 

 means of a firebrand or coals from another fire, and to light 

 them by such means from a cooking-fire would spell death for 

 every person concerned. But note how the idea of the purifying 

 effect of fire has been retained in all these Old-World customs 

 and ceremonies. 



The word " tute " implies a driving or thrusting away. The 

 following incantation is to thrust away or fend off the hurtful 

 powers of tapu, mana, and parapara — i.e., to make common 

 and render harmless. 



The Tute Charm. (Part only.) 

 I ka ra taku ahi tute 

 Tute koki tua, tute 

 Tute hoki waho, tute 

 Tute ka mania, tute 

 Tute ka paheke, tute 

 Tute ka whati, tute 

 Tute ka oma, tute 

 Tute nga tapu nei, tute 

 Tute nga mana nei, tute 

 Tute nga parapara nei, tute. 



This was all that my informant could remember of this pe- 

 culiarly worded karakia. 



Here follows the rokia charm or incantation. The expres- 

 sion " rokia " or " roki " implies a lulling of the senses, a 

 causing of forgetfulness, a dulling of visual and mental percep- 

 tion. Cf. the terms " rotu." " roku," and " roroku." The rotu 

 is a charm to put a person to sleep. 



The Rokia Charm. 

 Hika ra taku ahi e roki 

 Rokia i nga parapara nei 

 Rokia i nga tapu nei 

 Rokia i nga mana nei 

 Kia tae koe 

 Koi ihi, koi nana 

 Koi naunau (ngaungau) e roki. 

 Ngoru — he. 



" This ceremony is an ahi parapara. The rokia renders the 

 parapara, tapu, &c, harmless — prevents them from turning to 

 afflict man." 



A singular expression, overheard by myself one day : " The 

 stones with which the body of Te Whatu-pe was cooked are- 



