Stone Axes

In the face of the notes of Whatahoro and Mohi Turei, which you have shown me, I have no hesitation in insisting that we have absolutely no authority in Maori history to warrant a conclusion that the Maori felled trees, as does the European, with an axe which was fastened to the handle with its cutting-edge in a line with the handle. On the other hand, ancient Maori history does teach us that trees were felled by means of being chipped out sideways—that is, with and not across the grain—and that the tree-fellers—there were always three or more—followed each other around and around the tree in the process of felling. Furthermore, history is emphatic in stating that when a quantity of wood fibre was in that way loosened—by chipping with the grain—fire was applied, the loose wood was burnt away, and the fellers would start chipping again at the solid wood.

Clearly, if the Maori practised cutting across the grain there would be no such process as that just described, for he would cut the wood away as he went in, just as the pakeha [European] does.

The toki titaha was worked with the grain of the wood, and not across the grain. There is no such named Maori axe, for instance, as toki tapahi—that is, an axe with which to cut across the wood-grain.

Hare Hongi,

19/1/11

page 166

Mr. Stowell also makes an extremely apt remark anent the absence of the true stone axe and its handle in collections, &c. After drawing attention to the immense amount of labour performed by the Maori of the Stone Age in making canoes with stone tools, he says, " If the Maori, in their construction, had used stone axes fastened with the edge in line with the handle, how is it that no such axe and handle has ever been produced or come to light, whereas we have thousands of the kind with which we are familiar? The one and only way to account for it would be to say that there was an all-round conspiracy to destroy those particular axes and handles, which would be absurd." The answer to this remark is as follows: We have many axe-shaped (i.e., double-bevelled) toki in our collection—tools that, from their shape, would be useless as adzes. The question to be decided is, were they hafted as axes or as chisels? As to the handles, these were of wood, and therefore perishable. Very few, if any, handles of the old stone adzes have been preserved, save those of the pou tangata type, which were not used as tools.

Mr. Stowell states again his utter disbelief in the Maori " axe." He does not doubt that those natives who have made statements to the effect that the Maori originally possessed a true axe are honest in their statements of belief in such implements, but to quote his own words:—

Wellington, 21/1/11.

Iinsist they cannot produce sufficient historical authority for their statements I further insist that the absence of historical authority, and the total absence of a single specimen of a stone axe fastened to a handle with the blade in a line with the handle, is sufficient proof of the non-existence of such a Maori cutting-axe [in New Zealand].

Referring to this point, yesterday I asked old Tuta Nihoniho the following question: "Mehemea he mea hohou titika etahi o nga toki Maori, ki to mohio he aha te take i ngaro ai ena ahua i roto i nga mono tini o te toki kua kite nei taual" (If some Maori axes were bound to the handles with the blade in a line with the handles, how is it, in your opinion, that we have not seen such amongst the multitude of axes which you and I have seen?)

Tuta replied, "Na te kore ano" (Because there were none). Tuta went on to tell me that he himself had seen the fire used in felling and crosscutting. As to the shape of the toki titaha, I myself have seen axes that shape; and I was told that for the heavier work they were the most suitable.

Old Tuta is Maori out-and-out, and he belongs to the same tribe as Mohi Turei—i.e., Ngati-Porou.

Again, Mr. Stowell remarks upon a Maori weapon which illustrates the principal of the true axe. He says,—

page 167

In dealing with the matter of Maori axes and fastening, you will observe the wahaika(?) or tewhatewha—that is, the Maori ancient battle-axe. We see specimens of these in wood, bone, and stone. We know that it is an ancient form of weapon, apart altogether from the fact that we have seen specimens of undoubtedly great age. It was a favourite and apparently a deadly weapon, a spear and axe combined. A most deadly blow could be inflicted with the back of the head of this axe; for, of course, the blade part was not used for striking with: it would not be necessarily deadly, neither would the blade—the average blade—stand the blow.

And now for what the shape of this axe teaches us:—

1.	In this battle-axe the Maori has from the earliest times had the principle before him of an axe with the handle and blade in a line.
2.	If he had used this shape, even to the small extent of 5 per cent, of his ordinary stone axes, no good reason can be advanced as to why that 5 per cent, has not survived among the numerous specimens of genuine axes and handles which can be seen to-day.
3.	Not only is such 5 per cent, not at hand, not even a single specimen—an old and genuine one—has been brought to notice in the past.
4.	Not only can no living native declare that he has ever seen or handled such a stone axe, a working stone axe that is, but it is apparently not in the memory of a living native to declare that either his father or grandfather was personally familiar with such a thing.

