rock paintings at kokoamo, north otago

ROCK PAINTINGS AT KOKOAMO, NORTH OTAGOAuthor(s): G. B. StevensonSource: The Journal of the Polynesian Society, Vol. 55, No. 3 (September, 1946), pp. 218-220Published by: The Polynesian SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/20703056 .

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218 JOURNAL OF THE POLYNESIAN SOCIETY

ROCK PAINTINGS AT KOKOAMO, NORTH OTAGO

By G. B. Stevenson, Oamaru.

WHEN the paintings at Gooseneck were discovered in

March, 1938, followed two years later by the location of another painted shelter near Shepherds creek, it seemed that all the examples of ancient Maori art in the Waitaki valley had been accounted for?except that, as the late Mr. J. W. Murdock was quite confident that the drawings found at Gooseneck were not those he had previously seen

fifty years earlier, there was still a possibility of more being found in that region.

It therefore comes as a surprise to learn in June, 1946, of the existence of another painted shelter in such a closely settled district as Kokoamo; a locality situated about four

miles south-east of Duntroon, which has been intensively farmed for many years. Although the Awamoko stream is the nearest topographical feature to the drawings, it would be less confusing if they were known by the name Kokoamo. The locality usually known as Awamoko is situated about ten miles away to the east ; and the stream itself meanders for many more miles through a narrow limestone valley between Tokaraki and the Waitaki river. The exact posi tion of the shelter can be seen on the Four-mile-map, Sheet

29; it will be found four miles south of Duntroon, at the letter

" W

" in the name "

Awamoko stream."

Information regarding the existence of the paintings came from Mr. W. J. Taylor of Oamaru ; they are close to the homestead in which he lived as a boy. Mr. Taylor kindly acted as guide on my first visit to the spot. The present owner of the land, Mr. J. H. Pollock, who purchased the

property about two years ago, had not yet noticed the draw

ings. Mr. H. E. Wedde of Oamaru accompanied me on the second visit; and wrote a very interesting article for the

Otago Daily Times of 2 July, 1946, which it was hoped would

bring in reports of any other painted shelters that might exist in the district.



U



Rock Paintings at Kokoamo, North Otago 219

The paintings are in black pigment and in two groups on the south side of a small swampy creek about a mile from

its confluence with the Awamoko stream.

The first group, which for convenience in this report, will be called

" A," is situated in a typical limestone shelter.

It comprises what appears to be a collection of birds with

several other designs too vague for any identification to be

attempted.

The complete group occupies a space of only twenty-one

by forty-four inches on a surface which is rather rougher than that usually chosen for decorative purposes. I think

it would be quite safe to say that an effort has been made to portray various species of birds. The ancient bird-man

recording his impressions on limestone was at a great dis

advantage when compared with the modern ornithologist equipped with a precision camera, so a good deal is left to

the imagination of the beholder. As one guess is as good as another, I suggest the following. Commencing on the left ; a stilt; next on the same level, a kiwi (headless) or a moa; in front, a shag ; and then two birds with crossed necks, the rail (optornis) and the swan, both extinct.

The measurements (vertical first) are as follows:

Stilt, 8 by 10 inches. Swan, 8i by 12i inches. Kiwi, 81 by 9 inches. Upper group, 4i by 81 inches. Shag, 10 by 141 inches. Figure 4? 31 by 4 inches. Rail, 13 by 13 inches.

The shag is perhaps the most interesting, as it bears some resemblance to what is unmistakably a sketch of a bird of this species at Gooseneck in the upper Waitaki gorge. Both birds are shown with crossed wing tips, and both are

drawn with the head in outline while the body is blocked in. The work on the Kokoamo shag is crude compared with that at Gooseneck but it must be remembered that the rock at the latter place is water-worn greywacke, almost as smooth as a

piece of river-shingle, whereas, at Kokoamo it is rough lime stone. An illustration of the Gooseneck bird is included to enable comparison to be made. This photograph was un

fortunately omitted from the report on this shelter in the J.P.S., Vol. 52, pages 191-8. There appears to be sufficient resemblance to justify the opinion that both sketches are by the same artist.



220 JOURNAL OF THE POLYNESIAN SOCIETY

Situated about a foot below the birds there are a few very faded fragments of drawings in red (kokowai) apparently belonging to a much earlier period. The presence of oven

stones and moa crop-pebbles about one hundred yards from the shelter indicates that the earliest occupants at least

belonged to the moa-hunter period. It is quite possible, too, that the later visitors also were responsible for some of these

remains, as moa-bones were found by the European settlers in large quantities lying in the grass in this locality.

About one hundred and fifty yards north of the shelter with the birds we find Group

" " drawings in a narrow

recess two feet wide and five feet in length; it is situated between two blocks of limestone of moderate size with a third balanced on top. The sketches which are also in black, occupy a space of fifteen by forty-eight inches; they must have been drawn whilst the artist was lying on his right side. They are in an exposed position, and the original designs are now difficult to trace; what is left appears to resemble the branches of a tree or blades of flax, but it is

probable the artist was merely doodling or scribbling. From the present appearance of the Kokoamo shelter

one can only hazard a guess as to why it was selected as a

camp. It is a warm, sheltered spot; and was probably on the route from Georgetown (Punaamaru) through Danseys pass to central Otago. There is no doubt that game such as moa and weka was once plentiful in the locality, also additional shelter from cabbage trees and flax. No trace of the large ovens used for cooking the kauru could be found, but doubtless these were ploughed over many years ago. Firewood, too, may have been obtainable, but not a trace of the original vegetation now remains, not even a tussock; only the everlasting rocks remain as the stone-age hunters knew them.



rock paintings at kokoamo, north otago

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