Kurī

The Kurī was the domestic dog carried to Aotearoa New Zealand by Polynesian ancestors of Māori, and it disappeared as a living population after European dogs became widespread. Also written kuri, it was a small to medium village dog, probably variable in build, with prick ears, a pointed muzzle, and a coat described in light, dark, or piebald shades. Historical accounts and Māori traditions place it in hunting birds, companionship, food use, and the making of cloaks and ornaments from valued skins.

Because no recognized purebred Kurī population survives, it is not a breed that can be bought or responsibly recreated from modern look-alikes. Human work around the Kurī now belongs to archaeology, museum curation, iwi and hapū knowledge, and genetics rather than kennel breeding. Claims that a contemporary dog is a Kurī should be treated cautiously; the most useful stewardship is accurate documentation and respect for its cultural history.

Colors: Albino, Apricot, Bicolor, Black, Black and Tan, Black and White, Black Mask, Blue, Blue and Tan, Blue Merle, Blue Roan, Blue Tick, Brindle, Brown, Brown and Tan, Brown and White, Chocolate, Cream, Dapple, Domino, Fawn, Fawn and White, Gold, Gray, Grey, Harlequin, Irish Marked, Leucistic, Liver, Liver Mask, Mantle, Mask, Melanistic, Merle, Mottled, Parti-Color, Piebald, Red, Red and White, Red Merle, Red Roan, Red Tick, Reverse Brindle, Roan, Sable, Saddle, Silver, Speckled, Spotted, Tan, Ticked, Tricolor, Tuxedo, White, Yellow