Carved Wood Māori Wahaika Club New Zeland

Description

A wood club known as Wahaika intricately carved and inlayed with small round shells from New Zealand circa 1920s. The … more A wood club known as Wahaika intricately carved and inlayed with small round shells from New Zealand circa 1920s. The hand-hold club was traditionally used as a close-range combat weapon before the European contact by Māori people, indigenous natives to the islands. It was used in as staff in ceremonies.
The surface of this particular wood Wahaika features deep relief carving of linear scrolling triple haehae and dog tooth pattern in between. The haehae pattern curved into homomorphic mirrored imagery on both the front and back. Strategic placement of shell inlays highlights the eyes. The small figure clinging to the side above the handle may represent the supernatural power (mana) of the weapon. The handle is in the form of another head with shell inlay, likely represents the aggression of its owner. The thin edge was carved with arrowheads alternating with inlays.
Examining the Wahaika club, it does not appear that it was a natively used piece collected from the field, due to the lack of specific patina. However, it was a fine example. The surface was superbly carved and decorated and show age. Early Wahaikas tend to be simple with mostly smooth surface, from 1880s on, the intricate carving increasingly covers the surface augmented sometimes with shell inlays. The carving bears the styl3600 of Rotorua school. It is possibly that the club was made during the depression era (1920-30s) by a member of the first Māori Arts and Crafts Institute, established by Sir Apirana Ngata, in Rotorua in 1926. It was likely sold as souvenir to the early tourists.
For a similar Wahaika, see D23.708 in the collection of Tuhura Otago Museum in Dunedin, New Zealand. less