Herries Beattie Ephemera from the Hauroko Burial Cave Discovery
Record Group
Identifier: A0185
Dates
- Majority of material found in 1967 - 1967
Biographical / Historical
In April 1967, Tuatapere pensioner Mr. George Evans discovered human remains in a cave on Mary Island, Lake Hauroko.
It is believed that the cloaked remains belong to a Māori woman aged 40 - 45 years. Due to the care taken to position the body and the intricate nature of the cloak and its materials, it is believed that this is the burial cave for a Maori woman of high significance. It was estimated that the burial took place in the late 16th or early 17th century. It is also quite possible that the burial cave belonged to a Ngatimamoe tribe legended to have been driven into the dense Fiords by the conquering Ngaitahu.
The undisturbed sitting burial was thought to be the first of its kind officially inspected in the South Island and the first ever of this type to be photographed in New Zealand. The investigation into the burial cave was blessed by the Murihiku Maori executive committee on the understanding that the remains were to be left undisturbed. "So long as you look but do not touch, so long as you take photographs and nothing else, we'll be with you." [Mr. R. A. Whaitiri, chairman of committee. Southland Times 21/4/1967].
It is believed that the cloaked remains belong to a Māori woman aged 40 - 45 years. Due to the care taken to position the body and the intricate nature of the cloak and its materials, it is believed that this is the burial cave for a Maori woman of high significance. It was estimated that the burial took place in the late 16th or early 17th century. It is also quite possible that the burial cave belonged to a Ngatimamoe tribe legended to have been driven into the dense Fiords by the conquering Ngaitahu.
The undisturbed sitting burial was thought to be the first of its kind officially inspected in the South Island and the first ever of this type to be photographed in New Zealand. The investigation into the burial cave was blessed by the Murihiku Maori executive committee on the understanding that the remains were to be left undisturbed. "So long as you look but do not touch, so long as you take photographs and nothing else, we'll be with you." [Mr. R. A. Whaitiri, chairman of committee. Southland Times 21/4/1967].
Extent
1 box(es) (Box 1)
Language of Materials
English
- Title
- Herries Beattie Ephemera from the Hauroko Burial Cave Discovery
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Invercargill City Libraries and Archives Repository
