The Moriori are a Polynesian people who migrated to the Chatham Islands around 1500. Their culture included the art of tree carving, (momori rakau), where human figures were portrayed by incision onto the trunk of a live kopi (karaka) tree. It is believed that this was a means of commemorating and acknowledging ancestors and the spiritual world. We were fortunate to visit The JM Barker (Hapupu) Historic Reserve which still has a small number of surviving dendroglyphs that were clearly visible for us to see. Sadly, many carvings are being lost to tree growth and weathering over time.
0 Comments
|
KIKOEnjoy our latest news Archives
December 2019
Categories |