Description
The wahaika, carried in a belt, was used by the Maori in hand-to-hand combat. Early, undecorated clubs were made of stone. Bone and wood clubs were decorated with increasingly complex carved designs. The small figure clinging to the side of this club may well represent the supernatural power (mana) of the weapon, while the face at the end of the grip expresses the aggression of combat.
Provenance
Harry Beasley; Harry Beasley
Accession Number
1964.455
Medium
wood
Dimensions
Overall: 35.6 cm (14 in.)
Classification
Sculpture
Credit Line
The Mary Spedding Milliken Memorial Collection, Gift of William Mathewson Milliken