Collection Search

Complete wooden tokotoko. Cross-section is circular at one end and square at the other. Square end is carved with a set of pakura (spirals and crescents) on each side. Below the pakura are oval paua shell inlays, two intact and two missing, and an incomplete carved rauponga (ridge and notch) pattern. A face with paua shell eyes is carved near the other end. Another face, more simply carved and without paua shell, is carved on the butt, with a projecting, rounded tongue.

Complete kāheru or ketu (digging stick or cultivating tool). Mid-brown wood with dark orange paint or varnish residue. Surface is smooth. Cross-section is round at the handle and lenticular at the blade. Handle is straight and sawn across at the proximal edge. Blade is tapered at both ends and flattened on the back. Distal edge comes to a dull point, lightly cracked and chipped with usewear visible.

Complete kāheru or ketu (digging stick or cultivating tool). Mid-brown wood with a dark orange paint or varnish residue. Surface is smooth. Cross-section is oval at the handle and lenticular at the blade. Handle is straight and sawn across the proximal edge. Blade is flattened on one side and tapered at both ends, coming to a point at the distal edge.

Complete kāheru or ketu (digging stick or cultivating tool). Mid-brown wood with dark orange paint or varnish residue. Cross-section is round at the handle and lenticular at the blade. Surface is smooth. Handle is straight and has been sawn at the proximal edge. Blade is tapered at each end and flattened on one side. Blade was cracked and then repaired with a gummed cord near the distal edge. The distal edge is chipped.

Complete waka huia. Lid is carved in a rauponga whakarare style, with elaborate female figures on each end. The ends of the lid terminate of each end at the neck of the human figure, with the head being on the knobs of the box portion of the waka huia. Heads have carved eyes, though one head has only one carved eye. There are circular paua shell inlay at each end of the shoulder and knee joints of the figures' bodies on the lid. Heads have upturned faces, with carved forehead, lips, and one figure's tongue. The heads were previously broken off, now repaired with wax carved and coloured to match. There are two shallow knobs, one at end short end of the lid, that fit into interior grooves of the box. The box of the waka huia is also carved in a raupongo whakarare style. Made from matai it has a deep black/red colour with a rich patina. There are three intact huia feathers inside.

Broken bowl, the sides of one end have been broken off. Elongated with short sides, creating a shallow bowl. The remaining end has a high-sided V shaped projection. The bottom of the bowl is flat, inside smoothed. The surface of the outside is smoothed along sides with the broken end rough. There is a visible repair where previously broken, and several cracks along bottom and sides.

Cast of a pae hamuti, used as a grip to balance while squatting over a latrine. A human head figure is carved at each end; one is much larger than the other and has a forked tongue and silver paint inserted in eyes. The body of the larger figure is carved behind the head, with three-fingered hands resting on torso and three-toed feet resting on the jaw, and geometric decoration on the shoulders and buttocks. The middle of the handle is carved with a lizard or taniwha body connecting to the smaller head. There is a rectangular reduction on the bar (at the end closest to the larger carved head), with a two rectangular perforations in the centre for lashing.

Complete wahaika rakau. The blade has a triangular shaped perforation chipped out and circular perforations with a piece of wood inserted. It also has a human carved on the side of the blade. The butt has a circular perforation chipped out and a face carved into it. The wahaika is in good condition.

Complete wahaika rakau. It has a perforation that is rectangular and has been chipped out. It has whakairo on both sides and the top of the head, and also on both sides of the body. It has a carved human figure below the handle with shell inlays for eyes. It is well polished.

Complete patu aruhe (fern root beater). There is a ridge running from neck towards beater but running out and flattening out towards end of head. There is a shoulder between beater end and handle. There are two significant splits on handle, on opposite sides. There are several smaller splits on sides of beater end. Surface is covered in small cracks, possibly burnt.

Complete taiaha. Human face carved on each side of the proximal end. Geometric patterns on protruding tongue, lips, and forehead. Two out of four of the eyes have complete paua shell inlays, while one has only about half remaining, and one is missing completely. One side has a round nose and the other an elongated one.

Piece of worked wood in the shape of a canoe, with a hollowed centre. Exterior surface is smooth, interior and edges are dessicated.

Complete wooden hoe (paddle). Surface is worked smooth. Handle has a circular cross section with a knob at the proximal end. Blade is flat on the back and convex on the top. Blade is diamond-shaped, flaring in the centre and coming to a point at the distal edge.

Complete huata or tao (spear). Long wooden rod. Circular in cross section. Surface is worked smooth. One end has double-sided, opposing faces carved with a rauponga (groove and notch) pattern. Other end comes to a point.

Five pronged eel fork (matarau tune). Outside tines are longer than the internal tines. The tines are pointed at distal end and notched at proximal end so tines can be bound and secured. Heavily bound at top with plain harakeke/flax with woven chord extending from centre tie point. Tines evenly spaced with plain harakeke at middle.

Complete huata or tao (spear). Long wooden rod. Circular in cross section. Surface is worked smooth without decoration. Tapers to a point at each end; slightly thinner at one end than the other.

Complete wooden patu aruhe (beater for preparing fern root). Possibly kowhai, plain triangular shaped head (irregularly rounded) with bruised front face ridge. Ridge at rear which tapers down to a round handle. A small burn site at butt end of handle which is also irregularly rounded.

Wooden patu aruhe (beater for preparing fern root), possibly kowhai. Narrow blade, ending in curved edge. Cross-section is oval. Blade tapers slightly to handle. Handle ends with a rounded knob.

Wooden digging stick, pointed at each end. Dark brown with a smooth, varnished surface.