MAORI LONG WEAPONS

VANDOO · 18th June 2016, 03:55 AM

THERE ARE SEVERAL TYPES OF MAORI LONG WEAPONS THEY ARE MADE MOSTLY FROM WOOD BUT SOME ARE MADE OF WHALE BONE. I WILL START WITH THE MOST COMMON FORM THE TAIAHA OR TAHIATIA . IT IS A LONG STAFF WITH A POINT AT ONE END AND A WIDE FLAT STRIKING END. THRUSTS AND STRIKES ARE MADE WITH THE WIDE FLAT END WHICH IS THE PART OF THE CLUB USED THE MOST IN FIGHTING. THE SMALLER END NEAR THE GRIP IS OFTEN CARVED WITH A HEAD WITH A TONGUE STICKING OUT WHICH FORMS THE POINT. THIS CAN BE USED FOR THRUSTING BUT DOES NOT FORM A SHARP SPEAR POINT. OFTEN FEATHERS OR DOG HAIR IS ATTACHED JUST ABOVE THIS CARVED FACE, THIS IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN USED TO TAUNT THE ENEMY AS WELL AS TO SHOW STATUS AND BE A DECORATION.
#1. & #2. 1885 PICTURE OF A MAORI CHIEF WHO LEAD A RESCUE PARTY AND HIS WIFE
#3. 1913 PRINT
#4. 1932 CARD DEPICTING A MAORI CHIEF
#5. ,#6. #7. MAORI CHIEFS WITH TAHIATIA
#8. TAHIATIA 1.46 METERS LONG 18TH TO EARLY 19TH CENTURY WITH CARVED DECORATIONS ON BLADE.
#9. THRU #12. SHOWS DETAIL OF HEAD AT GRIP AND STRIKING AND THRUSTING PART OF BLADE.

VANDOO · 18th June 2016, 04:41 AM

MORE EXAMPLES AND INFORMATION ON TAIAHA / TAHIATIA. THE EYES WERE IN ROUND AND SLANTED SHAPES AND SOME WERE INLAYED WITH ABALONE SHELL AND LATER RED SEALING WAS WAS IN FASHION.
#1. & #2. DETAILED DRAWINGS OF CARVED FACE FOUND AT GRIP END OF WEAPON.
#3. SIDE VIEW OF POINT
#4.ROUND EYE FORM, MISSING INLAY
#5. SLANT EYED FORM RED SEALING WAX INLAY 95.3 CM. SMALL SIZE PERHAPS FOR CHILD.
#6. THRU #9 1.46 METER LONG 18TH TO EARLY 19TH CENTURY CARVED BLADE
#10., 1.85 METER LATE 18TH TO EARLY 19TH. CENTURY
#11. DETAIL VARIATION OF CARVING.
#12. SIMPLE CARVED POINT END OF TAHIATIA

VANDOO · 18th June 2016, 05:07 AM

MORE EXAMPLES

VANDOO · 18th June 2016, 05:39 AM

MORE VARIATIONS OF THE FORM

VANDOO · 18th June 2016, 06:20 AM

THERE SEEMS TO BE 3 VARIATIONS TO THE STRIKING END OF THE TAIAHA / TAHIATIA THE MOST COMMON IS THE ROUNDED TIP SHAPED LIKE THAT ON THE SHORT PATU CLUBS. THERE ARE EXAMPLES WITH A FLAT END WITH SQUARE TIP AND ONE THAT COMES TO A POINT BUT NOT A VERY SHARP POINT. THE SHELL INLAY IS USUALLY FROM THE LOCAL ABALONE SHELL AND CAN COME IN DIFFERENT SHAPES AND DESIGNS. MOST BLADES ARE LEFT PLAIN BUT SOME EXAMPLES MAY BE CARVED IN DESIGNS COMPLETELY OR ON PART OF THE BLADE. SOME ARE INLAYED WITH PUA SHELL AS WELL. THEY USUALLY ARE FOR CEREMONIES AND BELONG TO SOMEONE OF IMPORTANCE. THEY LIKE TO USE RED SEALING WAX FOR THE EYES ON SOME CLUBS AS WELL AS ON THEIR JADE HEI TIKI'S. THE CARVING AND SHAPE ON THE POINT WITH THE HEAD VARIES AS WELL. SIMILAR CLUB FORMS AND FIGHTING STYLES CAN BE FOUND IN OTHER CULTURES NOTABLY EASTER ISLAND.
#1. A FULLY CARVED TAHAITIA WITH SHELL INLAY THRU-OUT
#2. #3. & #4. TWO UNUSUAL VARIATIONS I SUSPECT IS MAORI, 58 IN. OR 147CM.
#5. CONTEMPORARY SOUVENIR WITH JADE POINT.
#6.& #7 CONTEMPORARY SOUVENIRS.

kahnjar1 · 18th June 2016, 10:37 AM

Hi Barry,
Some practical background just in case you want to try it!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nns816pzIrY
Stu

