aroundworldortra00peebiala-1

NEW ZEALAND. 95
New-Zealanders used originally the wing-bone of a bird,
sharpened to a point. This they dip into the juice of a tree,
producing the desired color. The tattoo-artists hold a high
social position. The process is painful and tedious. Chiefs
are very thoroughly as well as weirdly tattooed. Besides
being ornamental, the operation is regarded with religious
veneration ; the one thus decorated being placed under the
protecting care of some spirit. The god of the tattoo is
called Tiki. The practice is ancient. Herodotus informs us
that " both in Thrace and Lybia the natives were accustomed
to puncture and color their faces, and various parts of
their bodies."
WHENCE CAME THESE MAOKIS ?
The native population may be classed into several divisions,
distinguishable by peculiarities of dialect, physiognomy,
and disposition. These divisions are dimly traceable to the
crews of different canoes finding their way to these islands.
Evidently they came from different Polynesian groups.
They certainly did not come from Australia, as their color,
habits, religion, and language demonstrate ; neither are they
the descendants of the Sandwich Islanders, as some have
contended. Among substantial reasons to the contrary, the
following may be mentioned : The New-Zealanders carry
their burdens on their backs, much like our North-American
Indians ; while the Sandwich-Islanders carry theirs on
a balance-pole, something like the Chinese. Further, these
New-Zealand Maoris have no words for swearing, no temples
for religious worship, no idols, no refuge-cities ; nor did
they ever practice circumcision. Many of their taboos, tabu^
were utterly unlike those of the Hawaiian s. But, affirmatively,
the carvings of the Maoris agree wonderfully with
those of the ancient inhabitants of Central America. Like
those Central-Americans, these aborigines obtain fire by friction
; they steep kernels of Karaka for food ; and have religious
as weU as many other customs resembling those remote