THE PASSING OF HETA.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 1013, 5 October 1903, Page 2

THE PASSING OF HETA.

WHAT THE NATIVES SAY.

In the drizzling rain in Gladstone road on Saturday afternoon a Times representative came upon a group of Natives discussing the death of their late chief, Heta Te Kani, and through the kindly assistance of one of their number some portions of their conversation were rendered available, “ The prophecy of Te Kooti is fulfilled,” remarked one of their number. “ It was made known to Heta that ho must not go up the Coast beyond Whangara, but despising the prophet’s warning, and listening to the advico of Wereta, be went, and within the six months he is no more. The spirit of Te Kooti has prevailed.” “ There is no suoh thing in the Maori mind as consumption,” added the,-inter-preter in explaining Heta’s death. “ When a man goes into consumption they say that he has " maknta,” that he is bewitched, that an evil spirit hath possession of him; and this can only be driven away by bringing his special tohunga. The Maoris apparently only follow Scripture for this, where you read of ceitain powers being given to persons to cure all manner of diseases, and to drive away spirits.” “What is our friend telling them?” • asked the reporter, pointing to one individual who was holding forth and emphasising his remarks with effective feature and bodily motion. “ He is telling them that when Heta lay sick at the shed at Te Arai that tho tohungas from far and near wore sought in order to destroy the words of Te Kooti. First there came tha great doctor from the north, who told th 6 invalid that he had become possessed of the evil spirit on account of having parted with his land. ‘ You have done wrong in this,’ added the tohunga, ' but if you will give me>£3o I will cure you.’ This amount wan paid, followed by another £2O and £lO, but within the three days, tho period allowed for the cure, no good result was obtained; and Heta passed the tohunga for another.”' “ Then came another tohunga to see, what he could do, but he wanted to use hot water with the medicine, and objection was taken to this on the score that the followers of Te Kooti never used hot water. It was ‘ tapu ’ to them, and no worthy representative could allow it to be used on

his body. . . . ' “ And then they sent for Ana. He was Heta’s special tohunga, and was away in the bush at Ngatapa. Late on the Sunday previous to Heta’s death, messengers were sent for this tohunga, and on the following day he visited the invalid at Te Arai, but all hia efforts were futile. “ Matene Kaipau was the last tohunga called in,” said a half-caste present. '• He acted with the consent of the people, and bis ministrations were performed in the early morning. He it is that is charged with the murder of the chief.’’ Continuing, the speaker said that another case was likely to come before the Court at an early date. A child suffering, from measles was stated by the tohungaj* who was called in, to be possessed of devils. His cure for this was to dip it in water and cut and scorch its hair. The treatment proved too severe, and the child died. The prosecutions are recommended by the Maori Council, and when the cases come before the Court keen interest is likely to be taken in them.