Maori Fish Hooks IELTS Reading: Vocabulary & Answer Key

Hello! Continuing our in-depth IELTS Reading series here at ECE, today we’re going to “dissect” a fascinating topic that blends history, archaeology, and engineering: “Maori Fish Hooks.”

Forget the usual pleasantries for a moment and imagine this: You come across a tool made of wood and bone, with a shape so bizarre and primitive that early Western explorers mocked it as useless. Yet, hundreds of years later, modern science has had to bow down and acknowledge it as an aerodynamic masterpiece, superior even to metal. This is the inspiring story of the Maori matau hook that we are about to explore.

Reading Passage & Questions

Maori Fish Hooks

Paragraph A

Maori fish hooks, made from wood, bone, stone, and flax, are intended to have the best possible design and function. The hooks are designed to target specific species with precision. In the commercial long-line fishing industry, some Maori hook designs are currently making a splash.

Paragraph B

When Polynesians first arrived in New Zealand sometime between 1100 and 1300 AD, they lacked the technology required to smelt and manipulate metal from ore. Since fish was the settlers’ primary food source at the time, fishermen crafted their hooks and fishing gear from wood, bone, stone, and shells. Other plants native to New Zealand, such as flax (harakeke), cabbage tree (ti), and astelia (kiekie), provided the fibrous material necessary to create fishing lines and nets of equal or greater strength than the jute used by Europeans at the time. However, as a material, metal is more malleable and can be shaped in various ways, whereas natural materials are limited in the forms they can take. The Maori fish hooks had to be more innovative to overcome these limitations.

Paragraph C

Early accounts from Europeans who settled and explored New Zealand claimed that Maori hooks, known as matau, were “odd,” “of doubtful efficacy,” “very clumsy affairs,” or “impossible looking.” Archaeologists from more recent times have also described the round hook as odd, with comments such as, “shaped in a manner which makes it very difficult to imagine could ever be effective in catching a fish.” William Anderson, who was aboard the Resolution during Cook’s third voyage in 1777 as the ship’s surgeon, remarked that the Maori “live chiefly by fishing, making use… of wooden fish hooks pointed with bone, but so oddly made that a stranger is at a loss to know how they can answer such a purpose.”

Paragraph D

The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa conducted a study on Maori fish hooks 230 years later and demonstrated that the unique hook design was a matter of function. The hook’s design allowed it to catch fish by spinning away from the direction of the point and catching their jaws, instead of poking a hole through the fish or being used as a lever, as some archaeologists had previously suggested. It appears that the design of the Maori fish hook is perhaps the world’s most efficient and masterfully crafted, likely superior to any modern metal fish hook today.

Paragraph E

To make larger hooks, the Maori used shanks made of strong wood, with stout points made of bone or shell. They tied tree branches and saplings together to guide their growth into ideal shapes, then harvested the plants when they reached the appropriate size. They hardened the wood by carefully drying it and burying it underground with fires lit above. Human bone was often used for the points, which were securely lashed to a groove at the end of the shank using pre-made flax materials (muka). When they wanted to catch larger species like sharks, groper, and ling, they used composite hooks. However, on average, the traditional hook was usually no longer than a three-finger breadth (128 mm in length).

Paragraph F

To capture seabirds for food and feathers, such as the albatross, the islanders used slender hooks that can be differentiated from fish hooks by their lighter build and lack of an inturned point. Many of these hooks were collected by early explorers, suggesting that catching seabirds with hook and line was an important source of food and feathers for the Maori (105 mm in length). Slender hooks with wide gapes were used to capture albatross and other seabirds and can be distinguished from fish hooks by their lighter construction and absence of an inturned point. Early explorers collected many of these hooks, which could indicate that catching seabirds provided significant amounts of food and feathers for the Maori.

Paragraph G

The Maori quickly adopted new materials once they became available through European explorers, sealers, and whalers who began arriving towards the end of the 1700s. At this point, the Maori were still making their own fish hooks but were now using metals and imported materials. Wooden and flax components of old, abandoned fish hooks decomposed quickly as traditional hooks were discarded in favor of new ones. Tools made of luxury materials such as ivory or greenstone may have been kept as decorative items, with stylized Maori fish hooks today serving as a symbol of cultural revitalization.

