AUSTRIA AND THE MAORI PEOPLE

Te Ao Hou, October 1958, Page 38

When the Maori chiefs visited Vienna, this was part of the imperial palace. Today, it is the Ethnological Museum, in which treasures from all parts of the world are displayed. They include a number of Maori works of art, most of them brought back to Austria by Andreas Reischek. (Photo: Museum f. Voelkerkunde.) AUSTRIA AND THE MAORI PEOPLE by WALTER BROOKES A century ago, when the Austrian Empire included the ports of Trieste and Venice, Archduke Maximilian, brother of the Emperor Franz Josef and head of the Imperial Navy, ordered an exploratory world cruise to be made by the frigate Novara, with a staff of seven scientists. She visited Auckland from 22nd December 1858 to 8th January 1859. When she left for Trieste, a geologist, Dr Ferdinand von Hochstetter, stayed behind, at the request of the New Zealand Government, to investigate Auckland coal deposits. The Novara signed on two Maoris, Wiremu Toetoe Tumohe and Te Hemara Rerehau Paraone, as members of the crew. The Maoris reached Vienna in October. It was arranged for them to work at the State Printing House; a member of the staff knew Maori, and taught them English and German, all branches of printing, and drawing. They spent nine months there, and were presented to many prominent people, including the Emperor. When they left they were given a printing press (now in the Te Awamutu Museum), and they returned home after a visit to England, where they were presented to Queen Victoria. Meanwhile Hochstetter had spent nine months in New Zealand, working with Sir Julius von Haast in Nelson as well as Auckland. Returning to Europe, he kept up his interest in New Zealand, corresponded with von Haast, and exchanged botanical and other specimens. He published his book New Zealand in German and English. Later he became Director of the State Museum, Vienna,

Maori exhibits in the Viennese Ethnological Museum. All these fine examples of Maori art, with the exception of the one on the far left, are from the Reischek collection. (Photo: Museum f. Voelkerkunde.) where he built up large New Zealand collections. In 1877 von Haast wrote asking von Hochstetter to find him an assistant for the work of founding the Canterbury Museum. Andreas Reischek was sent out as a taxidermist. After his term of two year's work he spent ten years more travelling in New Zealand and getting to know the Maoris. He took back his famous collection of Maori objects to Austria, and it is now in the Ethnological Museum—part of the old State Museum—in Vienna. A special display of the collection has recently been made by the ethnologist, Dr Irmgard Moschner, who is keenly interested in New Zealand and the Maoris. Reischek's son. Professor Andreas Reischek, now aged 65, and a prominent figure in educational work in Austrian broadcasting, also takes a great interest in Maori Affairs and corresponds regularly with Maori friends.