MAORI ART

Hokitika Guardian, 31 January 1929, Page 2

MAORI ART

. CRAFTSMEN AT ROTORUA

NEW MEETING-HOUSE.

Considerable activity prevails at present in the premises of the Board of Maori Arts at Ohinemutu. Seven of the local Arawa eraiftsinen are engaged in carving a large number of totarn slabs for a new meeting-house now in process of erection at Nganiawaliia. This new house is in the model pa of Princess Te Puen Herangi, cousin of King Rata, the Maori cliiel'lniness who base done so much lor the advancement- of the Waikato natives. ft lias been arranged that the official opening of the new structure will take place on March 14, during regatta week. M,r 11. Hamilton, the Director of the School of Maori Art, is generally supervising the work and assisting with the designing. Many of the slabs which will adorn the interior of the house are copies of some of the best, examples of Maori art, but several new designs are incorporated. The Maori craftsman ol old was ever socking fresh inspirations and new designs. Like the true artist of to-dav, lie abhored the repetition of a design and always aimed at something new—possibly something startling. Mis mind was striving to produce the masterpiece which would establish his if ame as a tohunga and for ever perpetuate his memory. It is said that many of these inspirations were the results of dreams, for the master-crafts-man of old was profoundly wrapped up in his work.

Nowadays the inspirations are chiefly obtained from photographic and other records, hut some quite original designs are being incorporated into this new meeting-house, designs which should fie pleasing to the .Maori mind. As ifar as possible, the decorative scheme is being carried out according to ancient custom, being only modified to suit certain reqiiironionts. Tlio application of tlie ancient decorative scheme to modern requirements is one ol the problems that the Board of Maori Arts has to face. In an inspection of the work which is going on at Ohinemutu. the impiession was gained that the board has an organisation capable of carrying on the work of the ancient Maori craftsmen, besides giving profitable employment to bis successors. Meeting together under the guidance of Air Hamilton, the in-ter-change and assimilation of diffeient ideas and methods cannot I nil to have a beneficial effect on the carvers concerned. This was not possible under the system Which prevailed in no very distant times, for the tohunga. of old was a conservative teacher. The opening of the new meetinghouse will ho an event of' importance among the Wails ato natives and many visitors are expected at the ceiemont.