Chief Tukukino of the Maori Tribe

My interest in New Zealand Flax (Phormium) as a versatile and beautiful fibre for papermaking led to me to stumble across this captivating image of a Maori tribal chief, painted in 1878 by Gottfried Lindauer. He is painted wearing a pōhoi ear ornament which is made from the skin of the huia bird, a bird native to New Zealand which became instinct a few years afterwards.

Tukukino, Lindauer, 1878