Studio: international art (21.1901)

Maori Wood Carving

SACRIFICIAL KNIFE FROM A DRAWING BY C. J. PR/HTORIUS

The ornament is composed of three grotesque but the one shown on p. 21 is entirely covered on
heads and three fern coils. both sides with a running style of ornament; the top

The carved staff called "hani" was carried by —by many taken for a spear head—is a very debased
chiefs. Ordinary ones have the top carved only, form of human head ; the two eyes are made of the

usual bright shell, above
which the lips are shown.

From the lips protrudes
an enormous tongue, out
of all proportion to the
other parts of the face.

This special sized tongue
is quite intentional on the
part of the carver, for,
when in the hands of the
chief, during his harangue
on the subject of his
enemies, the staff is
thrust in their direction,
the protruding tongue being
the greatest insult to a
Maori.

The larger and more
protruding the tongue, the
greater the insult.

The origin of the style
of Maori carving is said to
have been invented by one
Rauru, a son of Toi, who
lived in the Bay of Plenty
twenty-six generations ago.
This style has survived
throughout their carving
from the beginning, and
the Maori has the greatest
reverence for it. Were he
to deviate from the ac-
cepted style the vengeance
of the gods would fall upon
him, not to mention the

crime of violating the
Mallet of whale s bone. 2. Greenstone gouge. 3. Greenstone ground to a cutting 0

edge. 4. Stone implement for boring and cutting wood. 5. Flint-pointed drill accepted rules of art.
with stone weights. 6. Drill with greenstone point and stone weights. 7. Instances are remembered
Ancient chisel of whale''s bone. 8. Pricker and chisel of greenstone. 9. Imple-
ment of quai-tzite used in smoothing wood. where distinguished men

20

CARVING TOOLS