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which it at last effects and they appear as if stupid and do not know any person. His Colleague, who is Generally a Tahowwa, then Compliments him by the Name of the Deity which he professes to be inspired with, and asks him such questions as he or the party Conserned wish to have Answered & he returns him answers in a low squeaking tone of voice and makes large demands of the Party Concerned but should he be questioned while strugling with the Deity he somtimes utters half sentance in a Curious Manner as if both souls endeavourd to speak at the same time and somtimes speaks with his natural, and somtimes in a Squeaking Voice — When the Spirit leaves him he begins to Gape and Yawn and often falls backward with a loud shriek and lays speechless some Minutes, when he awakes as if from a sleep and his body being reocupied by his own Soul He resumes his own voice, and seems to know nothing of what has passd, he Generally times it at the flight of one of the Birds from the Morai and his Colleague does not forget to inform him of what Demands the Deity has made & those Concerned seldom fail to furnish him with evry thing he required, if they have it, or Can by any Means get it. This is the Method by which they always proceed and Several Weomen pertend to the same office and make their enquireys for their Own Sex in Sickness, and Child birth, and such is their belief in them, that they think if one of them is present, and not applied to, that the Mother would never be delivered — but instead of one they have somtimes half a Dozen who facilitate the Birth of the Child by their prayers and offerings, and in return Strip them of Half they posess without giving them any other Assistance.
When a Priest or Priestess enters a house for this purpose they always bring with them a Young Plantain tree, and having taken one of the leaves from it throw the tree on the top of the House and then enter making several short prayers, in different parts of it and stick the leaf up over the Door or entrance; they then proceed to enquire into the particulars of the business and are always perfectly acquainted with evry Circumstance before they proceed in any thing, by which means they know what answers to make whether there is any hope of Success or fear of Disapointment before they begin.
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Indigenous Histories |  |
© Derived from the 1935 Print Edition edited by Owen Rutter, page 182, 2004
Published by kind permission of the Library
To cite this page use: https://paulturnbull.org/project/southseas/journals/-morrison-054.html