Walsh. — Method of preparing and using Kokowai. 5 



have had some difficulty, as in my residence in a country 

 district I have not the means of consulting many works of 

 reference. They are therefore not as complete as they 

 might be under more favourable circumstances. I am largely 

 indebted, however, to a compilation from various sources 

 given in Hamilton's " Maori Art " (pp. 299-301), and have 

 gathered a good deal of useful information from some of the 

 older settlers in these parts, chiefly from Mr. James Bedggood, 

 of Kerikeri, whose long residence among the natives and fre- 

 quent opportunities of observation enable him to speak with 

 authority on the subject. 



The old Maoris' assortment of pigments was very limited. 

 They used black and white, the former manufactured chiefly, 

 I believe, from the soot of burned kauri-gum or resinous 

 wood, and the latter from a kind of pipeclay. They had also 

 a very beautiful cobalt blue called piikepoto, a natural pro- 

 duct formed from the decomposition of fossil bones, and 

 found in very limited quantities in ''pockets in clay rock. 

 These, with the red kokoivai, constituted the "palette" of 

 the old-time Maoris. No attempt apparently was ever made 

 to produce a variety of shades by the blending of the different 

 colours. 



Of the pigments named the kokotvai was by far the most 

 important. The black and the white were chiefly employed 

 in small quantities for fine work, while the use of the blue 

 was solely confined to personal adornment. But the kokowoA 

 was in universal requisition. It formed the general colour of 

 all the painted work on the canoes, the houses, and the more 

 ornamental portions of the palisading surrounding the pas ; 

 and it was also extensively used as a personal decoration, 

 it being the very general custom of the chiefs and other 

 people of note to cover their bodies with it. 



The raw material from which this favourite pigment was 

 made consisted of a species of red ochre or oxide of iron found 

 in deposits in the ground. This was first roasted in a very 

 hot haangi, or native oven, and afterwards ground to a fine 

 powder on a flat stone by means of a round smooth boulder. 

 A finer variety was produced from creeks and streams which 

 held the oxide in suspension. Fascines of fern, &c., were sunk 

 in the water, and after some time were found to be covered 

 with a deposit of the material in the form of an impalpable 

 powder. They were then taken out and dried, when the 

 powder was easily shaken ofi", the result being a pigment of 

 the very finest quality, which was made up into balls, wrapped 

 in leaves, and roasted, as already described. This variety was 

 called hora, that procured from deposits in the earth being 

 known as taken (A. H. M., vol. iv., p. 103). 



The vehicle generally used for the manufacture of the 



