Description (Physical description)
Carved male figure from the great meeting house at Rahana or Koriniti. Modern work.
Event Date
Author: maa

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Context (References)
Part of a collection of Maori taonga sold on Thursday 4th July 1901 at J.C. Stevens' Auction Rooms, 38 King Street, Covent Garden. The catalogue of this sale is held in the Museum's Archives.

Under the heading 'Maori Curios', it gives the following extract from the Wanganui Herald of Feb. 20th 1901: 'A very valuable collection of historic Maori curios, one of the finest held by any private individual in the colony, has just been disposed of in Wanganui. We understand that the collection is to be exhibited throughout Australia and the Old Country. It is regrettable that such interesting relics of the Maori race, which in a few years will be almost as scarce as the Moa, are allowed to leave the colony. The price paid has not been divulged, but it runs into hundreds of pounds.' p.7. After this quotation, the catalogue notes: '(The above paragraph refers to this Collection.)'
It goes on: '(COPY OF DECLARATION) "I, William Edward Goffe, Government Land Purchaser Wanganui, do solemnly swear that the following curios are as represented in every detail. Sworn at Wanganui, New Zealand, before F.M. Spurdle, J.P., 19 Feb., 1901." - Extract from the WANGANUI HERALD of Wednesday February 20th, 1901'.
Event Date 1901
Author: rachel hand

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Context (Related Documents)
Card 1 for E 1901.85 (1,2) (Z 6342) notes in black ink : New Zealand Ranana/ Pair of Images/ *Charles J.P. Cave, M.A./ R. 1901.1370, 1371'. This refers to Z 6342 and Z 6343
Card for Z 6343 notes in black typeface: 'Carved male figure from the great meeting house at Rahana [sic]./ Stevens Sale/ d. Charles. J.P. Cave.'
[Added on the reverse of the card in black ball point pen] '1.6.78 D.R. Simmons 1/ Top of cerno- (barge upright)/steel tools Rohana Wanjanui' [sic]

Event Date 1901
Author: Rachel Hand

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Context (Field collection)
Collected by William Edward Goffe, Government Land Purchaser Wanganui.
Event Date 1901
Author: rachel hand

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Context (Acquisition Details)
Purchased at J.C. Stevens' Auction Rooms, 38 King Street, Covent Garden, 4th July 1901 by Baron Antaole von Hügel with money donated to the Museums Accession fund by Charles Cave (J.P.)
Event Date 1/1901
Author: rachel hand

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Context (References)
An image of the meeting house is published in William Phillips (1955) Carved Maori Houses, p.95. Phillips notes that the maihi or bargeboards from the house, carved by Utika Mohuia, are now in the Whanganui Museum.

Event Date 1955
Author: rachel hand

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Context (Amendments / updates)
Added on the reverse of the card Z 6343 in black ball point pen] '1.6.78 D.R. Simmons 1/ Top of cerno- (barge upright)/steel tools Rohana Wanganui'
Event Date `/6/1978
Author: Rachel Hand

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Description (Physical description)
According to D. R. Simmons of the Auckland Museum (1 6 1978), it was made with steel tools and comes from Ranana Wanjanii
Event Date 1/6/1978
Author: rachel hand

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Context (Amendments / updates)
David Simmons' views on the provenance and dating of Maori artefacts are no longer considered reliable in New Zealand.
Event Date 15/1/2001
Author: rachel hand

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Context (References)
Gerrard Albert and Che Wilson (June 2006) Whanganui Taonga Iwi Report. University of Cambridge Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology (CUMAA) Field Work: March-May 2006.
Event Date 6/2006
Author: maa

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Context (Amendments / updates)
Z 6343 & Z 6342: Pou Maihi from Huriwhenua, Rānana
Pou were removed from storage, sited and photographed. Upon examining pou and comparing Burton photo taken c1880, group confirmed that pou were originals including missing paua eye from Z634 in Burton photo [Note 14]
Left pou in Burton photo of Huriwhenua is Z 6343 holding patu
Right pou in Burton photo of Huriwhenua is Z 6342 with hands together
Key Whanganui carving features are as follows:
– Bent knees
– Flat mouth with shallow relief
– Face is asymmetrical, typical of Whanganui not to have a set balance to its carvings [Note 15]
Best example of this style of maihi is Te Waiherehere Wharepuni (see Z6340) currently owned and displayed at the Whanganui Regional Museum, Whanganui, NZ

Note 14- Wednesday 19 April 2006, CUMAA. Present: G Albert, A Henare, R Raymond, W Veys, C Wilson.
Note 15- Tahupārae, JR – 14/05/06.

Quoted from Albert and Wilson, June 2006:23
Event Date 6/2006
Author: rachel hand

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Conservation (Remedial)
79.81 | Remedial
Event Date 28/5/2019
Author: Kirstie Williams

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Context (Amendments / updates)
The description by Gerrard and Wilson of the pou's hands are reversed according the current photographs.
Left pou in Burton photo of Huriwhenua is Z 6342 [note Z 6343] holding a patu
Right pou in Burton photo of Huriwhenua is Z 6342 [not Z 6242] with hands together
Event Date 26/10/2022
Author: rachel hand

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Description (Physical description)
Pou Maihi. Carved male figure from the from the Huriwhenua (meeting house) Whare Rūnanga of Keepa Te Rangihiwinui (Major Kemp). The eyes are missing the paua shell inserts
Event Date 26/10/2022
Author: rachel hand

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Context (Other owners)
From Huriwhenua (meeting house) Whare Rūnanga of Te Keepa Te Rangihiwinui (also known as Major Kemp d.1898).
Te Rangihiwinui was a chief of Muaūpoko, Ngāti Apa and Whanganui who joined the Armed Police Force and fought in campaigns against the Hauhau, Te Kooti and Tītokowaru during the 1860s.
Event Date 26/10/2022
Author: rachel hand

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Conservation (Assessment Only)
CON.2024.5946 | Assessment Only
Event Date 20/5/2024
Author: Stephanie De Roemer

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Context (Amendments / updates)
The carving of five fingers with joints and fingernails is unusual as Maori carving typically incorporates three fingers. This may be an early example of a more naturalistic style of carving which carvers such as Tene Waitere are more well known for
From comments by Ruakiri and Uenuku Fairhall during a visit 17 May 2024
Event Date 21/5/2024
Author: rachel hand