It will be noted in the above remarks that Mr. Stowell speaks of Maori stone adzes as axes, but it must not be inferred from that circumstance that he believes the Maori ever possessed a true stone axe, for he emphatically denies that they ever had such a tool. He states that the Maori never possessed a stone axe that was so helved that the cutting-edge was in line with the handle thereof, also that no specimen of such a tool so hafted is known in any collection, a fact we have already drawn attention to, except the specimen in the Buller Collection.

It remains to find out the use and mode of hafting in connection with the double-bevelled stone toki seen in collections of Maori stone implements. These tools are formed like axes, with equal bevels on face and back (or on both sides, according to how one employs such terms). They are not hafted, for the same reason that stone adzes in our collections are not hafted—their handles have long since returned to dust. On the other hand, it must be remembered that the supporters of the true stone axe do not claim that their toki titaha was of the same form as our steel axes in regard to its length, width, and thickness, but most of them do say that its blade was double bevelled, thus bringing its cutting-edge into the axial centre of the tool, and not adze-shaped.

Waata te Rangi-kotua, an old man of the Ngati-Pukeko Tribe, Whakatane district, says, " Mo te toki titaha, ara mo nga toki o mua; page 168ko te toki titaha, he mea titaha te whakapiri ki te kakau. Ko te toki tarei, he aronui whakapiri mai ai ano ki waho o te kakau " (In regard to the toki titaha—that is, the old-time toki—the toki titaha was fastened sideways to its handle. The adzing toki was secured in an opposite (confronting) manner outside the handle—i.e., on the flat face of the foot). This seems clear. The blade of the toki titaha was placed sideways on to its handle and so secured, but the adze-blade was so fastened to its handle as to be opposite (to face or confront) the handle and operator.

The Rev. T. G. Hammond, of Patea, remarks that " Opinions differ here as to the toki titaha. Two men told me that there was an old axe called toki titaha, and that it was a toki uma rua—that is, it had both sides alike. These, of course, are common. It was lashed between a split stick, and used as we use the axe. Another axe of the same shape was lashed on to a long handle and driven with great force against the tree, making two rings; then the ordinary adze-shaped axe was used to cut out the wood between the two rings. This long-handled axe was always used when fire was kindled to assist in felling the tree. I think, from what I can find out, that there was an old stone axe called toki titaha; but when Europeans introduced iron axes there was one kind styled titaha by the Maoris. One has to be very careful in these days in accepting any statement even the old Maoris make; all their thinking is so tinctured by European ideas."

The elder natives of Nukutaurua state that their ancestors used a stone toki titaha that was lashed on to a handle, with the cutting-edge in line with such handle. The blade was double-bevelled, not of adze-form.

Te Heuheu, of Taupo, states that he does not call to mind any statement by his elders that a toki titaha, or true stone axe, was known to or used by the Taupo tribes in former times. He believes that a heavy toki aronui, or stone adze, was used in tree-felling. This tool, however, was set on its handle at a somewhat different angle to that of ordinary hewing-adzes; and the butt end of the tool was inserted in a slot in the foot of the handle, instead of being simply lashed on outside the foot, as in the case of ordinary adzes. Two cuts were made in the trunk of a tree with this tool, then the wood between the two cuts was chipped out with a stone adze used sideways. Fire was employed to assist the operation of tree-felling.

Te Heuheu also says that the toki uma rua, or double-breasted—i.e., double-bevelled-stone tool was lashed to a handle, and used as an assistance to wooden wedges in splitting timber, but were not struck with a maul, as they would not stand the shock. They simply page 169served to keep the cut (split) open while the wooden splitting-wedges were being manipulated.

An old native of the Ngati-Whakaue Tribe, of Rotorua, states that his people formerly used a true stone axe (toki titahd) in working timber.

After making inquiries among the elder generation of natives in the Taranaki District, the Rev. T. G. Hammond has come to the conclusion that the natives had a stone toki titaha in pre-European times, a tool that was hafted with the cutting-edge in line with the handle, the poll or upper part of the tool being confined in the handle, and retained there by a lashing. He does not think that this implement was used for chopping timber across the grain, but that it was employed, when splitting timber, as we use a steel axe—to supplement the work of the wedges, and possibly also, to a limited extent, as a wedge. It being attached to a handle, it would not be used as were the ordinary wooden splitting-wedges—to be struck heavy blows with a maul—but as we use a hafted steel axe sometimes in splitting out rails, it being struck comparatively light blows.

