A stunning Wahaika with a Manaia hand carved from bone, this will be a wonderful taonga.
Wahaika -(roughly translated "the mouth of the fish") Wahaika is one of the many forms of fighting club used by Maori warriors and was reserved for only the highest ranking and most respected fighters. It is often given as a ceremonial piece on special occasions. The carved figure on the edge represented a sacred ancestor or the god of war. The Wahaika was held so that the figure faced the warrior and looked over his shoulder to protect his back. The Maori people being fierce warriors used a wide range of hand weapons.
Manaia
is a mythological creature in Māori culture and is a common motif in Māori carving and jewellery. The Manaia is usually depicted as having the head of a bird and the tail of a fish and the body of a man, though it is sometimes depicted as a bird, a serpent, or a human figure in profile. The Manaia is traditionally believed to be the messenger between the earthly world of mortals and the domain of the spirits, and its symbol is used as a guardian against evil.
Traditionally carved from Whale bone, however these days many bone carvings are made from cattle bone as it is an ethically abundant source.
Hand Carved by Moko Workshops
Size 124mm long x 39mm wide x8mm thick
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.
