Mākutu is a New Zealand Māori word meaning witchcraft, sorcery, to bewitch; also a spell or incantation.^[1][2] It may also be described as a belief in malignant occult powers possessed by certain people.

According to Best,^[3] the belief in mākutu was 'universal and prominent in pre-European times' and acted as 'a disciplinary force in the old days; it was one of the substitutes for civil law that preserved order in a Māori community.' Best adds that the effectiveness of mākutu was heightened by the fact that it could be carried out in secret; the element of uncertainty produced caution on the part of those who might otherwise transgress the laws of the community. It was widely believed^{[citation needed]} that those expert in mākutu were able to use the art to kill people.^{[citation needed]} But there were limits on their freedom to act: should an irresponsible practicer of the dark arts become a nuisance to a tribe, the solution to the problem was simply to kill the errant magician without delay. The training undergone by an apprentice was long and difficult, involving secret rituals and tests ^[3]

An October 2007 mākutu lifting in the Wellington suburb of Wainuiomata led to the death by drowning of a woman and the hospitalisation of a teen, allegedly due to attempts to remove such a curse.^[4]

See also [link]

• Tohunga

References [link]