The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-11
A GREwsoME COLLECTION.
Mummified Heads of Maori Warriors
of IL Century Ago.

Mummified Heads of Maori Warriors
of IA Century Ago.
London Times.
The traditional New Zealander who it Is
SAID, will contemplate upon the ruins of
London bridge the decayed fabric of our
boosted civilization, and moralze upon
Burke'S melancholy reflection-"What Shad-
ows we are and what shadows we pursue!"
would have his interest powerfully excited
II he could by anticipation pay a visit to
the Guildhall Museum. He would discover
collection Of mummified heads of some
eighteen Maori warriors whose parchment
like faces are chiseled in a really remark
able manner differing vastly from the ordi-
nary method of tattooing.
The heads in question are being exhibited
by Major General Robley, who is well
versed in all matters relating to the an
cient method of facial distiguratiOn, as
practiced by New Zealanders of a century
ago, his book ''Moko" being not only a
deeply interesting study from an anthropo-
logical point OF view but monumental one
on the subject. The process of embalming
as practiced by the Maoris was rough and
ready one, consisting of the removal soon
after death of the perishable portions of
the interior of the skull, the latter being
then dried in a smoke fire and afterward
steamed in an oven. In this way every por-
ton OF the fieSh was removed, leaving only
the tattooed skin on the bones. The fea-
lures are thus fairly well preserved. In one
case only are the eyes preserved, and this is
a rare instance as it suggests that the head
of the departed was carefully and affection
ately preserved by his relatives, for it was
formerly the horrible custom OF the victor
ious Maoris to swallow the eyes of all dead
enemies, as they believed that the divinity
of the dead man passed into the body Of
the victor.
The tattooing of these heads is an inter-
esting study to those who do not mind gaz-
ing complacently upon the mummified faces
of dead MaoriS-some of whom have evil
IDENTIFY been tomahawked, judging by the
wounds on the skullS-and noting carefully
the really artistic manner in which the
faces have been illustrated, so to speak. by
means of chisel made of the sharpened
wing bone of a sea bird. The operation
must have been one attended by great ply
steal torture, but the victim, we are told,
was consoled in his hour of trouble by the
songs of women, who, in their peculiar
way, impressed upon the sufferer how
captivating and distinguished he would
look soon he had been sufficiently
mutilated. This fashion was probably the
first introduction of the vanity of "chiseled
features" In course of time a good
''moko" or chiseled face, became, If not
an article of virtue an article of value, and
head-hunting among the unfortunate Ma
oris became such dreadful business that
it was abolished by the Sydney government
in 1891 The curious feature in the ''moko"
profession was that the engrayers seldom
or never "mokoed two persons alike and
consequently the artists were left TO exer-
else their own ingenuity In the treatment
of spirals. semi-circles, and graceful curves.
which spread upward from the chin TO the
roots OF the hair.