By Hone McGregor

“Through the mists of time we come down the bloodlines. We are where we come from. We become who we were before and take the dream further...”.

Everybody is created as a distinct individual. Even if one is born with the exact genetic structure as another, from the moment we arrive in this world our destiny’s are our own.

“Matakite has been translated as meaning Clairvoyance but often encompasses other senses as well. For many Maori the ability to see into the future, the past, the present is a common occurrence. It is part and parcel of who we are and it is an acknowledgement of who has gone before us and that our tupuna (ancestors) have attained a status and mana (power) that far exceeds our own as physical entities in this physical world” (Ibid).

People are making comparisons with the western concepts of healing, seeing (in a metaphysical sense), psychic-ness and shamanism – as they describe matakite. But there are few comparisons of the terms, beliefs and ways of working within tapu (sacredness – an action, event, item, symbol or belief that connects us with the other worlds) and noa (free from tapu – or something that brings things back to this world), which are the cornerstones of work as a matakite healer.

The energy of sacredness, specialness (in its sense of being unique and mysterious), and the use of the mahi (work) of a matakite has been held in high esteem by Mâori for generations, linking back to the birth of the earth and stars and the time before that – before light or thought. It informs tikanga (traditions) and provides a way of communication between the gods, the heavens, wairua (spirituality), and Papatuanuku (mother earth) and is something that, as a matakite, my mother links with intrinsically.

Matakite, who were also tohunga, had a mauri (life force) that they carried with these words of tikanga, tapu and noa. It caused the ihi (essential force) to rise and sent connotations of deep knowledge and respect.

A Matakite is Born

A story of matakite, may however give insight to the world that my mother and other matakite live within and create, outside of the world that is three-dimensional.

My mother was born a matakite child, with the hood (caul/bonnet) completely wrapped in a fine membrane. This type of birth is not common, and is generally known by indigenous and native peoples as being born with a gift or born lucky. It is therefore believed that matakite is a birthright in one’s genes, cultivated through one’s breeding.

Members on both sides of my mother’s whanau were revered matakite and tohunga. They mostly followed a healing line and genealogy. Her destiny as a matakite was predicted by her parents and their elders, and she was named after three earlier matakite – Te Waimatao, Oriwia and Maharata. She has a knowing with her namesakes that she does not question, nor do any members of her whanau or other Mâori she works with. For them it is an implicit truth, confirmed through birthright, experience and belief. External verification of or about her gift is not sought or indeed needed in a Mâori context. It is her tupuna that guide her and that she seeks her inspiration and development from. Her elders guide her development from afar, without a word or acknowledgement, but in a sense of spiritual oneness.

A Matakite Child

Looking back as a matakite child my mother knew she was different from others, through what she termed her ‘knowing’. Before she actually realised, she could see or read thoughts or intentions of others, which could result in a dislike or fear. So she learnt to veil what she knew, to cover her knowing, usually by looking down or hiding her sight.

There were several instances where she had unexplained incidences as a child. One of them included a memory from early infancy (6 months to 1 year old), where she remembers being in a crib as a baby inside a tent. At that time they lived on an open farm and a bull ran the tent tearing it to pieces. She remembers distinctly looking into the eyes of the bull, which left her lying in the crib unharmed. A similar event occurred when she was a toddler at the farm and for some reason her mother had gone missing. She was at home with her even-younger siblings wondering where her mother was. A pig turned up at the doorstep and stayed with her and her sisters looking after them until other whanau came home some time later. To this day she remembers a communication with these animals, knowing that they were there as kaitiaki (guardians) for her, sent by others. These events were also the signs (verification if you wish) that other members of the family and community knew showed that she was in fact a matakite.

Matakite as a Healer