This engraving of a Māori warrior is a copy of a drawing by Sydney Parkinson, the artist on James Cook’s Endeavour. The strong physique of the man is consistent with Cook's judgements about Māori, and the fact that he is confidently holding a tewhatewha (a long-handled weapon) and a mere (club) reflects Cook's view that Māori were a 'brave, war-like people'.
Te whakamahi i tēnei tūemi
Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference:
PUBL-0037-15
Hand-coloured engraving after a drawing by Sydney Parkinson
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.
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