DOI issue:
No. 95 (February, 1901)
DOI article:Praetorius, Charles J.: Maori houses
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19787#0040
Maori Houses
the building of all large houses intended for meet- ties the victim was buried under the back corner
ing-places or for the entertainment of visitors, on of the house. After some time the bones were
the erection of the main pillar, a slave, or in some dug up and placed on an altar, being then sup-
mstances a member of the tribe, was sacrificed, posed to bring good fortune to the owner of the
and after the abstraction of the heart, the body house."
was buried at the foot of the poutokomanawa ; the Trunks of trees, whole or split in half, were used
heart of the victim was cooked and eaten, after as main posts to support the ridge-pole of a house;
many karakias (prayers) by the tohunga or priest the inner or convex side was carved or painted
presiding over the work. He was generally an red; the side walls were made of large slabs of
expert carver and face tattooer. In some locali- wood set upright and some depth into the ground;
the intervals, which were
of some two feet, were
filled with skilfully-plaited
screens.
The door slid into a
recess, and was about two
feet in width and not more
than five feet in height.
It was fastened by a wooden
bolt inside, or outside by
a piece of rope, which was
tied in a peculiar manner
to show if it had been un-
fastened during the owner's
absence. The lintels of
the doors were elaborately
designed and carved with
intricate schemes of gro-
tesque figures, the spaces
between being filled with
pitau, or coil work, said
to represent the circinate
frond of the tree-fern, the
small studs between the
coils being intended for the
pinna;.
There appear to be few,
if any, Maori representa-
tions of great hunting
or fishing scenes, such
favourite subjects with all
primitive artists, from the
time of early cave men,
who scratched pictures on
bones of the animals they
hunted.
All Maori patterns,
demons and figures, have
their particular meaning
and proper name, and one
reason for so much repe-
tition in their subjects and
ornament was the fear
RAFTER TATTERKS FROM DRAWINGS BY C.J. TR.CTORIUS of "Aitua," Or evil Omen
25
the building of all large houses intended for meet- ties the victim was buried under the back corner
ing-places or for the entertainment of visitors, on of the house. After some time the bones were
the erection of the main pillar, a slave, or in some dug up and placed on an altar, being then sup-
mstances a member of the tribe, was sacrificed, posed to bring good fortune to the owner of the
and after the abstraction of the heart, the body house."
was buried at the foot of the poutokomanawa ; the Trunks of trees, whole or split in half, were used
heart of the victim was cooked and eaten, after as main posts to support the ridge-pole of a house;
many karakias (prayers) by the tohunga or priest the inner or convex side was carved or painted
presiding over the work. He was generally an red; the side walls were made of large slabs of
expert carver and face tattooer. In some locali- wood set upright and some depth into the ground;
the intervals, which were
of some two feet, were
filled with skilfully-plaited
screens.
The door slid into a
recess, and was about two
feet in width and not more
than five feet in height.
It was fastened by a wooden
bolt inside, or outside by
a piece of rope, which was
tied in a peculiar manner
to show if it had been un-
fastened during the owner's
absence. The lintels of
the doors were elaborately
designed and carved with
intricate schemes of gro-
tesque figures, the spaces
between being filled with
pitau, or coil work, said
to represent the circinate
frond of the tree-fern, the
small studs between the
coils being intended for the
pinna;.
There appear to be few,
if any, Maori representa-
tions of great hunting
or fishing scenes, such
favourite subjects with all
primitive artists, from the
time of early cave men,
who scratched pictures on
bones of the animals they
hunted.
All Maori patterns,
demons and figures, have
their particular meaning
and proper name, and one
reason for so much repe-
tition in their subjects and
ornament was the fear
RAFTER TATTERKS FROM DRAWINGS BY C.J. TR.CTORIUS of "Aitua," Or evil Omen
25