DOI issue:
No. 91 (Oct., 1900)
DOI article:Praetorius, Charles J.: Maori wood carving
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19786#0032
Maori IVood Carving
took years to do, was an intricate and lace-like
design, the small details being balanced with long
sweeping curves through the design. The prow was
painted red or black, and bunches of albatross
feathers hung around it at intervals.
Canoes have been built as long as one hundred
and ten feet, the carved prow and stern being from
six to eight feet in height.
The finely-carved canoe paddles to be seen in
museums were not used in these canoes, but by
chiefs in their war dances.
In carved heads there seem to have been two
styles, firstly, an effort to produce a life-like head
CARVED BORDERS FROM DRAWINGS BY
FROM CANOE PRuWS C. J. PR/F.TORIUS
tS
showing a certain amount of drawing and model-
ling, and, secondly, heads of a grotesque and
decorative nature devoid of any sense of propor-
tion or grace.
These, no doubt, were not supposed to be
ordinary heads, but represented gods or demons,
and were intended to awe the beholder. The
finest work in the round is found in their effigies
and house slabs, the roughly-carved heads and
figures being outside their houses and in the
palisades which surround their villages.
In the illustration (page 17) are shown four
heads. The top one is treated in a conventional
and bold manner, and was placed at the top of a
house gable. The second head is far better work,
and more realistic, showing a finely-carved tattoo
pattern on the face. The mask was hung up as a
warning to trespassers implying the fate of such.
This specimen was brought to England by the late
Sir George Grey, and is now in the British Museum.
The small head (No. 3) is an example of simple,
bold carving, and is that of a little deity supposed to
preside over fishing expeditions ; the expression is
one of incredulity.
The fourth figure is ot a class that is generally
historic, being the effigy of an ancestor, and
judging by the moko (face tattooing) of some
important man. There was evidently some effort
on the part of the artist to make this family portrait
of pleasant expression but as a triumph of realistic
beauty it is a failure Tattooing is shown on the
deltoid muscles and the thighs.
Much attention was paid to the decoration of
what are known as feather boxes. When the Maori
was not wearing in his hair the sacred huai
feathers—which are greatly prized among them—
they were carefully preserved in these boxes,
called by them "papa whakiro." On these boxes
is found the most elaborate ornament, composed
of human figures and curves, with many shell discs
set in among the carving. These boxes are generally
cut from a solid piece of hard dark wood. All the
outer surfaces were ornamented.
The illustration on page 16 is of a fine specimen
of such work, and is to be seen in the British
Museum. The elaborately carved hand club shown
on page 19 is a curious combination of ornamental
designs of human figures, scrolls and curves : the
large head suggests that of a bird, but is probably
a very debased form of human head, the eye,
eyebrow, nose, and teeth being shown.
The knife (page 20), with a cutting edge com-
posed of a series of shark's teeth, is said to have
been used for killing human victims for sacrifice.
took years to do, was an intricate and lace-like
design, the small details being balanced with long
sweeping curves through the design. The prow was
painted red or black, and bunches of albatross
feathers hung around it at intervals.
Canoes have been built as long as one hundred
and ten feet, the carved prow and stern being from
six to eight feet in height.
The finely-carved canoe paddles to be seen in
museums were not used in these canoes, but by
chiefs in their war dances.
In carved heads there seem to have been two
styles, firstly, an effort to produce a life-like head
CARVED BORDERS FROM DRAWINGS BY
FROM CANOE PRuWS C. J. PR/F.TORIUS
tS
showing a certain amount of drawing and model-
ling, and, secondly, heads of a grotesque and
decorative nature devoid of any sense of propor-
tion or grace.
These, no doubt, were not supposed to be
ordinary heads, but represented gods or demons,
and were intended to awe the beholder. The
finest work in the round is found in their effigies
and house slabs, the roughly-carved heads and
figures being outside their houses and in the
palisades which surround their villages.
In the illustration (page 17) are shown four
heads. The top one is treated in a conventional
and bold manner, and was placed at the top of a
house gable. The second head is far better work,
and more realistic, showing a finely-carved tattoo
pattern on the face. The mask was hung up as a
warning to trespassers implying the fate of such.
This specimen was brought to England by the late
Sir George Grey, and is now in the British Museum.
The small head (No. 3) is an example of simple,
bold carving, and is that of a little deity supposed to
preside over fishing expeditions ; the expression is
one of incredulity.
The fourth figure is ot a class that is generally
historic, being the effigy of an ancestor, and
judging by the moko (face tattooing) of some
important man. There was evidently some effort
on the part of the artist to make this family portrait
of pleasant expression but as a triumph of realistic
beauty it is a failure Tattooing is shown on the
deltoid muscles and the thighs.
Much attention was paid to the decoration of
what are known as feather boxes. When the Maori
was not wearing in his hair the sacred huai
feathers—which are greatly prized among them—
they were carefully preserved in these boxes,
called by them "papa whakiro." On these boxes
is found the most elaborate ornament, composed
of human figures and curves, with many shell discs
set in among the carving. These boxes are generally
cut from a solid piece of hard dark wood. All the
outer surfaces were ornamented.
The illustration on page 16 is of a fine specimen
of such work, and is to be seen in the British
Museum. The elaborately carved hand club shown
on page 19 is a curious combination of ornamental
designs of human figures, scrolls and curves : the
large head suggests that of a bird, but is probably
a very debased form of human head, the eye,
eyebrow, nose, and teeth being shown.
The knife (page 20), with a cutting edge com-
posed of a series of shark's teeth, is said to have
been used for killing human victims for sacrifice.