TIKI

On his first visit to New Zealand Captain Cook displayed considerable interest in the hei-tiki.

They were not common at this time, but when he and others came to New Zealand on later visits hei-tiki were plentiful and freely offered for barter.

Obviously the Maori appreciated the wants of the European and were quick to develop the market, for from this time on hei-tiki were manufactured by he Maori as trading commodities to exchange for metal tools and other articles that the visiting sealers and whalers could supply. The demand was high but fresh supplies of raw stone were not easily obtained, and so with the promise of iron tools many faithful adzes were converted to hei-tiki.

Of course not all were intended for trading, and many treasured heirloom hei-tiki have accumulated much prestige and have passed through several generations of Maori families to the present day.

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