Kurī
Breed at a glance
- Origin
- New Zealand
Use
Kurī were a source of food for Māori, and considered a delicacy . British explorer James Cook sampled kurī on his 1769 voyage and declared that it was almost as tasty as lamb. [ 2 ] Kurī were also used to hunt birds. [ 2 ] In addition, Māori used their skins and fur to make dog-skin cloaks ( kahu kurī ), [ 3 ] belts, [ 4 ] weapon decorations [ 5 ] [ 6 ] and poi . [ 7 ]
intro
The Kurī is an extinct breed of Polynesian Dog kept by Māori people . It was introduced to New Zealand by the Polynesian ancestors of the Māori during their migration from East Polynesia in the 13th century AD. According to Māori tradition , the demigod Māui transformed his brother-in-law Irawaru into the first dog. [ 1 ]
Extinction
Kurī were seen widely across New Zealand during Cook's first voyage in 1769. [ 2 ] The kurī became extinct in New Zealand in the 1860s, following the arrival of European settlers; the breed was unable to survive interbreeding with European dogs. The remains of the last known specimens, a female and her pup, are now in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa . [ 8 ]
Description
Kurī were bushy-tailed, with short legs and powerful shoulders. Their coat colour ranged from yellowish brown to black, white, or spotted. Like other Polynesian dog breeds, they howled instead of barking. [ 2 ]