UNKNOWN

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10681, 30 July 1912, Page 5

UNKNOWN

A Maori' named Win Kupa died at Mbhaka on July 23rd, and it was stated he had beoii' attended by a Maori tokinga, who had rubbed oil on, his body. • The deceased not having been attended by a medical man. the carimer at (jfeborae decided that aithough there appeared to be no suspicious circumstances connected with the case, an iinquest wor.ikl be necessary. A& there liad been 011.0 or two cases of lalte in which Maoris who died wetre reported to have been attended ,by tohungas, a representative ] df the Auckland Star made a few inquiries to ascertain if the practice was sbill common -aanoingst the natives of 1 resorting to the tohunga in case of siofcnces. An intelligent Maori, when asked the question, replied', "Oh, we never go near the tohunga. AH the same as pakeha n«hv. If we are sick we go to the .pakeha doctor." Mr 0;t----cne Paul, when asked the same ques- ' tion., replied that they knew (nothing j about tohumgas amongst his people j at Orakei. '

A native interpreter, however, to whom the inquiry was addressed, said,, "Tohungaism is by no means dead amongst the Maoris. Thare is a good deal of it going on at the present time. Old custom* die hard amongst the Maoris. I know of at least one tohunga residing in the vicinity of Auokjlanul to whom the Maoris go when they are sick."

CABLE NEWS"

(United Press Association — By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.)