Hurae Puke-tapu, of Wai-kare Moana, a man who possesses much knowledge of old Maori customs and historical lore, has made the following remarks: " He tika tena toki te titaha. E rua nga toki a te Maori, he titaha tetahi, he aronui tetahi, he mea hohou katoa ki te kaha. Ko te toki titaha he mea hohou ki te kaukau roa, penei [sketch]. He mea whakanotinoti te reke o te toki hai maunga mo te kaha. He mea ripeka te hohou, penei [sketch]. Ehara i te mea kotahi te toki hai tua i te rakau, e tae ana ki te tekau nga toki hai tua i te rakau, tae noa ki te pokanga i te riu o te waka. Kotahi te waka na taku tipuna, na Tara-paroa, i tope ki te titaha kohatu. No te takiwa i a Te Rua-a-kahukura katahi ano ka taraia ki te toki pakeha, ka oti ka tapaa te ingoa ko Tawakaki. No reira te mohio o te Maori ki te tapa i te toki pakeha he titaha."

The translation of the above is as follows: "It is quite correct about the toki titaha. The Maori had two toki, the titaha and the aronui (adze), both of which were secured by cord lashings. The toki titaha was lashed to a long handle in this manner [sketch]. The butt end of the toki was grooved (or reduced) to accommodate the lashing. The lashing was crossed in this manner [sketch]. It is not the case that only one toki was used in felling a tree; there would be as many as ten used for such felling, or for hollowing out a canoe. My ancestor, Tara-paroa, felled a (tree for a) canoe with a stone titaha. In the time of Te Rua-a-kahukura it was only then that it was hewed out with European toki, and when finished was named Tawakaki. It page 170was on account of what has been stated that the Maori termed the European toki a titaha."

Here Hurae plainly states that one of the two kinds of toki formerly used was an adze, and the other a titaha. The latter was secured to a comparatively long handle by lashing. When European axes were obtained they also were called titaha, on account of their occupying the same position in respect to the handle as the old stone titaha. Hurae says distinctly that his ancestor Tara-paroa felled a certain tree with a stone titaha. Tara-paroa is the eponymic ancestor of Ngai-Tara-paroa, a Wai-kare Moana clan, and he flourished long prior to the coming of Europeans.

Hurae's sketches are not brilliant specimens of art, but show plainly that the stone titaha was lashed to its handle with a crossed lashing, as explained by Numia. He also states that the toki aronui (stone adze) and the method of hafting it is so well known that he will not describe them; also, that the power of a strong man was compared to a stone toki: " Ko te kaha, ko te kaha i te toki."

Hurae Puke-tapu, of Ngati-Ruapani and Tuhoe, who lives at Wai-kare Moana, writes us again under date the 8th April, 1911, saying, "The form of the handle of the toki titaha is well known to us, as also the method of lashing, which was a crossed lashing, termed kauaerua. That style of lashing pertained to the toki titaha. The handle was made straight, and was of the wood of the manuka tree. The toki titaha had two shoulders, whereas the toki aronui (adze) had but one shoulder. Some of those toki were thick and some were thin. In using all these tools in tree-felling the effect was about equal on timber: they did not cause chips to fly, so far as I have heard. One would chop away and bruise the wood and separate the fibres thereof, loosen them, then fire would be applied, and so on, the process being repeated until the tree fell." ("Mo te toki titaha, kai te mohiotia te ahua o te kakau, me te hohou o te kaha, he mea ripeka. Ko te ingoa o tena hohou he kauaerua; no te titaha tena hohou. Ko te kakau he manuka, he mea tarai totika tonu. Ko te toki titaha, koia tena, e rua ona uma; ko te toki aronui, kotahi te uma. Ko etahi o aua toki he matotoru, ko etahi he rahi-rahi. Ko ta ratau ngau ki te rakau he rite tonu, kaore katoa e rere te maramara ki taku rongo; ka tope, a ka hungahunga, ka tahu ki te ahi, ka pena tonu, a hinga noa te rakau.")

