The uncivilized races of men in all countries of the world; vol. 2 of 2: Being a comprehensive account of their manners and customs, and of their physical, social, mental, moral and religious characteristicsWood, J. G. (John George)
History
The uncivilized races of men in all countries of the world; vol. 2 of 2: Being a comprehensive account of their manners and customs, and of their physical, social, mental, moral and religious characteristics
Wood, J. G. (John George)
Anthropology; Ethnology; Manners and customs
The curious mixture of native and European dress which the Maories are
fond of wearing is well described by Mr. Angas. “Raupahara’s wife is
an exceedingly stout woman, and wears her hair, which is very stiff
and wiry, combed up into an erect mass upon her head about a foot in
height, somewhat after the fashion of the Tonga islanders, which, when
combined with her size, gives her a remarkable appearance.
“She was well dressed in a flax mat of native manufacture, thickly
ornamented with tufts of cotton wool; and one of her nieces wore
silk stockings and slippers of patent leather. This gay damsel was,
moreover, a very pretty girl, and knew how to set off her charms to
advantage; for over an European dress she had retained her native
ornaments, and had wrapped herself coquettishly in a beautiful,
‘kaitaka,’ displaying her large hazel eyes above its silky folds.”
It has often been thought that the warrior regarded his moko, or
tattoo, as his name, permanently inscribed on his face; and this notion
was strengthened by two facts: the one, that in the earlier times of
the colonists the natives signed documents by appending a copy of their
moko; and the other, that each man knows every line of his tattoo,
and sometimes carves a wooden bust on which he copies with admirable
fidelity every line which appears on his own head or face. Such a work
of art is greatly valued by the Maories, and a man who has carved one
of them can scarcely be induced by any bribe to part with it.
Moreover, the moko of a warrior is often accepted as the conventional
representation of himself. For example, on the pillars of a very
celebrated house, which we shall presently describe, are numerous human
figures which represent certain great chiefs, while men of lesser mark
are indicated by their moko carved on the posts. Thus it will be seen
that the moko of a chief is as well known to others as to himself, and
that the practised eye of the native discerns among the various curves
and spirals, which are common to all free men, the characteristic
lines which denote a man’s individuality, and in producing which the
tattooers’ skill is often sorely tried.
It has already been mentioned, that when a warrior falls in battle, and
his body can be carried off by the enemy, the head is preserved, and
fixed on the dwelling of the conqueror. No dishonor attaches itself to
such an end; and, indeed, a Maori warrior would feel himself direfully
insulted if he were told that in case of his death in the field his
body would be allowed to remain untouched.
In fact, he regards his moko precisely in the same light that an
American Indian looks upon his scalp-lock; and, indeed, there are many
traits in the character of the Maori warrior in which he strangely
resembles the best examples of North American savages.
In order to preserve the head of a slain warrior, some process of
embalming must evidently be pursued, and that which is commonly
followed is simple enough.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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