Paragraph H

The Maori continued to recreate traditional designs even as new materials became available, preferring hook shapes introduced by Pakeha in the 1800s. By maintaining the tradition of the rotating hook design, they remained connected to an essential part of their cultural heritage. In the end, however, mass-produced European metal hooks eventually dominated, making it difficult to continue crafting hooks from nails, horseshoes, and other metal objects. Eventually, traditional designs fell out of favor.

Paragraph I

By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, tourist and collector demand for Maori artifacts had grown, leading manufacturers to produce large quantities of forged hooks. These replicas were then traded with both Maori and Europeans as forgeries of the real thing, sometimes directly commissioned by artifact dealers. Fake hooks can be identified by their cheap construction, inconsistent materials, rudimentary lashings, odd or overly elaborate decorative carvings, and the absence of in-turned points or angled grooves used to attach the fishing line properly.

Paragraph J

The evolution of matau throughout history symbolizes how the Maori have adapted to European tools, materials, and technology over time. It also reflects how European influence contributed to, rather than completely replaced, traditional Maori skills, as native materials were replaced or complemented by metals and, more recently, artificial materials. Today, commercial longline fishermen around the world have begun using the circle hook design—one that is nearly identical in appearance and function to the traditional matau. It appears that the advantages and improved catch rates of this Maori technology have once again been recognized.

Questions

Questions 1 – 8

The reading passage has ten paragraphs labelled A-J. Which paragraph contains the following information? Write the correct letter A-J.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

1. Instruction on how to recognise authentic Maori hooks from counterfeit ones.

2. A description of a different type of hooks that are not used to catch fish.

3. An acknowledgement that Maori design and craftsmanship are still relevant in the modern world.

4. An investigation into how the hooks functioned so effectively.

5. A description of how modern technology began to dominate and eventually took over from traditional hook construction.

6. A list of raw materials used to construct hooks.

7. An outline of how different styles of hooks and types of materials were employed to catch larger fish.

8. An account of how the Maori employed new technology and adapted it.

Questions 9 – 13

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the reading passage? Write YES, NO or NOT GIVEN.

9. The early European settlers quickly understood how the Maori fish hook worked.

10. The hook works by making a hole and embedding itself in the mouth of the fish.

11. The Maoris catch seabirds by their feet.

12. There used to be a demand for Maori fish hooks and many counterfeit ones were produced.

13. Today European style hooks have completely replaced the traditional styles used by the Maoris.

Detailed Translation

Paragraph A: Maori fish hooks, made from wood, bone, stone, and flax, are intended to have the best possible design and function. The hooks are designed to target specific species with precision. In the commercial long-line fishing industry, some Maori hook designs are currently making a splash.

Paragraph B: When Polynesians first arrived in New Zealand… they lacked the technology required to smelt and manipulate metal from ore. Since fish was the settlers’ primary food source… fishermen crafted their hooks and fishing gear from wood, bone, stone, and shells… However, as a material, metal is more malleable and can be shaped in various ways, whereas natural materials are limited in the forms they can take. The Maori fish hooks had to be more innovative to overcome these limitations.

Paragraph C: Early accounts from Europeans… claimed that Maori hooks, known as matau, were “odd,” “of doubtful efficacy,” “very clumsy affairs,” or “impossible looking.” Archaeologists from more recent times have also described the round hook as odd… William Anderson… remarked that the Maori “live chiefly by fishing, making use… of wooden fish hooks pointed with bone, but so oddly made that a stranger is at a loss to know how they can answer such a purpose.”

Paragraph D: The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa conducted a study on Maori fish hooks 230 years later and demonstrated that the unique hook design was a matter of function. The hook’s design allowed it to catch fish by spinning away from the direction of the point and catching their jaws, instead of poking a hole through the fish or being used as a lever… It appears that the design of the Maori fish hook is perhaps the world’s most efficient and masterfully crafted, likely superior to any modern metal fish hook today.

