Group of indigenous Maori, men women and children, standing before a meeting house located in Masterton, wearing traditional cloaks and skirts, some hold Maori weapons, one man holds a gun, photographed by James Bragge. (circa 1865)
Group of indigenous Maori, men women and children, standing before a meeting house located in Masterton, wearing traditional cloaks and skirts, some hold Maori weapons, one man holds a gun, photographed by James Bragge. (circa 1865)
Bragge, James, 1833-1908. Bragge, James 1833-1908 : Unidentified group of people in front of a meeting house in Masterton. Bragge, James 1833-1908 :View of Lower Hutt, 1869 ; unidentified group of people in front of a meeting house in Masterton. Ref: PA7-30-16-2. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. [/records/22680820](https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22680820)
description.
“Maori group, adults and children in traditional dress, formed up in front of a meeting house, Masterton. The meeting house is simple in structure with a roof covered with lengths of bark. The barge boards are decorated with paintings. That on the right shows two men in a canoe, one of which has caught a large fish. Maui is written below the depiction. On the left is a fish below which are the words Maui Mua Maui Roto.”
around this time most Maori would have started to use European clothing, i dont know the situation in Masterton, like dont know if they held onto the old ways longer or something, but the cloths are probably just for the photo. As traditional clothing for most Maori was worn ceremonially, or when taking photographs.
the (paintings?) on the meeting house seem to be showing the story of Maui fishing up the North Island, thats how ti looks like to me as a Maori fella who grew up on the stories, it could also be a local story though, im not from this area so idk.
the weapons i can see are two tewhatewha (long axe shaped weapons) one held by the seated one, and one held by the stanign man. and one maybe taiaha? (fighting staff). and im not a gun person, but it could be a musket or a double barrelled shotgun, both guns that Maori loved at the time.
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source of the image.
Bragge, James, 1833-1908. Bragge, James 1833-1908 : Unidentified group of people in front of a meeting house in Masterton. Bragge, James 1833-1908 :View of Lower Hutt, 1869 ; unidentified group of people in front of a meeting house in Masterton. Ref: PA7-30-16-2. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. [/records/22680820](https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22680820)
description.
“Maori group, adults and children in traditional dress, formed up in front of a meeting house, Masterton. The meeting house is simple in structure with a roof covered with lengths of bark. The barge boards are decorated with paintings. That on the right shows two men in a canoe, one of which has caught a large fish. Maui is written below the depiction. On the left is a fish below which are the words Maui Mua Maui Roto.”
around this time most Maori would have started to use European clothing, i dont know the situation in Masterton, like dont know if they held onto the old ways longer or something, but the cloths are probably just for the photo. As traditional clothing for most Maori was worn ceremonially, or when taking photographs.
the (paintings?) on the meeting house seem to be showing the story of Maui fishing up the North Island, thats how ti looks like to me as a Maori fella who grew up on the stories, it could also be a local story though, im not from this area so idk.
the weapons i can see are two tewhatewha (long axe shaped weapons) one held by the seated one, and one held by the stanign man. and one maybe taiaha? (fighting staff). and im not a gun person, but it could be a musket or a double barrelled shotgun, both guns that Maori loved at the time.