SUPERSTITION

Hokitika Guardian, 26 May 1933, Page 8

SUPERSTITION

LADDERS AND BLACK CATS. A Melbourne specialist in a recent interview remarked that, notwithstanding the great advances made in science and education generally, superstition exists simong all classes of society in all ‘parts of the world. The specialist instanced how many among even the most cultured still instinctively,- or through habits made in childhood, refuse to walk under a ‘ladder; or aie happy or sorry, according to their piafticiiiar belief, if a black cat crosses their path. Instances could be multiplied of famous airmen, soldiers and mariners who had their “mascots”— mobei'li equivalents of the amulets of the’ sikteertth century.

Among the Australian aborigines, one of the commonest of magic rites is known'as “pointing the death bone,” into which an “evil power”, has been “sung.” Last year a tribe of Indians in 'Canada lost 26 of their number through “magic death-dealing.” A squaw was suddenly taken seriously ill. The tribe believed nhe had comp under the “curse of Weetigo” or some' other evil spirit. Hunters were afraid to venture forth. 'Starvation faced the' tribe. There were 26 deaths before the chief and the “medicine man” were captured by-the mounted police. , Barak, last chief of the Yarra Yarra tribe, attempted to murder a member of his tribe by black magic. He secured a- lock of the victim’s hair, intending to burn it,' confident that the ill-odours arising from the burning would cause the death of the offender. White • officials interfered, but when the victim died a fen days If,ter nothing could convince Barak that death was due.to natural causes plainly apparent to the -white- men. All the tribes had the “Wer-raap.” a mart supposedly appointed by Len-ba-moor (the Great Spirit). From the time of his appointment, his was a life of ease and domination over the tribe. His “death-curse” was part cf his practice. Whether'the condemned was near or distant, ■ on<3\ popular prescription was the same. A pioee of green hark was m.bde-to scoop up a . large handful of hot ashes. -These were.cast, in the diliection of the victim,' , The curse prescribed by the Wer-maap-was sung ■lustifv; -While'the spirits and tTe birds were “implored to take the ashes and scatter them on. the .doomed man. : .{Thereupon), according to, D’e Werraap, be would wither up like the, scorched barksurd-painfully P"ss awev. jfit.be enemy were far -distant, a model •of! tliat.. portion,of his body which was ’to stiffef nm-st was made and heated slowly- before a fire; . ‘ : . !v^r-y: S r .