Goldie. — Maori Medical Lore. 41 



On the third day. at a little distance from this pit, they build 



a hut, and make a mat and lay it on the pit. They then make 



an effigy of raupo, putting within it a stone to represent the heart, 



and laying it on the mat. This is called Whiro (the god of 



thieves). They then address the figure : — 



Sleep, O son, sleep ! 



Sleep thou on the grave of the sinful men. 



They are gone to the long night, 



The night of manifold darkness ; 



They ai" 1 gone to the end, 



To the thousands below.* 



The mat and effigy are lastly taken up and destroyed in the 

 hut, and the priest, standing at a little distance, asks " Are you 

 asleep, Whiro ? Arise, arise ! Go thou to the. gods in the 

 depths of Nuku, to the worm, to the depths of the dark 

 world, to the evil, to the gods of power, to the end of evil." 

 This concluding ceremony is called whakaoho, and the curse 

 is finally removed from them and transferred to him or them 

 who uttered it. 



Finally the tapu has to be removed by the eating of specially 

 prepared fern-root which has been applied to the head and 

 shoulders of the patient. Both are then polluted (noa) and unfit 

 for further rites of sorcery. This is done to protect others from 

 bewitchment by contact with them, and to prevent the secrets 

 of the craft being divulged. Another karakia accompanies the 

 resumption of their garments ; for had they touched cooked 

 food without these precautions, the sorceries of the priest would 

 return upon his own head. So end the ceremonies, which must 

 be concluded before day dawns or closes upon them. 



For three days afterwards they must both eat only the pohue 

 (wild convolvulus) root to insure the complete success of their 

 sorceries. Nor is this success in the least doubtful if they be 

 left to their uninterrupted operation ; yet if the offending man 

 relent, and would avert the death thus menaced, it is still in the 

 power of the priest to undo his work, and to effect a cure on the 

 bewitched man by repeating this karakia over him : — 



As the sounds of music from the koauau, 

 Such shall be thy returning soul 

 To this world of health, 

 To this world of light. 



So saying, he spits on the sick man's forehead, and, laying his 



hand upon him, says : — 



Evil man, great sinner, 

 Thou art of Maui. 



These words complete the cure. 



* This account is from John White's Lectures. 



