Talk:Mākutu

Untitled
I've left a note on User talk:Makutu, in case they have further information. NB: Makutu has a more specific meaning in Māori as a curse, which has some similarity --Limegreen 10:01, 30 March 2006 (UTC)

Original
The original text of this article was 'In Polynesian mythology, Makutu is a difficult type of witchcraft which requires three tests to become proficient in.' This would appear to overstate the case as the word is apparently confined to the Māori language.' Kahuroa 02:13, 2 April 2006 (UTC)

Intro
The article currently starts talking about Best (one of the refs), it should introduce him and his credentials for making the comment the first time anything is drawn from him I would think. --81.150.229.68 (talk) 13:18, 28 January 2008 (UTC)

The True Makutu
I have slightly altered this, and placed it in context to the heading "origins & mythology". The reason being is that the information, while interesting, has not been sourced correctly, and contains no citations. While the actual oral transcripting of "makutu" into written form is a rarity, we must still be able to substanciate any claims made within the article. So I would suggest the original author update this section at the risk of it being deleted. LeafromOZ (talk) 08:36, 13 April 2009 (UTC)

The 2007 case really has nothing to do with makutu. An extended family, who seem to have been notable for their low intelligence, decided that one of their number was "cursed". The reason for this assumption was that another family member had stolen a stone lion - an act which had nothing to do with the "cursed" woman. They then decided to lacerate, beat, and eventually drown the poor woman. The vague idea was to put an end the curse. All they succeeded in doing was putting an end to her life.

If there hadn't been a vague "cultural" aspect to their actions they would have been sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. In my view these people should only have escaped prison by being compulsorily detained under the Mental Health Act. In a similar case a few years ago a pastor conducted a rather more genuine exorcism following his diagnosis of demonic possession. Although that was a genuine, though misguided, cultural act, he was sentenced to 6 years in prison because the woman died. In the 2007 case the cultural basis for the "exorcism" was far weaker, justifying in my view a longer sentence, not a shorter one. Instead they got let off. But of course the pastor wasn't Maori, so he wasn't above the law. These people are, apparently.JohnC (talk) 22:01, 15 August 2009 (UTC)