Polynesian & Pacific

This engraving depicts a group of Maori men engaged in a traditional war dance, or haka. The figures are shown in dynamic, expressive poses, brandishing traditional weapons such as the taiaha (long-handled staff) and patu (short club), illustrating the intensity and cultural significance of this practice in 19th-century New Zealand.

This intricate frontispiece illustrates the cultural and natural landscape of New Zealand, the setting for the myths collected by Sir George Grey. It depicts a carved Maori waka (canoe) prow in the foreground, leading the eye towards a fortified pa and a towering volcanic peak, likely Mount Taranaki. The engraving by J.W. Whymper exemplifies the 19th-century European fascination with Polynesian cultures and landscapes.