title: Moko – A Research Project

authors: Te Awekotuku, Ngahuia

subjects: Maori

abstract: Moko colours the lives, and the skins, of all the people involved in the making of this book “Mau Moko”, which began as the Marsden project, “Ta Moko – Culture, Body Modification, and the Psychology of Identity”, 2001-2005. We proposed to study the origins, significance, technology and practice of Ta Moko from the pre-contact period to contemporary times, and to explore how this important art form has become a dynamic and positive assertion of being Maori in our changing world.

text: Moko – A Research Project Moko colours the lives, and the skins, of all the people involved in the making of this book “Mau Moko”, which began as the Marsden project, “Ta Moko – Culture, Body Modification, and the Psychology of Identity”, 2001-2005. We proposed to study the origins, significance, technology and practice of Ta Moko from the pre-contact period to contemporary times, and to explore how this important art form has become a dynamic and positive assertion of being Maori in our changing world.

year: 2008

title: Upoko Tapu, Upoko Whakakapowai, Upoko Hokona

authors: Gabel, Robert Rutene Whakaangi

subjects: Ngāpuhi

abstract: Ngāpuhi, a confederation of Māori iwi (tribes) from Te Tai Tokerau, the northern region of Aotearoa, is the largest iwi of New Zealand. They were one of the first iwi to come into contact with Europeans in the early 19th century. During this period of contact, particularly between the years 1820 – 1831, Ngāpuhi had a devastating impact on the history of Māori, as they amassed a fighting force of some two thousand warriors and acquired the use of European firearms. Ngāpuhi then circumnavigated the North Island, waging war on coastal and inland tribes with the purpose of avenging past defeats and losses suffered at the hands of their traditional enemies. This objective was ultimately achieved, but this period of war also saw the emergence of another key event in Māori history, the beginning of the trade in what we now call toi moko, which were used to trade with Europeans for muskets. 

Given that Māori have always regarded the head as the most tapu part of the human anatomy, this thesis investigates and explores what effect or influence tikanga and tapu had on this trade. It further studies some of the rationales which allowed Ngāpuhi to override that sacred tradition and move into the trade of toi moko. This thesis argues that Ngāpuhi did not desecrate tapu in the selling and trading of toi moko but took advantage of another long-standing tradition that the tapu of the vanquished ceased to exist upon his death. Lastly, it argues that the trade in toi moko was necessary to ensure the safety and continuity of the Ngāpuhi iwi.

text: Upoko Tapu, Upoko Whakakapowai, Upoko Hokona Ngāpuhi, a confederation of Māori iwi (tribes) from Te Tai Tokerau, the northern region of Aotearoa, is the largest iwi of New Zealand. They were one of the first iwi to come into contact with Europeans in the early 19th century. During this period of contact, particularly between the years 1820 – 1831, Ngāpuhi had a devastating impact on the history of Māori, as they amassed a fighting force of some two thousand warriors and acquired the use of European firearms. Ngāpuhi then circumnavigated the North Island, waging war on coastal and inland tribes with the purpose of avenging past defeats and losses suffered at the hands of their traditional enemies. This objective was ultimately achieved, but this period of war also saw the emergence of another key event in Māori history, the beginning of the trade in what we now call toi moko, which were used to trade with Europeans for muskets. 

Given that Māori have always regarded the head as the most tapu part of the human anatomy, this thesis investigates and explores what effect or influence tikanga and tapu had on this trade. It further studies some of the rationales which allowed Ngāpuhi to override that sacred tradition and move into the trade of toi moko. This thesis argues that Ngāpuhi did not desecrate tapu in the selling and trading of toi moko but took advantage of another long-standing tradition that the tapu of the vanquished ceased to exist upon his death. Lastly, it argues that the trade in toi moko was necessary to ensure the safety and continuity of the Ngāpuhi iwi.

year: 2012

title: Modification of kraft wood-pulp fibre with silica for surface functionalisation

authors: Love, Karen T.

subjects: wood

abstract: A new science strategy for natural fibre modification was devised in which glass surface properties would be imparted to wood-derived fibre. The enhancements known from addition of silane reagents to glass fibre–polymer composites could therefore be realised for modified cellulose fibre–polymer composites. A process is described whereby the internal void spaces and micropores of never-dried Kraft pulp fibre walls were impregnated with silica. This was achieved by initial dehydration of never-dried fibre through azeotropic distillation to achieve substitution of fibre water with the silicon chemical solution over a range of concentrations. Kraft fibres were stiffened and made resistant to collapse from the effect of the azeotrope drying. Specific chemical reaction of azeotrope-dried fibre with the reagent ClSi(OEt)3 followed by base-catalysed hydrolysis of the ester groups formed a fibre-bound silica composite. The physico-chemical substitution of water from micropores and internal voids of never-dried fibre with property-modifying chemicals offers possibilities in the development of new fibre characteristics, including fibres which may be hardened, plasticised, and/or stabilised against moisture, biodegradation or fire. The embedded silica may also be used as sites of attachment for coupling agents to modify the hydrophilic character of the fibre or to functionalise the fibre surface.

text: Modification of kraft wood-pulp fibre with silica for surface functionalisation A new science strategy for natural fibre modification was devised in which glass surface properties would be imparted to wood-derived fibre. The enhancements known from addition of silane reagents to glass fibre–polymer composites could therefore be realised for modified cellulose fibre–polymer composites. A process is described whereby the internal void spaces and micropores of never-dried Kraft pulp fibre walls were impregnated with silica. This was achieved by initial dehydration of never-dried fibre through azeotropic distillation to achieve substitution of fibre water with the silicon chemical solution over a range of concentrations. Kraft fibres were stiffened and made resistant to collapse from the effect of the azeotrope drying. Specific chemical reaction of azeotrope-dried fibre with the reagent ClSi(OEt)3 followed by base-catalysed hydrolysis of the ester groups formed a fibre-bound silica composite. The physico-chemical substitution of water from micropores and internal voids of never-dried fibre with property-modifying chemicals offers possibilities in the development of new fibre characteristics, including fibres which may be hardened, plasticised, and/or stabilised against moisture, biodegradation or fire. The embedded silica may also be used as sites of attachment for coupling agents to modify the hydrophilic character of the fibre or to functionalise the fibre surface.

year: 2008