A MAORI SKULL BOX FROM NORTH AUCKLAND

Te Ao Hou, March 1959, Page 38

A MAORI SKULL BOX FROM NORTH AUCKLAND by Dr T. BARROW This strange little container was used as a skull box. The peg below was used to stand it upright on the floor of the cave where it was hidden. Maori skull-boxes are rare; the one pictured here is now in the Auckland Museum, with two similar boxes, all from Whangaroa. It may seem strange to place the skull of one's ancestor or dead relative in a carved container, but this was a widespread custom in Indonesia and many Pacific islands. It is not therefore surprising to find evidence of this practice in the Polynesian islands of New Zealand. We must also remember that in Polynesian belief the head was an especially tapu part of the body. This skull box provides us with an example of the distinctive North Auckland carving style, artistically advanced and somewhat similar to Hawaiian image carving. Basically, this style is akin to the more familiar forms of Maori carving. The simplicity of form and lack of surface decoration are particularly attractive features. (Photo: Peter Blanc)