THE MAORI ARTIST.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19418, 28 August 1926, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE MAORI ARTIST.

BY W. PAGE RO WE.

PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.

The suggestion" that there is such a thing as Maori art is quite often met with incredulous surprise, or with a hesitating admission, "I suppose we must call it art." Most people think at once of the grotesque masks with protruding tongues and exaggerated eyes, a departure from Nature which they attribute 10 limited intelligence of the savage; or of the übiquitous spiral, which they have been told is an imitation of the young curled frond of the tree-fern. This attitude is not, perhaps, to be wondered at, since the practice and appreciation of art of any kind are necessarily among the later developments in a new country. The ethnological significance of Maori handicraft claims more attention as its study progresses, and its money value is in inverse proportion to its growing scarcity. It is also looked upon as a wonderful result of craftsmanship produced by very restricted means, and admired accordingly. A few people are able to recognise that it has distinct artistic quality, but little would appear to have been done by way of defining that quality. Therefore, the general opinion is that Maori handicraft died soon after the coming of the European, and because of it. An Abounding Instinct. The high artistic quality is wholly provable, without in the least straining any point in its favour. One cannot demonstrate this point in these columns, as the argument is somewhat lengthy and requires pictorial illustration. There is one aspect of the subject, however, which, although it has been mentioned, and to some extent acted upon, is not, I think, receiving the attention it deserves. I refer to the encouragement of the further development of Maori art. We have numberless proofs before our eyes that, in spite of his precarious existence, in which he was under the continual menace of death by violence, or possible lack of food, and, in spite of most primitive' means, the Maori preserved an abounding artistic instinct. Neither are these many works of art mere indications of the persistent courage of a few artisis, struggling for expression against the prevailing apathy of their fellows. The Maori people did much honour to their artists, gave them high social position, and, as far as posisble, shielded them from dangers and disabilities in order that they should not be hindered in their work. This is a clear proof of a strong national instinct for art, which the European regime has silenced, but cannot have destroyed in so short a time. There is a widely-accepted opinion that the Maori ceased to produce his best work when he made the acquaintance of steel tools. That idea originates with the collector, and is very wide of the actual truth. There are plenty of examples of Maori art, executed with steel tools, which are of just as high artistic merit as those produced by primitive means, whatever may be their comparative value to the curio collector. There was no particular virtue in the greenstone tools. It is common sense to say that if the Maori had always had greater facilities for executing his designs, he would have developed his art very much more fully. It was the suddenness of the introduction which sometimes demoralised him. The new and easier means did not destroy the ingrained artistic instinct at a stroke, and it must surely exist to-day, although much latent talent will have been lost for lack of proper encouragement. Need to Encourage Expression.

One awaits with much interest and some anxiety the findings of the commission which has recently been considering the setting up of Maori villages in native form. I understand that tnere is also a scheme already afoot at Rotorua, promoted by the Maoris themselves, for . producing Maori artists. It is much to 'be regretted that the latter scheme has . not produced more initiative. The Rotorua Maoris should have been able, perhaps, in collaboration with .European artists, to produce a memorial to those of their race who fell in the great war, which would have been far more expressive of national sentiment than the production of an alien artist could possibly be, whatever his capacity. But, although it is appropriate that the Maoris exert themselves for the furtherance of their national art, the obligation is still plainer upon us Europeans. The problem presents many difficulties, but- if we neglect to solve it, we shall not only allow one more disability to be suffered by the conquered; we shall also fail in our highest obligation, that, far from obliterating the native race and its special aptitudes, we should use our older, and in many ways, superior culture, to help it to a fuller expression of its best qualities. % We should aifri at something much more worth while than producing craftsmen who will do nothing but reproduce the works of their forefathers. When national art degenerates into imitation of past achievement it is decadent and doomed to extinction. But so long as the Maori exists-—and he will do so for many generations to come, in spite of intermarriage with the European—if we do not, in making him conform to our habits, do violence to his national characteristics, so long will his artistic genius, with its own special predilections and efficiency, abide with him. That genius is of so high an order that full onportunity should be afforded it for its Adequate expression in its new environment. Call for a Special School. I believe that, rightly comprehended, the coming of the European, although it has put a period to aboriginal expression in certain respects, may be regarded as providing new means of expression for the Maori artist, and that, although his work will inevitably differ from that of his ancestors, the" innate artistic inspiration will be forthcoming, and produce art which will be still wholly characteristic, and of great value. Because Maori art is art, we should he able to devise means to confirm the Maori artist, bv establishing his kinship to universal art, so helping him to realise its possibilities and conseauently to develop it more fully. Better tools and a greater variety of materials should be the means of producing better art, not worse.

Our existing schools of art cannot meet the case. A special school is necessary, with a scheme of instruction which would neither encourage a slavish imitation of the past, nor lead him astray in alien fields, but heh> him to find a new expression for his genius. For it is probable that the right kind of training will discover strong genius, which will produce works of art. essentially Maori in character. and worthv to be considered by the rest of the world. T believe this to be so wholly possible that it calls for every effort for its accomplishment, because of f.v>o abundant evidence which is alreadv forthcoming that an authentic and abounding artistic instinct, of a very high order, is inherent in the race.