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One of New Zealand's leading Maori priests says he's surprised and dismayed by the death of a 22-year-old woman in an exorcism gone wrong.
Janet Moses, a mother-of-two, is thought to have drowned when at least one member of her 'healing group' held her under water, while trying to drive out an evil curse.
This afternoon, Anglican Maori Church archdeacon Hone said he'd never heard of anyone dying in a "maketu" [lifting ceremony], but acknowledged they were potentially dangerous ceremonies if not conducted properly.
"These types of ceremonies, maketus go on quite regularly but you usually don't hear anything about them publicly because they have achieved what they were meant to," Dr Kaa said.
"But they can be very emotional, very tense, the healer must be in total control.
"If there is any discord in maketu's I am involved with, I will ask them [others in the healing group] to leave, because you can introduce unwanted spirits, the situation can become very dangerous.
"Like I say, you have to be very careful.
"You have to pray greatly, it helps if the victim has family present and you can create links with their whakapapa (their family)."
Ms Moses was found with grazes to her upper arms, forearms and torso.
Dr Kaa said, in some cases, victims needed to be held down by several people as the spirit fought, but he was not familiar with injuries such as scratches and grazes being inflicted.
He said water was often used in such ceremonies, but not the amounts understood to have been involved in Ms Moses' case.
Dr Kaa wouldn't comment on the specifics of the Wellington case which police are now treating as a homicide.
Police say Ms Moses died at a family home in Wainuiomata on October 12.
Police were called to the house by family members.
Inquiry head Detective Senior Sergeant Ross Levy refused to comment on the exorcism theory and said police were trying to establish which individuals were responsible for the death.
He said Ms Moses' paternal family was not involved in the ceremony.
As many as 40 people were at the house during the ceremony and more came and went throughout the day after she died, Mr Levy said.
More than 100 people have already been spoken to, and between 15 and 25 detectives have been working on the case.
Police said she had been dead for about nine hours before they were called and have since interviewed dozens of people in relation to the death.
The curse was believed to have been linked to a relative stealing a taonga (treasure).
