Kumaras and Kumara Magic This stone carving is one of the religious statues usually known as ‘kumara gods’; it represented Rongo, the god who personified and protected kumaras, and the days of the old Maori religions it was placed with great ceremony beside the field of growing plants so that it would care for them. This particular statue is now in the Wanganui Museum, you will find other ones in other museums, though there are not very many of them; probably a lot were buried in the ground for safe-keeping in time of danger, and were lost when their owners didn't come back to collect them. We have photographed this figure standing in a little kit of kiwi feathers. This kit is not an old one, so it should not be regarded as being strictly authentic. But is is known that on important occasions Maoris decorated their sacred carvings with feathers, so probably it once did look something like this. It would almost certainly be painted with red ochre as well.