MAORI RELIC

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 281, 22 July 1932, Page 6

MAORI RELIC

ANCTENT STONE SINKER DISCOYERED IN NEW PLYMOUTH Around rrTiv of the ancient Maori pas, particularly those situated noar tiie coast, numbers of stone sinkers have been found. Usually these are rough rou.rd or oval stonss, grooved out around the surface for attaching fishing lines. Recently a fine example was handed into the. New Plymouth Museum by Mr. F. Cowling, of Westown. The relic was discovered in an old pa "n that loeality, hut is a much hetter , finishsd article than the usual fish linei* cir.ker, In shape it is an elongated

cval, the sides of which have been highly polished and the work of cutting the groove finished in a mueh hetter fashion than is usually the case. It is possible that so well finished a sinker would not be used for ordinary fishing, but more probably have delonged to a renowned tohunga who would use it in fishing ceremonies. Before the days of the wbite man the Maoris captured huge quantities of fish', much of which was dried and stored for winter food. The Taranaki coastal waters furuished lcahawai schnapper, shark and hanuka. as well as octonus and shellfish. Every fiishing expedition was in charge of a tohunga, and unless the pvoper ceremonies were carried out the natives believed that little or no success would attend their efforts.