THE MAORI HEI-TIKI

Te Ao Hou, December 1966, Page 62

THE MAORI HEI-TIKI by H. D. Skinner and D. R. Simmons Otago Museum Trust Board, 7s 6d reviewed by J. McEwen This attractive booklet of thirty pages is a second edition of a work published in 1940 by the grand old man of New Zealand ethnology, Dr H. D. Skinner. In this edition an additional part has been supplied by D. R. Simmons of the Otago Museum. There are 40 illustrations of tiki, eight of them in colour on the eye-catching covers of the booklet. All those, Maori and Pakeha, who are interested in Maori art should have this work. A study of the illustrations and the descriptions will show how inaccurate are most of the pictures of tiki that we see nowadays. There are two main types of tiki, one with both hands on the hips, the other with one hand on the chest and one on the hip. The second type is quite often suspended by the arm instead of the head. The two types have distinct characteristics in the shape of the head and other features. One thing to be observed is that the tongue of a tiki very seldom protrudes over the lower jaw and that it is never painted red. The tongue is a narrow strip, sometimes forked, and occasionally extending over the side of the jaw. Skinner deals with the often repeated myth that a tiki is a fertility charm shaped like an embryo and worn only by women. As he states, there is abundant evidence from the earliest Europeans to visit New Zealand that men wore tiki in olden times. I agree with his view that a tiki acquired much of its mana by virtue of its having been worn by great people. Through such associations it is quite likely that some tiki would gain a reputation as powerful charms. This booklet is recommended to those interested in Maori art.