MAORI MEMORIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 August 1939, Page 3

MAORI MEMORIES

A BLOOD RED DOCTOR. (Recorded by J.H.S. for “Times-Age.”) Seventy years ago, four miles from the pioneer village of Bulls, then known as Aratau Mahi (the pathway to work), lived the eccentric Dr Curie, generally known as "Old Beetroot” because of his advocating the manufacture of sugar from the roots and leaves of that esculent blood-like vegetable. For that reason and even made because of his practising the remedy of bleeding by leeches which he imported and bred in a pool, as well as his skill in surgery with the aid of his razor and a hacksaw, he was held in superstitious awe by the Ngatiapa and Ngatiraukawa, of whom there were over 3,000 in Parewanui, IVl'atahiwi and Onepuhi. To every Maori it was a gross breach of their sacred law of Tapu to take human blood except in open warfare (Whawhai) after a challenge iTaki). The only reason why the doctor was not killed by lawful means (Mea Tore) was that he refused to learn a single Maori word, and could not, therefore, understand a challenge. Under such circumstances to kill him would be murder (Kohtiru). a crime abhorrent to the old time Maori.

In view of the splendid health of the original Maori, which was the result of a limited food supply and the physical ell'ort to procure it. Dr Curie's law of health, laid down in alliterative form to facilitate its being memorised will interest modern dietitians — "Discriminate, masticate, assimilate, moderate, lubricate, eliminate. The doctor's sudden disappearance and that of a society lady were straiigely coincident.