Errors in "Feathers and Fibre" – an apology

Tu Tangata, Issue 29, 1 April 1986, Page 46

Errors in "Feathers and Fibre" -an apology

Since the publication of Feathers and Fibre, (Penguin (NZ) Ltd, 1984), I have had the chance to examine more closely some of the items illustrated in the book. For various reasons I now believe that five articles should not have been included because they are not, or may not be, of Maori manufacture. It is unfortunate that these probable errors mar the collection and I would like to

set the record straight by listing them here for the information of those interested.

Fig. 54. Kit with flap and tie cord. Unknown artist, Sir George Grey Collection, Auckland Museum

The original documentation for this basket has now been located. It was found in a cache of fibre material in a

rock shelter at Hyde, Central Otago in 1894. Later the whole collection of seven pieces were described in detail by Augustus Hamilton in “Notes from Murihiku” in Transactions of the New Zealand Institute, Vol 29, 1896. It was through the excellence of this description that I was able to bring these items in the Auckland Museum collection together again. There is no record of how they came into the collection and for some unknown reason they had not been included in the museum’s accessions. I query the basket on a number of counts. What is the material? The overlaid pattern is very unusual if it is Maori. The join in the bottom and the method of finishing the rim use techniques unknown to me in New Zealand material but found in work from tropical Polynesia. However, there remains the query that if it is not Maori, what was it doing in Central

Otago? Did a Polynesian man or woman who travelled to New Zealand on a whaling ship bring them? Did a Maori whaler hide his Polynesian souvenirs there? To these questions there are at present no answers. Kete with flaps such as this were made by the Maori and the Auckland Museum collection includes two examples called kopa, collected in the Urewera by Elsdon Best at the turn of the century. There is no doubt that these are of Maori manufacture and New Zealand materials.

227-227 a. Fishing Line, unknown artist. Sir George Grey collection, Auckland Museum. This line is from the cache as the basket above. The fine rolled cord could be Maori except for the fact that it is very hard and harsh to the touch

ahead. Over time the tracks became well beaten and Earle remarks how in areas where the soil was light the “pathway resembled a gutter more than a road”. Joel Polack in the 1830’s remarked how in open fern country these narrow and beaten paths were discernible at a great distance. Earle in his painting depicting his approach to Kerikeri places on visible record confirmation of Polack’s comments.

There were exceptions to the rule however about Earle’s statement that it was impossible to miss the way, for when the track descended to swampy valley floors keeping to the road posed problems for the uninitiated.

William Yate, who in the early 1830’s was a member of the Church Missionary Society wrote of how he met both men and women on these tracks with loads on their shoulders that averaged ninety pounds. This is a terrific weight to bear and causes great strain on the spine, lungs and heart. This burden is all the more terrific when Yate further comments, “that these poor unfortunate carriers have to travel 12 to twenty miles for a day’s work”.

The 1830’s saw a pronounced change in the roading pattern take place. This was when the members of the Church Missionary Society commenced the construction of a cart road between their stations at Waimate and the Bay of Islands. At the same time obstacles in the form of fallen forest giants which impeded travelling were removed. With increasing European settlement taking place from 1840 onwards, this improvement in roading proceeded apace. Being surveyed routes that followed contours, the new cart roads rough and ready as they were, were also a boon to the Maori communities and in the settled parts of the country the ancient pathways were progressively abandoned.

Today it is still possible to trace some of these tracks which served an important role in Maori economics. Back in February 1981 while climbing a hill behind Wharehunga Bay (Cook’s Grass Cove) on Arapawa Island, I was conscious that the pasture directly ahead was thinner than the grass on either side of the crest of the ridge. On closer examination it could be seen that over the centuries pounding feet had compacted the clay soil. The possibility that it was a sheep track was ruled out through its very directness. Its line could be made out some 50 metres ahead and the only time that this section of a seven kilometre track which led to Tory Channel faded from view was when it was obliterated by a latter day rockfall. Although narrow, keeping on the track

was not as difficult as Earle had made out. There were differences however in that I was able to pick my own pace and that due to agricultural practices controlling the fern, the way ahead was in open country.

S.C. Brees view of Wellington depicting a Taumata (view point).

When S.C. Brees principle surveyor for the New Zealand Company drew this sketch of Wellington from Kaiwharawhara Hill he included in the right foreground a section of the old track which connected Wellington and Porirua Harbours. As a surveyor he would have appreciated that ancient tracks such as the one depicted were a great blessing when it came to sizing up the land. At this point the track runs through open country. This has resulted from the vegetation being burnt over the centuries. However immediately behind the artist's vantage point the track disappeared into the bush. The high ground in the foreground was a taumata. This was an open spot where travellers could call a halt in their journey to have a rest, take in the view and observe the weather signs.

After Porirua the conditions changed. From here, apart from incursions inland whenever the terrain dictated, travelling was by way of the coast until Kawhia. West Coast rivers would also be an obstacle in the way.

Roads are designed to meet the needs of society they serve. After European settlement tracks such as the one Brees painted on the Te Wharau ridge had little or at the best limited use. Better travelling could be had from changing to surveyed roads. Travelling along the ancient pathway that ascended from Wellington Harbour was not abandoned over night. The track following the crest of the Te Wharau ridge was still of use, as under the New Zealand Company's policy whereby every tenth country section was reserved for the Maori, some hundreds of acres in the vicinity of the left foreground were designated native reserves, so that the track served a purpose as a latter day right of way well after Brees had recorded this scene.

Augustus Earle

The artist Augustus Earle sketched this scene so that his return to the Bay of Islands from Hokianga Harbour would be recorded. As an historical record it is complementary to the descriptive comments made in his journal of what travelling overland entailed in the New Zealand of earlier times.

Earle was an astute observer of Maori ways and customs but for all his insight he failed to comprehend why the tracks were in the state they were.

The artist found the narrowness of the tracks made travelling an irksome experience. He also found the manner in which a party became strung out during the course of a day to be rather unsociable as he would dearly have appreciated a companion to converse with.

To appreciate Earle's description of the journey a person needs to go back to the society of those days when the only means of overland travel was on foot and that due to the absence of beasts of burden the tracks were narrow. Earle found that through "their pathways not being more than a foot wide walking for a European was a painful experience". According to Earle the Maori did not suffer any inconvenience in this regard as they walked pigeon toed (feet turned in). It is not surprising that Earle's gait caused amusement and earned him some good natured banter. Other early travellers also had to put up with this teasing as part of the price to pay, their fellow travellers.

ln open country a keen eye could make out the line of the pathway a long way ahead. When in 1835, Charles Dawin the naturalist to the Beagle observed this sea of fern he had cause to remark that in New Zealand no one need starve because part of the staple diet was so abundant. Depending on the fertility of the soil fern could soon present an effective barrier and frequent burning was necessary to keep a track open.