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Show 2 0 0 PICTOGRAPHS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. from the enemy; two facts from which his reputation is essentially to be derived. It is seldom that more is attempted in the way of inscription. Often, however, distinguished chiefs have their war- flag, or, in modern days, a small ensign of American fabric, displayed on a standard at the head of their graves, which is left to fly over the deceased till it is wasted by the elements. Scalps of their enemies, feathers of the bald and black eagle, the swallow- tailed falcon, or some carnivorous bird, are also placed, in such instances, on the adjedatig, or suspended, with offerings of various kinds, on a separate staff. But the latter are super- additions of a religious character, and belong to the class of . the ke- ke- wa- o- win- an- tig. The buildiug of a funeral fire on recent graves, is also a rite which belougs to the consideration of their religious faith. The following quotations and illustrations are taken from Dr. Ferdinand von Hocbstetter's New Zealand, before cited. That author says on page 437 et seq: The carved Maori- figures, which are met with on the road, are the memorials of chiefs, who, while journeying to the restorative baths of Rotorua, succumbed to their ills on the road. Some of the figures are decked out with pieces of clothing or kerchiefs; and the most remarkable feature in them is the close imitation of the tattoo- Fio. 116.- New Zealand grave effigy. ing of the deceased, by which the Maoris are able to recognize for whom the monument has been erected. Certain lines are peculiar to the tribe, others to the family, and again others to the individual. A close imitation of the tattooing of the face, therefore, is to the Maori the same as to us a photographic likeness; it does not require any description of name. A representation of one of these carved posts is given in Figure 116. Another carved post of like character is represented in Figure 117, concerning which the same author says, page 338 |
