Statues --> Maori
The Polynesian Maori people arrived in New Zealand around the X century after the birth of Christ. Until their arrival, the "Island of the South" didn't give hospitality to human being and it was untouched, wild and rich in resources. Their arrival caused several imbalances in the island because they introduced foreign animals and plants and they built fortified villages.
Maori were warriors and for them the art of war had an enormous importance and over the centuries the conflicts between tribes increased.
There was also the custom of making human sacrifices and the victim could be chosen among the enemies or the slaves. The belligerence and aggression of the Maori protected New Zealand from the arrival of the first Dutch explorer in 1642. For this reason to know the island and its population has benn possible at the end of eighteenth century with the arrival of the English captain James Cook.
Just at the beginning of 1800 were found early Maori items that nowadays are housed in the Museum of Wellington City " Te Papa Museum" ( "our place" in Maori language) the first New Zealand museum in order of importance. The museum contains the entire history of the island and focuses with emphasis on geological and biological aspects.
Among the handmade artifacts there are some special carved wooden masks that testify both technical expertise and unparalleled artistic taste that have no precedents within people of the Pacific Islands.
We are talking about "Taonga" masks that are the treasures of the Maori culture and represent the spirit of their culture. They have been found in the Wahi Tapu, sacred places still protected by the Maori Heritage Cunsil. The masks have a religious and artistic nature in fact they were used in baptismal rites and burial ceremonies. The incised decorations are reminiscent of the tattoos that the warriors painted on their faces to tell their own story: in fact each pointed signs refer to a different event of their personal life.
