Te Po, a Chief of Rarotonga

Baxter portrait of the heavily tatooed figure of Pa Te Pou Ariki (Takitumu vaka, Rarotonga). The Journal of the Polynesian Society says he is the 43rd Pa Ariki of the Takitumu tribe and was chief when the Gospel was introduced into Rarotonga. He died 1855 and was succeeded by his daughter Pa Upoko Takau Ariki.

John Williams, the representative of the London Missionary Society who brought Christianity to the Cook Islands in 1821, went back to England in 1834 to supervise the printing of the New Testament in Rarotongan. George Baxter knew Williams personally. The portrait was the best rendition of a Cook Islands tattoo of that time. It was based on an original drawing by John Williams. The pose is a typical one but the only really clear parts of the tattoo are the turtle motifs on his knees – as a food item turtles were reserved for chiefs.

Reference:
Ball & Martin, Baxter Prints (1983), No. 79, ill.p. 72
Courtney Lewis, No 79

Collections:
British Museum: Museum number Oc2006,Prt.38
Cook Islands Library & Museum: 2010/03/baxter
National Library Australia: Bib ID 293272