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Housed in the current building since 1884 (called the Hancock
Museum since 1891) the ethnographic collections can be traced back to 1793 with
the foundation of the Newcastle Literary and Philosophical Society and are of
international significance. The collection of George Allan was purchased by
the Newcastle Literary and Philosophical Society in 1822 and contains a number
of items associated with Cook’s voyages, including this Maori paddle.
Paddle
in the Hancock Museum
The bottom example of these paddles is the one preserved in
the Hancock Museum, Newcastle (NEWHM:C589) Sydney Parkinson, artist on Cook’s
First Voyage, wrote:
“The bottom of their (Maori) canoes was made out of a single tree;
and the upper part was formed of two planks, sewed together, narrowed both at
head and stern. The former was very long, having a carved head at the end of
it painted red, and the stern ended in a flat beak. They had thwarts to sit
on, and their paddles were curiously stained with a red colour, disposed into
various strange figures; and the whole together was no contemptible workmanship”.
(Parkinson 1773, 90, 12 October 1769)
Three paddles from New Zealand
Although this Hawaiian wickerwork head has no Cook voyage associations it is
similar to a group of items collected and recorded on the Third Voyage. These
featherwork objects include: heads; cloaks; capes; aprons; helmets and ornaments.
This item represents perhaps one of the rarest category of artefact in the Hancock
Museum’s collections.
Wickerwork
Head in the Hancock Museum
On Cook’s Third Voyage it was observed of the Hawaiians:
“…in the Center Canoe were the busts of what we supposed their
Gods made of basket work, variously covered with red, black, white & Yellow
feathers, the Eyes represent’d by a bit of Pearl Oyster Shell with a black
button, & the teeth were those of dogs, the mouths of all were stragely
distorted, as wel as other features.”
( King in Cook, Journals III, I, 512)
An
Idol made of Wicker
The early date of the Allan Museum collection (pre-1800) means that there are few possible origins for items like this club from New Caledonia than Cook’s voyages.
During Cook’s visit to New Caledonia during the Second Voyage (1772-75)
the men of the Island traded clubs, darts and other weapons with Cook’s
men.
Club
in the Hancock Museum
Long handled clubs or quarterstaffs/battleaxes like this one were collected
on Cook’s visits to New Zealand on all three voyages. Various types of
hand clubs and weapons made of wood, bone and stone were the most numerous objects
collected on Cook’s voyages.
Quarterstaff
in the Hancock Museum
Musical instruments collected and depicted from the Society
Islands (Tahiti) on Cook’s voyages include drums, shell trumpets and nose
flutes. Cook and his men attended entertainments which included music and dance
on a number of occasions in the Society Islands.
Flute
in the Hancock Museum
Joseph Banks recorded in his journal:
“In my mornings walk today I met a company of travelling musicians;
they told me where they should be at night so after supper we all repaired to
the place. There was a large concourse of people round this band, which consisted
of 2 flutes and three drums.”
(Banks, Journal I, 290, 12 June 1769)
Musicians
of Tahiti
A large number of ornaments made by the Maori people of New
Zealand were collected on Cook’s voyages. These include neck ornaments
such as this one, ear ornaments, cloak pins and combs. These are made of a variety
of materials, including greenstone, bone, tooth, shell and cordage.
Neck
Ornament in the Hancock Museum
Marton | Gt. Ayton | Staithes | Whitby | Newcastle
| All
enquiries to Phil_Philo@middlesbrough.gov.uk or write to: Captain Cook Birthplace Museum |
|
| Tel | 01642 311211 |
| Fax | 01642 317419 |
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