MAORI CARVINGS

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11950, 22 May 1933, Page 3

MAORI CARVINGS

CURIOUS MAN AT A FIGURE

WHAT DOES IT REPRESENT?

The conclusion lias been reached by Mr. Gilbert Archey, director of lhc ' Auckland War Memorial Museum, that the manaia, tb© carious figure which appears' so . frequently i”. Maori .carvings, is; noner-<ith<?r than a highly convcn ticnaljsed' dorni ; of the human body with tlje. Jiuipan head seen' iii profile,' and that'- the .long bird-like beak lias resulted; from .the drawing-out of--the-lower-part vf the face in -order to complete the spaces in 'the design! . • I-- - . ' ’ - - ? The subject was- dealt . with by. . Air Archey in the course of an illustrated'lecture" before' members • 'of the A hekliind Institute. "■ Mr. .-Archey explained'that the nradaia, which' was always 'carved in profile, : bad 'proviousiy ' appeared ' as '* a r “hirdTuan,” or liuhiitn vvibli -a bird’s head, 'sueli as- appeared in the Art of the Solomon., and Easter Islands, where definite ceremonies or. com petition? bad boon associated with that theme The cult of tlic “bjrd did noi, exist among the Maoris... -■• • : f Mr.;Archey explained also a - theory that the Maori ■ spiral. had ' evolved from-tlie combination' of .curves fornp ed by the interlocking beaks of two manaias.'_ .'The explanations : nAre supplemented by a series, of..lantern slideg ' prepared ' froiu- photographs of carving? -in the- museum...