Goldie. — Maori Medical Lore. A9 



which the spirit came from the lower regions to the upper world, 

 in order that he may be made to return by the same way he 

 came. He proceeds thus : Going to the river or seaside, he 

 dips his head beneath the surface of the water, while the rela- 

 tives most interested in the case remain seated on the shore 

 to witness his success at divination. Perhaps he does not suc- 

 ceed the first time, so he dips his head into the water a second 

 time. If not then successful, the third time is probably enough, 

 and, raising his head, he assures the anxious spectators that 

 he has found the path, and that the atua came from below up- 

 wards through a flax-bush, or the stem of toetoe (Arundo con- 

 spicua), as the case may be ; for it is a general belief that the 

 paths selected in preference by spirits, when on such journeys, 

 are the inner shoots of a flax-plant (Phormium tenax) or of the 

 toetoe grass, the stalk of the common fern (rarauhe) or of the 

 plant termed tutumako. It still remains, however, to discover 

 the identical stem selected by the demon. So the tohunga 

 sets off to the neighbouring stream or swamp to search for it. 

 He takes hold of one of the young leaves, and, grasping it firmly, 

 repeats : — 



tie kimihanga 



He rangahautanga 



Ka kimi ki hea ? 



Ka kimi ki uta 



Ka kimi ki te pu 



Ka kimi ki te more 



Ka kimi ki te po 



Ka kimi ki te atua 



Kia mana koe. 



He then tugs at the leaf, pulling it out from the sheath. Should 

 the pulling-out cause the parting leaf to make a screeching 

 sound (e rata haere alee te waha o te rito o te harakeke), he knows he 

 has discovered the right one. Armed with the flax-stalk, he goes 

 to the patient's bedside, and places one end on the body of the 

 sick person, or hangs it over his head. This is an ara atua, or 

 path by which the atua or demon afflicting the person is to pass 

 out of the sick person's body, in response to the tahutahu exor- 

 cising charm. The spirit relents, and, seeing a path close at 

 hand for his return to the lower regions, he departs, and straight- 

 way the sick man is convalescent. 



If, when the takutahu is being performed, the atua leaves the 

 patient at once when called upon by the priest to depart, then 

 it is known that it was the patient's own god which was afflicting 

 him. If the atua be a stubborn one and difficult to expel, then 

 it is a strange demon, probably sent by a hostile sorcerer, or 

 by one of the tribal or family gods as a punishment for breaking 

 the tapu laws. 



The following is a specimen of the takutaku karakia : — 

 4— Trans. 



