The Korotangi (bird of sorrow) is a taonga or sacred artifact discovered in New Zealand. It is a carving of a bird made in serpentine stone. Some Māori of Tainui allegiance believe that it was brought to the country from Hawaiki in their ancestral waka, but it is carved with metal tools, which the Polynesians did not have. It has no similarity to any other manufactured piece in Oceania. Its origin is a mystery.[1]
Physical descriptionedit
The stone is a non-specific serpentine, weighs 2,097 g (4.623 lb), is 26 cm (10 in) long and appears to be carved with metal tools. It depicts a bird which seems to be a fusion of a petrel (possibly a broad-billed prion (pararā)), a duck, and a dove or pigeon.[2]
Historyedit
The statue was discovered among the roots of a manuka tree blown over in a storm in 1878. The location was near Aotea Harbour, traditional landing place of the Tainui waka (c.1350).[3] This was the story of its finding given at the time by Mr Albert Walker, who claimed it was found by a local Māori,[4] although there are other versions.[5] He offered it for sale to a local Cambridge antique and ethnographic dealer, Major Drummond-Hay. It was then purchased by Major John Wilson, as a present to his Māori wife, Te Aorere, for 50 pounds. It is claimed that the carving was referred to in a number of poems or laments about its loss, and that several chiefs were extremely moved by its rediscovery.[3]
^"Mahi". Website of the Kiingitanga. Office of the Kiingitanga. Archived from the original on 17 August 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
Bibliographyedit
Wilson, John (1889). "On the Korotangi, or Stone Bird". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. 22: 499–508.
von Haast, Julius (1881). "A few Remarks on the Carved Stone Bird, named Korotangi by the Maoris, now in the possession of Major Wilson". Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand. National Library of New Zealand: 104–105. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
Graham, George (1917). "The legend of the Korotangi". Journal of the Polynesian Society. 26 (3): 138–140.
Editors (1929). "Notes on the Korotangi or Stone Bird". The Journal of the Polynesian Society. Auckland University. 38: 55–59. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
Phillipps, W. J. (September 1955). "Korotangi". TE AO HOU The New World (1955): 36–37. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
McKay, Christine (1978). The Korotangi. Wellington: Dominion Museum monograph.
February 28, 2024
korotangi, bird, sorrow, taonga, sacred, artifact, discovered, zealand, carving, bird, made, serpentine, stone, some, māori, tainui, allegiance, believe, that, brought, country, from, hawaiki, their, ancestral, waka, carved, with, metal, tools, which, polynesi. The Korotangi bird of sorrow is a taonga or sacred artifact discovered in New Zealand It is a carving of a bird made in serpentine stone Some Maori of Tainui allegiance believe that it was brought to the country from Hawaiki in their ancestral waka but it is carved with metal tools which the Polynesians did not have It has no similarity to any other manufactured piece in Oceania Its origin is a mystery 1 Physical description editThe stone is a non specific serpentine weighs 2 097 g 4 623 lb is 26 cm 10 in long and appears to be carved with metal tools It depicts a bird which seems to be a fusion of a petrel possibly a broad billed prion parara a duck and a dove or pigeon 2 History editThe statue was discovered among the roots of a manuka tree blown over in a storm in 1878 The location was near Aotea Harbour traditional landing place of the Tainui waka c 1350 3 This was the story of its finding given at the time by Mr Albert Walker who claimed it was found by a local Maori 4 although there are other versions 5 He offered it for sale to a local Cambridge antique and ethnographic dealer Major Drummond Hay It was then purchased by Major John Wilson as a present to his Maori wife Te Aorere for 50 pounds It is claimed that the carving was referred to in a number of poems or laments about its loss and that several chiefs were extremely moved by its rediscovery 3 The Wilson family later deposited the carving with Dominion Museum 4 By 1995 it was kept at its successor Te Papa from where it was returned to Tainui by Prime Minister Jim Bolger as part of the government s settlement of their claims under the treaty of Waitangi The Wilson family apparently disputes the government s authority to done so 6 Tuheitia Paki the current Maori King named his second child Korotangi after this taonga 7 References edit Editors 1929 von Haast 1881 a b Wilson 1889 a b Phillipps 1955 Akuhata Karla 8 August 2011 Time for stone bird to give back mana Stuff Retrieved 22 April 2020 McKay 1978 Mahi Website of the Kiingitanga Office of the Kiingitanga Archived from the original on 17 August 2014 Retrieved 16 August 2014 Bibliography editWilson John 1889 On the Korotangi or Stone Bird Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand 22 499 508 von Haast Julius 1881 A few Remarks on the Carved Stone Bird named Korotangi by the Maoris now in the possession of Major Wilson Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand National Library of New Zealand 104 105 Retrieved 22 April 2020 Graham George 1917 The legend of the Korotangi Journal of the Polynesian Society 26 3 138 140 Editors 1929 Notes on the Korotangi or Stone Bird The Journal of the Polynesian Society Auckland University 38 55 59 Retrieved 21 April 2020 Phillipps W J September 1955 Korotangi TE AO HOU The New World 1955 36 37 Retrieved 21 April 2020 McKay Christine 1978 The Korotangi Wellington Dominion Museum monograph Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Korotangi amp oldid 1209907147, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
