NEWS from one hundred years ago: MAORI MIRACLES

The New Zealand Herald reports today that many North Island Māori are experiencing a ‘good deal of excitement’ over the ‘alleged marvellous success’ of a new prophet who is healing the sick. The prophet is Tahupōtiki Rātana. He has become so famous that ‘hundreds of natives with ailments of various kinds have, during the past few months,’ made pilgrimages to the Rātana village between Turakina and Wangaehu. One group of formerly disabled people from the King Country and Hawkes Bay say they are ‘gladdened’ to have ‘the free use of their limbs again.’ Two years ago the prophet saw a heavenly vision. He believes that he must now preach the gospel to all Māori and heal their bodies, minds and hearts. He sees himself as working within Christianity. At the same time, he and his followers are beginning to move towards a wholly new religion that will be set up a few years from now as Te Haahi Rātana (the Rātana church). Pākehā in surrounding districts are uneasy. They feel ‘much perturbed over the coming and going of so many natives.’
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New Zealand Herald, 19 November 1920