18th June 2016, 03:55 AM	#1
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	MAORI LONG WEAPONS THERE ARE SEVERAL TYPES OF MAORI LONG WEAPONS THEY ARE MADE MOSTLY FROM WOOD BUT SOME ARE MADE OF WHALE BONE. I WILL START WITH THE MOST COMMON FORM THE TAIAHA OR TAHIATIA . IT IS A LONG STAFF WITH A POINT AT ONE END AND A WIDE FLAT STRIKING END. THRUSTS AND STRIKES ARE MADE WITH THE WIDE FLAT END WHICH IS THE PART OF THE CLUB USED THE MOST IN FIGHTING. THE SMALLER END NEAR THE GRIP IS OFTEN CARVED WITH A HEAD WITH A TONGUE STICKING OUT WHICH FORMS THE POINT. THIS CAN BE USED FOR THRUSTING BUT DOES NOT FORM A SHARP SPEAR POINT. OFTEN FEATHERS OR DOG HAIR IS ATTACHED JUST ABOVE THIS CARVED FACE, THIS IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN USED TO TAUNT THE ENEMY AS WELL AS TO SHOW STATUS AND BE A DECORATION. #1. & #2. 1885 PICTURE OF A MAORI CHIEF WHO LEAD A RESCUE PARTY AND HIS WIFE #3. 1913 PRINT #4. 1932 CARD DEPICTING A MAORI CHIEF #5. ,#6. #7. MAORI CHIEFS WITH TAHIATIA #8. TAHIATIA 1.46 METERS LONG 18TH TO EARLY 19TH CENTURY WITH CARVED DECORATIONS ON BLADE. #9. THRU #12. SHOWS DETAIL OF HEAD AT GRIP AND STRIKING AND THRUSTING PART OF BLADE. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 18th June 2016 at 11:47 PM.

18th June 2016, 04:41 AM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	MORE EXAMPLES AND INFORMATION ON TAIAHA / TAHIATIA. THE EYES WERE IN ROUND AND SLANTED SHAPES AND SOME WERE INLAYED WITH ABALONE SHELL AND LATER RED SEALING WAS WAS IN FASHION. #1. & #2. DETAILED DRAWINGS OF CARVED FACE FOUND AT GRIP END OF WEAPON. #3. SIDE VIEW OF POINT #4.ROUND EYE FORM, MISSING INLAY #5. SLANT EYED FORM RED SEALING WAX INLAY 95.3 CM. SMALL SIZE PERHAPS FOR CHILD. #6. THRU #9 1.46 METER LONG 18TH TO EARLY 19TH CENTURY CARVED BLADE #10., 1.85 METER LATE 18TH TO EARLY 19TH. CENTURY #11. DETAIL VARIATION OF CARVING. #12. SIMPLE CARVED POINT END OF TAHIATIA Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 18th June 2016 at 11:49 PM.

18th June 2016, 05:07 AM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	MORE EXAMPLES Attached Images

18th June 2016, 05:39 AM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	MORE VARIATIONS OF THE FORM Attached Images

18th June 2016, 06:20 AM	#5
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THERE SEEMS TO BE 3 VARIATIONS TO THE STRIKING END OF THE TAIAHA / TAHIATIA THE MOST COMMON IS THE ROUNDED TIP SHAPED LIKE THAT ON THE SHORT PATU CLUBS. THERE ARE EXAMPLES WITH A FLAT END WITH SQUARE TIP AND ONE THAT COMES TO A POINT BUT NOT A VERY SHARP POINT. THE SHELL INLAY IS USUALLY FROM THE LOCAL ABALONE SHELL AND CAN COME IN DIFFERENT SHAPES AND DESIGNS. MOST BLADES ARE LEFT PLAIN BUT SOME EXAMPLES MAY BE CARVED IN DESIGNS COMPLETELY OR ON PART OF THE BLADE. SOME ARE INLAYED WITH PUA SHELL AS WELL. THEY USUALLY ARE FOR CEREMONIES AND BELONG TO SOMEONE OF IMPORTANCE. THEY LIKE TO USE RED SEALING WAX FOR THE EYES ON SOME CLUBS AS WELL AS ON THEIR JADE HEI TIKI'S. THE CARVING AND SHAPE ON THE POINT WITH THE HEAD VARIES AS WELL. SIMILAR CLUB FORMS AND FIGHTING STYLES CAN BE FOUND IN OTHER CULTURES NOTABLY EASTER ISLAND. #1. A FULLY CARVED TAHAITIA WITH SHELL INLAY THRU-OUT #2. #3. & #4. TWO UNUSUAL VARIATIONS I SUSPECT IS MAORI, 58 IN. OR 147CM. #5. CONTEMPORARY SOUVENIR WITH JADE POINT. #6.& #7 CONTEMPORARY SOUVENIRS. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 18th June 2016 at 11:52 PM.

18th June 2016, 10:37 AM	#6
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,739	Hi Barry, Some practical background just in case you want to try it!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nns816pzIrY Stu