Monday, June 22, 2009

War canoes at Clontarf


A ‘Maori village’ was erected as a temporary tourist attraction at Clontarf in 1910. The Sydney Morning Herald (4 January 1910) advertised:
“The Village, which is peopled by 70 Maoris, including the famous guides, Maggie and Ella Papakura, has been erected with material specially brought from the Lake District of New Zealand and is a faithful representation of a Maori pah. See Maori carvings and curios, and historic war canoes 60 feet long.
There are novel entertainments daily at 3pm and 8.30pm. The village is well lighted by electric light and can be viewed as well by day as by night. The unique character of the performance, the beautiful open-air surroundings, the quaint village in the background, all afford a specially tempting form of entertainment for a summer evening.
Return fare including admission, 1/6, steamers from Fort Macquarie."

The Maori were from the Rotorua area of New Zealand, and their touring show later went on to visit London.
The image is from the collection of the Manly Warringah Pittwater Historical Society.

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