Kaha

Kaha is a type of sorcery practiced in the Marquesas Islands of Polynesia. The islanders attribute many illnesses to Kaha. It involves a sorcerer obtaining someone’s saliva, wrapping it in a leaf, and keeping it. This act is believed to bind the victim’s soul and life to the sorcerer’s will. The cure for Kaha requires the sorcerer to release the victim, often in exchange for a gift. The sorcerer lies near the victim, perceiving the spirit of the illness as it enters and leaves the afflicted. They then capture the spirit, either in mid-air or by rubbing the victim’s arm, and confine it to a leaf where it can be destroyed. This practice reflects the animistic beliefs of Polynesian cultures, where spirits are believed to inhabit objects and influence health and well-being.