A stunning Hei Matau handcrafted from a gorgeous piece of genuine Whale Bone. This will be a treasured taonga.
Hei Matau(Fishhook) - Originally Maori have been fishermen. Their main food source was the sea, so a fishhook of high quality was an unbelievably valuable item to own. The hook became a symbol of prosperity, abundance, good health, power, authority and respect for the sea and its life in it. They also provide good luck and safety while travelling across water.
Whale Bone
has always been a special medium for Māori artists, Whales are considered a taonga species, and represent abundance, richness and were regarded as chiefly animals. Some tribes see whales as the descendants of Tangaroa, the god of the ocean and stranding’s are seen as gifts from Tangaroa and carving them is a way of honouring that gift. Whales possess a tapu (sacred) significance to Māori as both supernatural beings and as harbingers of personal change and spiritual growth.
Carved from Genuine Whale bone - Ethically sourced from the Chatham Islands.
Hand Carved by Moko Workshop
Size 53mm long x 30mm wide
This will be the exact piece you will receive in the photos, there may be a slight degree of colour variation based on different computer or device screen resolutions that you are viewing from.