Te Iwi-kino, of the Tuhoe Tribe, assures us that his people possessed a stone tool termed a toki titaha in pre-European times, and that the name was later applied to steel felling-axes. This tool, says Iwi, was inserted into a cleft handle, a slot was made in the end of the haft in which the tool was placed, and secured by lashing. page 171These tools were used to chip off the burned wood in tree-felling, &c. They possessed two uma (literally, breasts; shoulders, in our nomenclature), the two faces being equally curved and reduced in order to form the cutting-edge, whereas the toki hohou pu, or adze, had but one shoulder. The old clearings of Tuhoeland, such as those at Torea-a-tai and at Te Hue (Ohaua-te-rangi), were made with the help of the toki titaha long before iron tools were known.

The Rev. T. G. Hammond has also been good enough to send us the following communication, dated the 11th March, 1911: "I met some old folk at Rae-tihi last week, and asked them about the toki titaha. They said that the toki titaha was a European axe, and also a stone axe that was lashed into a cleft stick. This was used to mark the line for the kahi (wedges), and was struck by the maul so as to mark an opening for the wedge. The wedges were usually made of maire wood. I cannot remember the name of the long-handled toki used to cut rings round the tree and to punch off the charcoal when fire was used as a felling agent."

Here again the name of an old stone implement seems to have been transferred to the European steel axe. The above method of using it agrees with that given by Te Whatahoro.

Several of the early voyagers to, and residents in, New Zealand speak of the "axes and adzes" of the natives; and, in the light of evidence now coming forward, it seems possible that they really saw stone tools of both forms in the possession of the Maori. Polack speaks of the "the toki (axe) and toki pou tangata, an instrument in form of an adze."

The Rev. William Yate, in his "Account of New Zealand," 1835, says, in referring to Maori tools, &c., "Their cooking utensils are a few stones; and their working instruments a small stone axe, and a hatchet of the same material—now, however, superseded by the introduction of the more durable and useful tools of the British." Again, he speaks of the Maori as formerly felling trees with "a small stone hatchet." This writer seems to ignore the stone adze altogether, a common implement in Maoriland, and also speaks of a stone hatchet as well as a stone axe; which is decidedly puzzling, unless he used the term "axe" to describe an adze, which does not say much for his intelligence. However, we all err in that way.

Captain Cook states that the Maori had "axes and adzes." Then, again, he plainly says, "Their chief mechanical tool is formed exactly after the manner of our adzes," but here says nothing about axes.

In his paper on " Maori Implements and Weapons," published in vol. xxvi of the "Transactions of the New Zealand Institute," page 172Mr. T. H. Smith says, " With fragments of stone of various kinds, ground down with infinite labour to a cutting-edge, he (the Maori) made axes and adzes." Unfortunately, the writer gives no explanation of the term " axe," as used by him in the above remark.

Crozet speaks of the " axes, adzes, and chisels " of the New-Zealanders; and again, " They have very hard stones sharpened and formed like iron axes, chisels, and adzes. The. stones they chiefly use for this purpose are jade and basalt."

The following list has been taken from the catalogue of the late Professor Giglioli's collection, but details are not given therein as to hafting:—

Nos. 489-490. Two greenstone toki titaha, of large size; one unfinished at end. One found on coast near Hokianga; the other came from Kapiti Island, and belonged to Ngati-Awa.

Nos. 529-533. Five toki titaha. Enormous stone axes resembling East Polynesian type.

No. 592. A toki titaha.

Nos. 576 and 578. Two toki kaheru, or hapara, or poki. Stone instruments handled on stout cylindrical poles in the form of a big chisel, to serve as a tagliare(?), to eradicate weeds(?). From Ngati-Tahu(?), of Whanga-nui.

No. 581. A toki titaha. Large stone axe, rare type. Ngati-Paoa.

No. 620. A toki titaha. Fixed "con taglio un po'obliquo." From Ngati Hikairo, of Aotea.

No. 642. Toki titaha, of enormous size, of igneous rock, containing magnetite, from old burial-place at Akaroa.

The toki kaheru, or grubber, says Te Whatahoro, was hafted as an adze. We give some account of it under its other name, hengahenga. If hafted on a pole, as a chisel is, it was termed a pere. Hapara is a modern (European) name, and was not applied to any Maori implement in pre-European days.

The expression toki heretua is sometimes heard, but it is not clear that any particular form of adze was so named. The word heretua seems to be more or less equivalent to our terms "bevel" and "chamfer," and any adze suitable for light work used to so bevel off an edge, as the gunwale of a canoe, seems to have been known as a toki heretua when used for such work. There is also some evidence to support the theory that the word toki is sometimes transferred to the work done with it. For instance, if a native be asked the name of the upright herring-bone pattern of adzing he may reply, "He toki ngao-tu tena" (That is a toki ngao-tu); instead of simply saying, "That is a ngao-tu." A toki heretua, or adze to form page 173the bevel, is used to shape the gunwale of a canoe, and, presumably, to finish off such work; then a toki ao maramara is used to work down the face.