Paragraph E: To make larger hooks, the Maori used shanks made of strong wood, with stout points made of bone or shell… They hardened the wood by carefully drying it and burying it underground with fires lit above… When they wanted to catch larger species like sharks, groper, and ling, they used composite hooks…

Paragraph F: To capture seabirds for food and feathers, such as the albatross, the islanders used slender hooks that can be differentiated from fish hooks by their lighter build and lack of an inturned point…

Paragraph G: The Maori quickly adopted new materials once they became available through European explorers… Wooden and flax components of old, abandoned fish hooks decomposed quickly… Tools made of luxury materials such as ivory or greenstone may have been kept as decorative items, with stylized Maori fish hooks today serving as a symbol of cultural revitalization.

Paragraph H: The Maori continued to recreate traditional designs even as new materials became available… However, in the end, mass-produced European metal hooks eventually dominated, making it difficult to continue crafting hooks from nails, horseshoes, and other metal objects. Eventually, traditional designs fell out of favor.

Paragraph I: By the late 19th and early 20th centuries, tourist and collector demand… led manufacturers to produce large quantities of forged hooks… Fake hooks can be identified by their cheap construction, inconsistent materials, rudimentary lashings, odd or overly elaborate decorative carvings, and the absence of in-turned points or angled grooves…

Paragraph J: The evolution of matau… symbolizes how the Maori have adapted to European tools, materials, and technology over time. Today, commercial longline fishermen around the world have begun using the circle hook design—one that is nearly identical in appearance and function to the traditional matau. It appears that the advantages and improved catch rates of this Maori technology have once again been recognized.

Key Vocabulary

Answers & Explanations

Questions 1-8: Matching Paragraph Information

1. I

• Question: Instruction on how to recognise authentic Maori hooks from counterfeit ones.

• Location: Paragraph I: “Fake hooks can be identified by their cheap construction… absence of in-turned points…”

• Explanation: The paragraph lists signs to identify fake (forged) hooks.

2. F

• Question: A description of a different type of hooks that are not used to catch fish.

• Location: Paragraph F: “To capture seabirds… used slender hooks…”

• Explanation: These hooks are used to catch seabirds, not fish.

3. J

• Question: An acknowledgement that Maori design and craftsmanship are still relevant in the modern world.

• Location: Paragraph J: “Today, commercial longline fishermen… using the circle hook design… identical… to the traditional matau.”

• Explanation: Traditional designs are being reused in modern commercial fishing.

4. D

• Question: An investigation into how the hooks functioned so effectively.

• Location: Paragraph D: “The Museum… conducted a study… demonstrated that the unique hook design was a matter of function.”

• Explanation: The Te Papa Museum conducted an investigation and explained the spinning mechanism of the hook.

5. H

• Question: A description of how modern technology began to dominate and eventually took over from traditional hook construction.

• Location: Paragraph H: “…mass-produced European metal hooks eventually dominated… traditional designs fell out of favor.”

• Explanation: Mass-produced metal hooks dominated and replaced handmade hooks.

6. B

• Question: A list of raw materials used to construct hooks.

• Location: Paragraph B: “…made their hooks… out of wood, bone, stone, and shells… flax, cabbage tree, astelia…”

• Explanation: Paragraph B lists the natural materials used in detail.

7. E

• Question: An outline of how different styles of hooks and types of materials were employed to catch larger fish.

• Location: Paragraph E: “To make larger hooks… used shanks made of strong wood… catch larger species like sharks… used composite hooks.”

• Explanation: Paragraph E describes how to make large (composite) hooks to catch large fish.

8. G

• Question: An account of how the Maori employed new technology and adapted it.

• Location: Paragraph G: “Maori adopted new materials… now using metals and imported materials.”

• Explanation: The Maori adopted new materials (metal) from Europeans.

9. NO

• Question: The early European settlers quickly understood how the Maori fish hook worked.

• Location: Paragraph C: “…oddly made that a stranger is at a loss to know how they can answer such a purpose.”

• Explanation: Europeans found them odd and were “at a loss” (confused) about their purpose, which contradicts “quickly understood.”

10. NO

• Question: The hook works by making a hole and embedding itself in the mouth of the fish.

• Location: Paragraph D: “…catching their jaws, instead of poking a hole through the fish…”

• Explanation: The passage explicitly states it catches the jaw instead of poking a hole.