DOI Heft:
No. 95 (February, 1901)
DOI Artikel:Praetorius, Charles J.: Maori houses
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19787#0034
Maori Houses
most remarkable characteristics of that people, always ready to lay aside the carving tool for his
Unfortunately it is now too late to make a complete weapons and join the fighting, which not only
inquiry into the construction and decoration of the provided new subjects, but also ensured his hopes
varieties of houses built by the Maoris in their of heaven, the everlasting feast of fish and sweet
flourishing days. It is still possible, however, from an potatoes—the Maori paradise,
examination of slabs, panels, barge boards, gables, The remains of old houses are now so few and
and scraps of carved ornaments, and fragments of scattered, that when pieces are seen in museums
fine old houses, to reconstruct them to some extent. by people unfamiliar with a native house they
Carved pieces were carried off by early travellers and find it difficult to guess for what purpose the
colonists who recognised the quaint art, or perhaps various carved parts were used. Had they re-
sent them to England as curiosities, in many cases mained as they were left by the natives, in a state
without any particulars or history; and of late years of " tapu," to gradually rot away amidst the damp
so great has been the demand for Maori antiquities and decay of the deserted enclosure, which was
that it is now well known that a piece of fine often quite overgrown with rank weeds, in a short
carving sells for a higher price in New Zealand time there would have been no vestige remaining
than in this country. The old school of Maori of an art produced by a people who, by the stern
house builders and carvers soon ceased to work regulation of their Tohunga or priests, were allowed
when the European wave of civilisation came. no innovations whatever.
In time of peace, months were spent in the It was customary, when a person of rank died, to
execution of carvings to form some part of a erect a mausoleum, in which the body was placed
house, and the men unskilled in carving would in an upright position until the ceremony of lifting
work on some part of a building or assist in and depositing the bones. These monuments were
the collection of materials. Favourite subjects called Papatupapaku ; they were richly carved, and
for carving were enemies slain in battle, great were often decorated wiih large bunches of feathers,
fighting chiefs, demons, and effigies of ancestors. The one shown on page 20 was erected in memory
Busy as the Maori might be with his work, he was of Tewhero's favourite daughter near Otawhao. It
INTERIOR OF A MEETING HOUSE FR0M A DRAWING BY C J. TR^ETORIUS
19
most remarkable characteristics of that people, always ready to lay aside the carving tool for his
Unfortunately it is now too late to make a complete weapons and join the fighting, which not only
inquiry into the construction and decoration of the provided new subjects, but also ensured his hopes
varieties of houses built by the Maoris in their of heaven, the everlasting feast of fish and sweet
flourishing days. It is still possible, however, from an potatoes—the Maori paradise,
examination of slabs, panels, barge boards, gables, The remains of old houses are now so few and
and scraps of carved ornaments, and fragments of scattered, that when pieces are seen in museums
fine old houses, to reconstruct them to some extent. by people unfamiliar with a native house they
Carved pieces were carried off by early travellers and find it difficult to guess for what purpose the
colonists who recognised the quaint art, or perhaps various carved parts were used. Had they re-
sent them to England as curiosities, in many cases mained as they were left by the natives, in a state
without any particulars or history; and of late years of " tapu," to gradually rot away amidst the damp
so great has been the demand for Maori antiquities and decay of the deserted enclosure, which was
that it is now well known that a piece of fine often quite overgrown with rank weeds, in a short
carving sells for a higher price in New Zealand time there would have been no vestige remaining
than in this country. The old school of Maori of an art produced by a people who, by the stern
house builders and carvers soon ceased to work regulation of their Tohunga or priests, were allowed
when the European wave of civilisation came. no innovations whatever.
In time of peace, months were spent in the It was customary, when a person of rank died, to
execution of carvings to form some part of a erect a mausoleum, in which the body was placed
house, and the men unskilled in carving would in an upright position until the ceremony of lifting
work on some part of a building or assist in and depositing the bones. These monuments were
the collection of materials. Favourite subjects called Papatupapaku ; they were richly carved, and
for carving were enemies slain in battle, great were often decorated wiih large bunches of feathers,
fighting chiefs, demons, and effigies of ancestors. The one shown on page 20 was erected in memory
Busy as the Maori might be with his work, he was of Tewhero's favourite daughter near Otawhao. It
INTERIOR OF A MEETING HOUSE FR0M A DRAWING BY C J. TR^ETORIUS
19