mata rākau
1. (noun) karakia recited over weapons before fighting.
Ko te whare maire he whare mākutu e whakaakona ana ngā tāngata ki reira ki te patu i te tangata, i te kai, i te rākau, i te whenua, me te waewae o te tangata, me te mata rākau o te parekura (WW 1913:10). / The whare maire is a house of witchcraft where men are taught the rituals for destroying people, food, trees, land, spells for retarding a person's footsteps, and spells said over weapons of war.
