Sidestep: Triangular Teeth

A skull which has an unquestionable bearing on the subject, was deposited in the Whanganui Museum in 1913. It was found at Te Maire, an old Maori settlement about 12 miles down from Taumarunui, on the Whanganui River. Some Maori observed in the Kawhia district had their teeth sharpened toward the centre, like the apex of a roof.

This skull below however was found above ground on fern land, and although old and stained, is in a fairly good state of preservation. The teeth shape are different to those of some Maori in the Kawhia region in the 1800's as these were angled toward adjoining teeth, the opposite of all others observed in living people. That in itself proves nothing you say. I disagree but the teeth are not the most interesting thing. Take a long look at both pictures below. The top picture os of the skull in question and the second picture is of a Maori skull.

The old pa at Te Maire, is where the skull was found, is the scene of an old fight, the only particulars of which I have been able to obtain are as follows:—Kauae-o-rangi, the son of Raungaiti speaks—“This place (speaking of Te Maire) is still tapu, for it was here that Tangi-manu-rau of Ngati-Hau fought the Ngati-Maniapoto chiefs Hari Wahanui, Omaku, Te Patunga, Pa-harakeke and others, and killed them all. Hari came down with the intention of taking Kahurarewau who was at that time the principal woman of Taumarunui. He heard that she was at Whenuatere and followed her up. He caught her at the village, which was at that time an important place with a fine whare-puni built by Pehi Turoa, and cut off her head, leaving it on the papa until he could be sure he had got the right woman. Now while his party was pursuing some of the men in the bush, Kahu brought herself to life again by certain karakia, and as soon as she was better set off down river to Paparoa (five-acre reserve at that place) and obtained help. The responding Whanganui people came up, some by canoe and some overland, a great company of 2000 strong. The invaders were caught at Te Maire and the whole army of 300 or more were killed, not one escaping to tell the tale. “Tangi himself killed three of the chief men already named—Hari Wahanui, Te Patunga and Pa-harakeke—and on the rock now called Patunga-o-hari the marks of his axe can still be seen where he dismembered the bodies. (This rock, weighing, perhaps, 12 tons, is on the left hand side of the creek about half-a-mile above Te Maire bridge. It bears certain marks, probably originating from an axe.)

This fight, though greatly exaggerated, certainly took place; and judging by the position in which the skull was found, partly buried by decayed vegetation, with no other bones in the vicinity, it is very possible that the Maori to whom it once belonged was killed and eaten in this very fight. A Whanganui man would have been buried or deposited in one of the many burial-caves that are to be found all along the river. I can scarcely imagine a head left unhonoured or neglected by tribesmen or relations. The point was - it wasn't a tribesman or relative. It was a different person not connected with the so called fleet Maori. Still not sure? Take another look at the skulls.

In regard to the teeth shaping none of the old Whanganui men knew anything about the custom, if it was a custom at all. They, on their part, never heard about it from their elders. Of all the skulls observed in burial caves in the 1800's, there is only one showing any tampering with the teeth that the person discovering this skull had ever observed. A careful scrutiny of the teeth suggests they were chipped, as the edges are still fairly sharp, and the general appearance gives an idea of chipping rather than stone grinding. I myself have seen many Maori skulls, but never one with any sort of tooth alteration, in fact is it fascinating to note the excellent condition of Maori teeth in general from those days.

This skull is Polynesian and Melanesian (and Aboriginal) skulls tend to display relatively long skulls and upper faces with relatively short and wide nasal apertures and low orbits (eye sockets) and a slight change in the zygomatic bone many would miss. Some might say that black and white photo does not show a pentagonal skull, but in fact the pentagonal feature is only really seen when viewing a skull from the rear. And unlike what we once siad in 20916 - yes, Melanesians have both a rocker jaw and a pentagonal skull.