Valuable Maori Relics Secured for the Museum

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 717, 17 July 1929, Page 11

Valuable Maori Relics Secured for the Museum

Aucklander Returns After Tour in North VISITED BURIAL CAVE Auckland's War Memorial Museum may be presented with the only specimen in New Zealand of a mummified Maori. Mr. David H. Graham, research officer to the museum, learnt this when he was on a month's tour of investigation in the Bay of Islands. IIR. GRAHAM is now back in the ± city. In the north he secured about 100 native articles for the museum. Air. W. Fraser, of Wliangarei, at present owns the only specimen in New Zealand of a petrified Alaori. Only three specimens have been found, but two were taken to Vienna —an instance of the captures of valuable New Zealand relics for foreign museums. Mr. Fraser stated to Mr. Graham that there was a chance that the specimen would he given to the museum. Remarkable finds in the North have convinced Air. Graham that North Auckland presents a valuable field for research. Mr. Graham had the distinction of being allowed to search a burial cave at Waiomio, Kawawaka. Through this privilege he gained some excellently carved coffins and human remains. One idol secured from the cave bears a distinct resemblance to the statues of Easter Island. Prominent among the treasures obtained is the Kumiti canoe, one of four built by the order of the fighting chief Kawati for the sledging of cannonball to Ruapekapeka pa. Kawati was a Hongi Heke supporter, but British soldiers defeated him in 1846. With chaos in his fortress Kawati and his tribesmen fell back, but instructions were given for the destruction of the canoe-sledges. They were thrown into Waihutu Creek and three were burned later. Kumiti was preserved through the years in the creek bed. Seven men worked seven hours to dig it from a swamp and now it stands as a reminder of the early struggle. Wi Rimu Ngawati, of Otiria, a descendant of the old-time chief Pu Totara, gave Mr. Graham a carved post representing a tribal feud of six generations ago. Pu Totara had a quarrel with Pona, the story says, over rights to an eeling area. At last Pu caught Pona unawares and threw him in a creek. With sudden compassion he plunged in and rescued Pona from drowning, although he was forced to restore Pona’s life by the Alaori method of suspending him headfirst over a smoke fire. To mark the end of the feud and to I show his rights to the eeling area, |Pu had the post carved. For centuries it served the people of the district as a supporting post for eeling net lines, and, not long ago, it established the rights of the natives to property in a Native Land Court case. Riri Kawati, a grandson of the famous chief, gave an elaborate carving representing the emancipation of a slave who rose to the position of a chief because of his fighting prowess. Somewhat battered, but still revealing its delicate carving, the sternpost of the last canoe from North Auckland to raid the Bay of Plenty tribes occupies a prominent place in the collection. Taku Edmonds, of Kerikeri. made the gift. Rare feather boxes, trinkets from milady’s bower in a Ngapuhi village, paddles, an English officer’s sword, weapons and firearms from the siege of Ruapekapeka, fish-hooks, jade charms, fern heaters, a kauri gum collection —articles representative of Maori warfare and home life have been secured in profusion by the museum’s representative.

After the centenary exhibition on January 12 next the museum will be able to avail itself of an offer of relics from the historic Church of England mission at Paihia. Mr. W. Bedggood, of Waimate North, holds the relies. Several of the articles date back to 1814.