MAORI PATAKAS

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1931, Page 5

MAORI PATAKAS

MUSEUM TREASURES. ' AWAITING A NEW HOME. Among the several very fine Maori carvings in the Dominion Museum which shave been restored and repaired in order that they may take a place of honour in. the new museum (when that building is available), are two “patakafl,” or store-houses, one of which ifl illustrated on this page. One of them ie called Te Takinga, and measures 15 feet wide across the front and 21 feet deep. It was formerly in the collection belonging to Sir Walter Buller. It has twice visited the Old Country, and once Australia, to be displayed at exhibitions. •Ita timbers suffered somewhat as the result of these journeys, for the Maori did not build their patakas for journeys round the world. However, Mr. Hebberley, the Maori carver attached to the museum, has remedied all defects in the structure. The original supporting legs of- this pataka had disappeared, rotted probably, before it came into the possession of Sir Walter Buller. New legs are being provided for it. This has an interesting history, for it is reputed to be made from the timbers of the canoes which the renowned Maori chieftain, Hongi, had dragged from the coast overland to Lake Rotorua when he took the island of Mokoia in the middle of that lake in 1822. The other pataka is probably much older, being well over 100 years old. It came from Maketu, and exhibits East Coast Maori carvings to perfection. Its original threshhold board has unfortunately disappeared, but this has been replaced by the indefatigable Mr. Hebberley. It is a pity that these fine specimens bf the Maori patakas should, from limits Of space, be stored away where the general public cannot see them.. There is no room for them in the present Dominion Museum proper, and they must re- ■ main In the tin shed adjoining until an j

adequate museum, is built. These patakas, or storehouses, were built to face the 6un in order to have a warm aspect. The elaborate carving on them indicated that they were to be used' for very special purposes, for the storing of prized weapons, greenstone, ornaments, mats, baskets and the like. The ordinary pataka was not carved, at any rate not so elaborately, and was used for the storge of food, kumeras or taros. In the shed, keeping the patakas company, *re many other fine pieces of

Maori carving. Great war canoes are there, and in the photograph reproduced is seen the high sternpiece of the canoe “Teremoc,” which was at Wanganui before coming to the Dominion Museum. There is also visible in the photograph the prow of a sea-going canoe, “Te Heke Rangitira,” a canoe built in the northern style, which differs somewhat from those found in the early days around Wellington. These canoes are also being restored in their former elaborateness in the way of carving.