George French Angas (Artist) J W Giles (Lithographer)
I. Native Swing. II. War Dance Before the Pah of Oinemutu near Roturua Lake.

Artwork Detail
Angas's description:
"PLATE LIII.
MAORI OR NATIVE SWING.
A FAVOURITE amusement amongst the natives of the interior is the swing, consisting of a number of flax-cords fastened from the top of a pole, which is usually fixed into the ground on the sloping side of a bank: the natives, when swinging, take hold of the cords, and running down the bank, strike out into the air and swing back again to the bank; occasionally they run round in a circle, as in the gymnastic pole of Europe. This amusement is rarely to be seen on the coasts: the only places where I observed it was in the villages about Taupo.
WAR-DANCE.
BEFORE going to battle, and frequently on festive occasions, the war-dance is per-formed by the men of the tribe. During these savage ceremonies, the performers dance entirely naked, and as they become excited with their war-songs, they work themselves up to the highest pitch of rage. The time of the dance is beaten with their canoe paddles. The plate represents a party of warriors who have just landed, and are performing their war-dance before the great pah of Oinemutu, at the Roturua Lakes."
- Title
- I. Native Swing. II. War Dance Before the Pah of Oinemutu near Roturua Lake.
- Artist/creator
- Production date
- circa 1847
- Medium
- hand coloured lithograph
- Dimensions
- 543 x 365 mm
- Credit line
- Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, purchased 2009
- Accession no
- 2009/16/23/1
- Copyright
- No known copyright restrictions
- Department
- New Zealand Art
- Display status
- Not on display
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