Makutu.

by Tom Davis

Tom and Lydia Davis write with expert knowledge of the Polynesian beliefs and rites since they have lived in the South Seas for many years and know of many actual instances of the use of Makutu. This is a novel which takes the reader to another world, both in distance and in human beliefs, and it is fascinating and superb entertainment.

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1960

Reviews

[Maud (reading the world challenge) · Rating 5 out of 5]

[#85 The Cook Islands] This is the story of an English doctor and an American nurse settling down on a Polynesian island. This book was fantastic and very easy to get into thanks to its complex characters and a narrative structure that is very similar to that of Western literature. The main character was touching in the way he tried to really understand the natives' traditions. Ultimately it's a story about humility in regard to the power of foreign traditions and cultures.

[Val · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an old, out of print book set on the Cook Islands (territory) and written by an islander and his wife. (The couple both lived there.) It may be the first novel published by anyone from the Pacific Islands. My Dad owned a copy.
http://www.britannica.com/art/Oceanic...
The Davises used the island myths, which were interesting, to weave a story. Makutu is a form of magic practised in the Cook Islands.
I can not say I enjoyed the book all that much, but it is culturally and historically significant and should be re-published.