Taiaha identification holes
 

This Taiaha has 2 attachement holes at the base of the figure . One on each side .
Never seen such configuration .
Does anybody has seen other taiaha like this ?
Any idea of what was attached and for who it was the privilege ?
Thanks

Hi Pinocchio.

Would you please post a picture of the whole piece. That way folks can orient the close ups and give you a clearer idea of what the holes may have been for.

Thanks,

Ian.

Pinocchio,

Perhaps an anchor point for cord to retain such embellishments in place :shrug:

Gavin

Mine do not have holes, do yours go all the way thru such that a cord could be passed thru to retain a wrapping? Red feathers and dog hair or fibre bundles were a common decor at the base of the tiaha like these above. mine are just retained by a tight wrap of flaxen red string and the taper of the shaft widening from the tiki to the business end, which prevents it moving. The bundles were, I am told, to move in the air and distract an opponent as the main strike came from the other end (the tiki 'spear point' was NOT the business end of a tiaha, the blade edge at the opposite end was).

The Theretos ( colar made of dog hair and feathers ) where attached by tight rapping, never secured with holes like on this one .
It must be something else ... Thanks for trying ;-)

Aha! found one of my old thread posts: Another religious (holey :) ) tiaha. It suggests holes in that one may have been added later for mounting or holding them in a display.

https://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showt...ht=Maori+tiaha

Those holes were in one edge of the blade portion tho, where it'd be more likely not to be used in combat as it would blunt any blows, so I doubt anything would be tied there then.

Tewatewa would have holes in the blade for tying feather bundles. The Axe blade portion was NOT for striking with on these, they use the poll/butt of the bitt-like part, or the rather pointy other end. The blade was used for signalling to their troops, and only a chief carried one.

Worth a look at the referenced bits in the other posts in that thread too.

More:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buvGKf2nBWs

Tewhatewha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFaWRplzoY8

Putting them all together: Washington DC Haka. the white bone Patu clubs look harmless. they have sharp edges and the Maori can poke on into a skull and pop the top of it off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLmS9e_4m6A

The 'Chief' starts off with a rather Shillelagh-like club, but switches to a tewhatewha shortly after.

Note their chests get rather red from the blows they give them. The German army rifle drill team slaps their chests with their rifle butts with similar bruising. After a few years doing that, some of them need breast reduction surgery. ;)

As Ian said please post pictures of the whole thing!

Indeed. All Thereto I have seen are wrapping of several different kinds of fabric or twine, many with this area of the upoko completely covered by the Thereto.

Given the shape of the Taiaha's upoko and that the Thereto very often slips, and that these holes are not common features, perhaps the individual who owned it went to such troubles to secure the collar so it did not look like this one pictured... :shrug:

Gavin