Maori artefacts overseas

Tu Tangata, Issue 15, 1 December 1983, Page 23

Maori artefacts overseas

The only extensive catalogue of Maori artefacts held overseas has recently been published by the Auckland Institute and Museum’s assistant director, Mr D Simmons. The unique publication gives comprehensive descriptions and photographs of what is believed to be 99 per cent of the Maori art and tools currently in American and Canadian museums. Involving almost nine years research, the catalogue has been published with the assistance of a New Zealand Lottery Board grant of $20,000. In work at present are catalogues detailing artefacts held in museums in the United Kingdom and Europe. Primarily for the benefit of the Maori people, the detailed descriptions and identifications in the North American catalogue have helped Maori tribes to regain part of their lost culture. As art styles changed over the centuries, much of the knowledge was not passed on. The catalogue, says Mr Simmons, gives Maori artists original works to

refer to and to gain inspiration form. Mr Simmons recorded the artefacts during four months travel in the United States and Canada, visiting museum and private collections, tracking down some 2500 items. The finished book contains 300 plates, with 600 illustrations, some of which are in colour. All that is known about a particular piece is given; style, description, what part of New Zealand it came from and when, and where it is now. Mr Simmons says much of the Maori art in the United States is housed in East Coast Museums. In the late 18th century, early traders from Massachusetts on the ‘tea run’ to China took back hundreds of items when they left the Bay of Islands ports. In Salem, Massachusetts, for instance the Essex Institute was set up up 1792 to record the voyages of traders. Enterprising men soon persuaded ships’ crews to bring back curiosities from around the world. Some of the Maori items are still identified with latitude and longitude.

Not all the pieces went to North America direct. Some artefacts took 100 years to change hands from collections brought to England by Captain Cook, to museums in England, and then to private collections in the United States.

The largest single piece is a complete meeting house from Tokomaru Bay now housed in the Field Museum, Chicago, along with 600 other items of Maori Art.

Considerable interest has been shown in the North American catalogue since its publication.

As well as its use by museum staff, researchers, archaeologists, and Maori craftsmen, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has copies in overseas embassies as reference material.

Says Mr Simmons; ‘‘There is great interest in Europe particularly. Individual items can be traced through to the present day, and the history of whole collections followed”.

The catalogue contains many examples of art styles which have not survived in New Zealand. One colour photograph shows a complicated Taniko cloak, ‘Kaitaka’ collected about 1812 in the Bay of Islands. The Bay of Islands tribe does not now practise that style of weaving, but the picture of the cloak provides inspiration for Maori artists wanting to recapture the patterns.

The extent of the overseas collections surprised Mr Simmons. ‘‘l found some pieces which were not known to be in existence. Cloaks, in particular, were in good order considering their age”.

Mr Simmons says many of the artefacts were not on display, just stored in “very good conditions”.