From:Mokau Museum

Name/TitleTaiaha ō Hone Wetere Te Rerenga

About this objectHe rākau Taiaha tēnei, mai i te rākau Kanaka pea, he upoko whakaairo, e whā ngā karu paua.
Wooden Taiaha possibly made from Kanuka, carved head with four paua shell eyes.

The Taiaha is a weapon used by the pre-European Māori.
This weapon was a “weapon of authority,“ which was used by Rangatira in both attacks and defence.

Māori warfare was almost always hand-to-hand combat.
There were major incentives for war for the Māori, and some of them included slavery, kai and whenua. There was also utu/revenge, which was an incentive for many Māori.

MakerHone Wetere Te Rerenga

Maker RoleKaiwhakaairo

Object number2000-1.2

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