Sir Joseph Banks, in his Journal, gives some account of the stone adze of the Tahitians, and their dexterity in its use: "A stone axe in the shape of an adze, a chisel or gouge made of a human bone, a file or rasp of coral, the skin of stingrays and coral sand to polish with, are a sufficient set of tools for building a house. Their axes (adzes) are made of a black stone, not very hard, but tolerably tough; they are of different sizes: some, intended for felling, weigh 3 lb. or 4 lb.; others, which are used only for carving, not as many ounces…. Felling a tree is their greatest labour; a large one requires many hands to assist, and some days before it can be finished, but when once it is down they manage it with far greater dexterity than is credible to a European. If it is to be made into boards they put wedges into it, and drive them with such dexterity that they divide it into slabs of three or four inches in thickness. These slabs they very soon dubb down with their axes (adzes) to any given thinness, and in this work they certainly excel; indeed, their tools are better adapted for this than for any other labour. I have seen them dubb off the first rough coat of a plank at least as fast as one of our carpenters could have done it; and in hollowing, where they are able to raise larger slabs of the wood, they certainly work more quickly, owing to the weight of their tools. Those who are masters of this business will take off a sur-prisingly thin coat from a whole plank without missing a stroke. They can also work upon wood of any shape as well as upon a flat piece."

Again, in speaking of the work of canoe-making at Tahiti, the same authority says, "This work, difficult as it would be to a European with his iron tools, they perform without iron, and with amazing dexterity. They hollow out with their stone axes as fast, at least, as our carpenters could do, and dubb, though slowly, with prodigious nicety. I have seen them take off the skin of an angular plank without missing a stroke, the skin itself scarce one-sixteenth part of an inch in thickness." He states, however, that the wood-carving of the Tahitians was very poorly executed, and speaks of the "stone hatchet" of the Tahitians, a term apparently applied to their stone adzes.

On the east coast of New Zealand the above authority noted further work of the stone adze: "We saw also a house larger than any we had seen, though not more than 30 ft. long; it seemed as if it had never been finished, being full of chips; the woodwork was page 174squared so evenly and smoothly that we could not doubt of their having very sharp tools."

The stone axe is still in use in parts of New Guinea. Dr. Lorentz, who lately (1910) ascended a very high range of mountains in Dutch New Guinea, came across, at an altitude of 9,500 ft., a secluded valley 5,600 ft. deep, which he was amazed to find thickly populated: "We heard a mysterious call, and suddenly a small band of savages, armed with bows and arrows and stone axes, ran out from the jungle and approached us with outstretched hands, offering sweet potatoes as a sign of friendship."

Earle, in his "Nine Months' Residence in New Zealand," says of Maori artisans, "When they can obtain English tools they use them in preference to their own; still, their work is not better done." This was in 1827.

It seems to be a fact that stone adzes were, in some places, used by the elder men for some time after the introduction of steel tools. We mention a case in which the stone adze was seen in use as late as the "eighties" of last century, in canoe-making by a native. Mr. Stowell is of the opinion that it was so used in canoe-making because of the belief that its use tended to close the pores of the timber adzed, whereas the keen-cutting steel adze left the wood-surface more open.

The following notes on Hawaiian stone adzes are taken from the Catalogue of the Honolulu Museum, 1892: The angles of cutting-edges of Hawaiian stone adzes vary from 34° to 78°. "We have adzes weighing 12 lb. and chisels weighing less than 1 oz.; some cutting-edges ⅛ in., others 6 in. When iron was procurable, flat pieces, not unlike a plane-iron, were in some cases substituted for stone adzes."

In his fine monograph on Hawaiian stone implements, Mr. Brigham says, "In watching the shaping of a canoe I have seen the old canoe-maker use for the rough shaping and excavating an ordinary foreign steel adze; but for the finishing touches he dropped the foreign tool and returned to the adze of his ancestors, and the blunt-looking stone cut off a delicate shaving from the very hard koa wood, and never seemed to take too much wood, as the foreign adze was apt to do. That skill was an important element in the use I was convinced, for, with all the teaching of the natives, I could only make a dent where I tried to raise a shaving."