MAORI LONG WEAPONS

[VANDOO]

THE HOEROA IS MENTIONED AS BEING USED AS A THROWING CLUB WITH A CORD ATTACHED TO IT. FROM THE ONES I HAVE SEEN IT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD BE VERY AWKWARD AND IMPRACTICAL TO USE THAT WAY. THERE ARE THROWING WEAPONS CALLED KOTAHA ALSO SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS WHIP SPEAR. IT IS BASICALLY A ATAL ATAL ,SPEAR THROWER WITH A CORD USED TO THROW A SMALL DART OR SPEAR. THE DESCRIPTION GIVEN IS THE SPEAR BUTT IS STUCK IN THE GROUND THE CORD ATTACHED FROM THE THROWING STICK TO IT THEN THE OPERATOR WHIPS IT FORWARD AND AROUND AND THE CORD IS RELEASED AT THE PROPER TIME TO PROPEL THE DART WITH CONSIDERABLE FORCE A LONG DISTANCE. PERHAPS THE HOEROA WAS USED AS THE SPEAR THROWER RATHER THAN THE PROJECTILE.? THERE ARE SOME WEB SITES GIVING BETTER INFORMATION BUT I WAS NOT ABLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO LINK THEM. SOME PICTURES OF SPEARS AND SPEAR THROWERS
#1. PICTURE SHOWING 1. KOTAHA KURUTAI 2.KOTAHA 3. HOEROA AKA PARAOA
#2. & #3. PICTURES SHOWING HOW SPEAR IS PLACED AND THROWING TECKNIQUE
#4. DRAWING OF TWO EXAMPLES OF KOTAHA I ASSUME THE CARVING IS AT THE END THAT IS GRIPPED.
#5 THRU #12 VARIOUS EXAMPLES OF KOTAHA

THE SPEARS ARE USUALLY LIGHT WEIGHT WITH NOTCHED TIPS THAT ARE DESIGNED TO BREAK OFF IN THE BODY AND USUALLY ASSURED A SLOW DEATH. PERHAPS THESE WERE USED WHEN DEFENDING THE VILLAGE AS THE MAORI DID NOT USE BOWS OR BLOWGUNS.

[VANDOO]

MAORI SPEARS COME IN SEVERAL TYPES SOME FOR HUNTING SMALL BIRDS FOR FOOD AND MORE ESPECIALLY FOR THEIR FEATHERS. A BLIND WAS BUILT IN A TREE WHERE A FRUIT THE BIRDS EAT GROWS, WHEN BIRDS CAME TO EAT A LONG BARBED SPEAR WAS USED TO KILL THEM. I DON'T KNOW IF THESE WERE EVER USED IN WARFARE BUT NO DOUBT COULD SERVE IF NEEDED. PICTURE
#1. A 26.8 CM. 19TH CENTURY WHALEBONE BIRD POINT.
#2. IRON TRADE BIRD SPEAR POINT 18TH TO 19 TH. CENTURY 14.5 CM.
#3. BONE BIRD SPEAR POINTS
#4. DRAWING OF A MAORI BIRD SPEARING PLATFORM
THERE WERE TWO TYPES OF WAR SPEARS A SHORTER ONE FOR THROWING OR FENCING AND A LONGER ONE OFTEN USED FROM THE WALLS OF THE PA, FORT.
#5. & #6. MAORI SPEAR FOR HUNTING MOA 219 CM. LONG, 10 NOBBED
HANDLE
#7. DRAWING HUNTING MOA
#8. MAORI SPEAR CALLED TAO
#9. MAORI SPEAR
#10. MAORI SPEAR TAO FIGHTING POSITION

[kahnjar1]

Hi Barry, A couple of other pics which you will be familiar with...
Stu

[VANDOO]

THAT JUST ABOUT COVERS MAORI ITEMS THAT ARE PRIMARILY WEAPONS. I WILL INCLUDE A FEW TOOLS AND CEREMONIAL ITEMS THAT WOULD SERVE AS WEAPONS WHEN NEEDED.
#1 THRU #6 . KO, A MAORI SPADE OR DIGGING STICK, WOULD MAKE A GOOD WEAPON IF SURPRISED IN THE FIELD. THERE ARE SOME OTHER AGRICULTURAL TOOLS IN ONE PICTURE.
#7. MAORI MAULS NOT VERY EFFICIENT BUT IF YOU CONNECTED THEY WOULD MAKE A BIG IMPRESSION.
#8. MAORI 48 X 7 CM. DANCE PADDLE
#9. MAORI DANCE PADDLE 50 INCHES LONG
#10. MAORI FLAX BEATER
#11. & #12. MAORI CEREMONIAL CHIEFS PADDLES CALLED HOE

[VANDOO]

SHARP POINTED PADDLES NO DOUBT SERVED WELL AS SPEARS WHEN NEEDED.
#1. & #2. CHIEFS CEREMONIAL PADDLE HOE 190 CM.
#3.& #4. MAORI HOE PADDLE 128.3 CM.
#5. THRU #7. MAORI CHIEFS HOE, 155 CM. CIRCA 1850'S
#8. VARIOUS MAORI OBJECTS
#9. DETAIL OF POINTS ON MAORI POUWHENUA WEAPONS

[kronckew]

'nother small dance paddle

measurements are 18.5 inches (47cm) by 3.75 inches (9.5cm), and about an inch thick (2.54) in the middle. 180 grams. 'pommel' end carved as a bird's head with shell eyes.