Kurī
Extinct Polynesian dog breed
title: "Kurī" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["extinct-dog-breeds", "extinct-animals-of-new-zealand", "dog-as-food", "polynesian-dog", "mammals-of-new-zealand", "dog-breeds-originating-in-new-zealand"] description: "Extinct Polynesian dog breed" topic_path: "geography/new-zealand" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurī" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Extinct Polynesian dog breed ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox Dogbreed"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Kurī |
| image | Otago Museum Kuri - OMNZVT2162 03 (cropped).jpg |
| country | New Zealand |
| extinct | yes |
| :: |
|name= Kurī |image=Otago Museum Kuri - OMNZVT2162 03 (cropped).jpg |country= New Zealand |extinct= yes |}} ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ee/Kuri,_Maori_or_native_dog,_Dominion_Museum_collection,_1924.jpg" caption="Kurī specimen, [[Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa]], 1924"] ::
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.
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.
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.
Kurī were also used to hunt birds. In addition, Māori used their skins and fur to make dog-skin cloaks (kahu kurī), belts, weapon decorations and poi.
Extinction
Kurī were seen widely across New Zealand during Cook's first voyage in 1769. 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.
References
References
- Luomala, Katharine. (1958). "Polynesian Myths about Maui and the Dog". Walter de Gruyter.
- Keane, Basil. (24 November 2008). "Kurī – Polynesian dogs – What is the kurī?".
- "Kahu kuri (dog skin cloak)". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
- "Tatua (belt)". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
- "Edged Weapons with dogskin in the Taonga Māori Collection". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
- "Edged Weapons with dog hair in the Taonga Māori Collection". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
- "Poi awe (percussive device)". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
- Best, Elsdon. (1924). "The Maori". The Polynesian Society.
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