Story: Muriwhenua tribes

Dog-skin cloak (1st of 2)

Dog-skin cloak

There are several stories about the origin of Ngāti Kurī’s name (kurī means dog). One says that they lured some enemies out of a by making a ‘whale’ from dog-skin cloaks such as the one pictured here. Their enemy hoped to gain whalebone and meat; instead they met defeat.

Using this item

Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira
Reference: Ethno 280

Permission of the Auckland War Memorial Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Rāwiri Taonui, 'Muriwhenua tribes - Ngāti Kurī, Ngāi Takoto, Te Pātū and Ngāti Kahu', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/object/423/dog-skin-cloak (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Rāwiri Taonui, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 22 Mar 2017