THE CUSTOMS AND . . ARTS OF THE. MAORIS A Year Among
the Maoris -their Arts and Customs. By Frances del Mar, with Foreword by Sir Wyndham Dunstan. . (Ernest Benn.. 18s. net.)
IT • .. ,
is always well when the author of a travel book is an accomplished observer of people or nature. Miss del Mar is such a person, diligent and conscientious in seeing a new country, and prepared by a previous visit to Polynesia to listen to and understand the legends and tribal stories of the Maoris. She went to New Zealand as an artist, in- terested also in ethnography ; and from her notes; made on interesting occasions, she has compiled this book.
The origin of the Maori race is obscure ; one thing is certain, that they were not the aborigines of New Zealand ; when they came there from their probable home in Raratonga or Tahiti they found New Zealand inhabited by a race we now know as the Moriori. That was- no:fie five hundred years ago; and it says much for the virility of this warrior-race that fo-day their • number's have increased to over 54,000, despite the many sad chapters in their history. It is not, however, of the Maoris of to-day that Miss del Mar writes, but of the arts and customs of their ancient life, now fast passing away. Their .weaving is an interesting process "Weaving is done from left to right. My hostess took four weft threads in her hands. She passed two in front and two behind the warp thread in such a manner_ that the two 'front ones passed between the two back ones. Then the two back threads were passed between the now front ones and so, on alternately, thus making a twist -between each warp thread. In this way the warp threads were encircled by the weft threads.. Weaving is begun at the lower edge, and the garment is developed towards the neck, which is usually finished off with a fringe. '
• On certain occasions the Maoris were cannibals ; this was a.custom mixed tip. with their religion, and their tribal wars. To kill a man and not partake of his flesh was to cast disgrace upon him and his people. The Mao-6s love to talk, and oratory amongst them is by no means a lost art. Also they are, at least, potential poets. Metaphor, allegoik,' aphorisms and occult expressions find a large place in their language. Some of their fish stories are striking as indicating the religious significance and poetical imagery of their folklore. The .Fish of Maui, for instance, whieh tells how the hero caught the sun in a noose to prevent him travelling so fast; so lengthen-
ing the days.
Maori carving is amongst the finest in the world. Some- times it is a mere memory. " My father knew about that," said an old chief to Miss del Mar on one occasion. "My 'grandfather make that," and he pointed to another fine piece. It is strange that This comparatively cultured race knew nothing about the art of pottery ; .yet they have engin- eering skill of -quite a high order, as wai 'evidenced by the building of their pas. Indeed, it is said that it was from the Maori War in the 'sixties- that the British learned trench
;warfare. • Miss del Mat is a delightful guide to a fascinating subject, which she has studied with efithusiiism ; she imparts to her pages something of the picturesqueness and charm of the Maori race.
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