NEW ZEALAND: The Brainpot

Yve Dara, a New Zealander, vouched for the existence of the "Brainpot" in Rotorua:, which Michael Bassett denied. Michael replies:

"It would help if we knew the source. All I can add, is that following the discussion about "the brainpot" I asked around some more and was unable to find anyone who had ever heard of a famous pool called by that name. I sit on the Waitangi Tribunal which deals with Maori land grievances. Maori are very open about such things and not bashful about talking about cannibalism in the old days. Indeed, there seems to be a fair number of stories, some credible, others less so, about the practice. Cannibalism features as a prime motivator in an inter-tribal series of battles between 1809 and 1825 that form an important background to a claim I have been dealing with. All of which makes me feel that if there was a famous pool in which heads had once been boiled, there would be plenty of local chat about it (and not a little bravado!). So I'd be curious if there is any further detail that can be provided."

My comment: I searched in the World Catalog, and I guess the book may be
Title: Photography & paradox /
Author(s): Turner, Peter, 1934-.
Publication: Wellington, N.Z. : New Zealand Centre for Photography
Year: 1999
Description: 96 p. ; p., 21 cm.

Ronald Hilton - 1/18/01