65: Adze shapes of the Moriori
Those of the Chatham Islands seems to have a distinctive shape of club more akin to that from Peru. None were made of pounamu (jade) and no Pounamu weapon has ever been found in the Chatham Islands. But there is a rumour that there was formerly a toki belonging to their ancestor Moe, of the Orepuke canoe, named Toki-a-ra-mei, tei, which is buried at Owhata, near the east point of Chatham Island, in the tuahu, or burial-ground. Tapu says, from the description of it, that it was made of pounamu. This could be that they brought one over when fleeing the South Island from invading Maori - but all that is speculation. The fact remains is that all 'maori' looking clubs or adzes are those brought over with invading tribes and are of Mainland island stone.
Here is a collection of Moriori clubs from various collections, some you will be familiar with and others you will not. These are true MoriOri clubs. Why are they so different to different to anything on the mainland islands?
I would be surprised to find any clubs inside the actual burial cave, but if we do they will not be exactly like traditional Maori shapes and more like the above. The Moriori were regarded as marginal Tahitian Polynesian by H.D Skinner. It is now believed that they came from the South Island before 1500 because their dialect is most similar to that of Ngai Tahu (who arrived some 200 years later). Figure that one out? You can. Kati Mamoe learned the dialect from MoriOri who were part of Waitaha (a noted peaceful people - hence the pacifist stand and the reason they fled) and Ngai Tahu, ever the copiers of everything once they left the North Island, adapted in absorbing those of Kati Mamoe who survived the invasions and who were absorbed into Ngai Tahu.
The word Moriori derives from Proto-Polynesian 'ma(a)qoli', which has the reconstructed meaning "true, real, genuine". It is believed to be connected with the Māori language word Māori and likely also had the meaning "(ordinary) people". But it didn't ever have that meaning as they were one of the genuine people of the south and the word Maori was only invented about 1830.
Be very aware that much of what is written is meant to slowly mislead.
