MAORI ARCHITECTURE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1590, 23 January 1884, Page 2

MAORI ARCHITECTURE.

t Tlio Napier" Telegraph of Dec 21st gives the following description of a Maori wharc : riinnnga, or meeting house, which gives an idea of the substantial character of the architecture of their more important buildings : Our representative accepted an invitation, last week to visit the new Oliro' House, which the Maoris have just completed at Tahoraite. It is a large building, measures 16ft .by 35ft with a stud of over 12ft raising to 25ft at the top' of the gable, and built entirely of solid heart of totava, which is mostly in very massive pieces, The central uprights are massive and octagonal, and are sunk 10ft into the ground, and painted with red and white stripes. The studs are Cft apart 2ft Gin broad, and 6in thick, and have an inward lean of 3in at the top, thus supporting'the rafters without the beams. These are also painted red. The rafters aro same size as the studs, which- will give an idea of the solidity of the building, and are gaudily painted ted in a uniform device supposed to represent the " kobai flower,'' but the I resemblance is certainly rather vague. Tho roof rises 9 inches higher in front than behind, the idea being that it must J' rise to the sun," and all poles and timber used in the building are laid with the top end of tiie tree pointing towards the sun. Between the central uprights, on tho ceiling, are painted various curious devices. The central one represents the earth, with the sun at a distance, the full moon with a clock drawn on its face, Saturn, the Southern Cross, and a very fine looking comet; the whole of this on' a background of the sky, arid national colore,, red, white and blue, prominent in the whole. On the panels of the walls formed by the studs we painted most ; complicated designs of ancient native plaiting work, and underneath them aro plaited real mats, of later pattern, made by a convention of girls from the neighboring pahs. The work is exceedingly , : well done) and consist? of white and tinted'flax and "khea-khea" entwined with delicate red laths, placed about' three-fourths of inch apart, and showing a background .of toi-toi reeds most ovonly laid sideby'side. Outside this comes a coating of weather-boards, and then corrugated iron,-:of which' four tons have been used. The entrance to the building has a quaint appearance, presenting a mixture of grandeur with I absurdity, and is surmounted with ai huge carved human head, with the nibiith open and in the act of swallowing another smaller head, which is suggestive.of cannibalism,!/ Inside, the porch is lined with ni'a'ssive carvings, On the left side of the.dpor is a row of mensupppsed; to. represent,politicians who are all holding on to their tongues with'their right hands. This is toj show.how advisable it is to curb that unruly member. . .Otfj- tile", opposite side of the door is a row o£-| women, but these lat(e> havo had the entire lower jaw cut off, by which the natives imply that without recourse to this summary meesure it is a matter of absolute impossibility to make a woman silent. Another carving represents a man who has fallen out with his tribe, and in his remorse has cut off his own head, and is holding it up in both hands and giving vent to his grief. All the carvings are symbolic of some ancient belief, and some evince a finer feeling almost than one would expect to- find amongst tho natives, The floor of the building is covered with linoleum and several looking-; glasses are placed for tho edification of the Maori ladies. .