Āhua Gallery

Aurei were customarily used as a pin for fastening cloaks and may be made from bone, stone, wood or shell. They may also have been worn through the ear as an earring or around the neck as a pendant. Autui are still commonly worn as pendants and earrings and as with most Māori personal adornments, are often passed down generationally.

Material: Paua Shell

Measurements: 110mm x 10mm

Heru were produced in varying shapes and sizes and were made from rākau (wood) and in some instance’s parāoa (whalebone). These combs were highly valued as personal heirlooms and were consequently passed down from one generation to the next, often acquiring their own personal names.

The combs were mostly decorative and held the pūtikitiki (top knot) in place. When a comb was broken, it was placed in a swamp or a sacred place for safe keeping because the head was the most sacred part of the body and therefore tapu (sacred).

Material: Rātā

Measurements: 169mm x 65mm x 3mm

Heru were produced in varying shapes and sizes and were made from rākau (wood) and in some instance’s parāoa (whalebone). These combs were highly valued as personal heirlooms and were consequently passed down from one generation to the next, often acquiring their own personal names.

The combs were mostly decorative and held the pūtikitiki (top knot) in place. When a comb was broken, it was placed in a swamp or a sacred place for safe keeping because the head was the most sacred part of the body and therefore tapu (sacred).

Material: Tōtara

Measurements: 230mm x 90mm x 4mm

Shark teeth were highly sought after to wear as a symbol of prestige for personal adornment. They were reflective of the mana of the shark itself.

Material: Onewa (NZ Greywacke)

Measurements: 140mm x 45mm x 35mm

Shark teeth were highly sought after to wear as a symbol of prestige for personal adornment. They were reflective of the mana of the shark itself.

Material: Onewa (NZ Greywacke)

Measurements: 103mm x 23mm

Autui were customarily used as a pin for fastening cloaks and may be made from bone, stone, wood or shell. They may also have been worn through the ear as an earring or around the neck as a pendant. Autui are still commonly worn as pendants and earrings and as with most Māori personal adornments, are often passed down generationally.

Material: Paua Shell

Measurements: 116mm x 13mm

Pingao (Pikao) has a strong cultural, spiritual, and traditional significance to Māori. It has legends associated with it and is highly prized as a weaving material.

Material: Pingao & Muka

Measurements: 210mm x 100mm

Patu (meaning to strike or hit) were typically fashioned from native hardwood, whalebone or stone, including our highly valued pounamu (greenstone). Patu were often sharp at their forward edge and were used with thrusting, jabbing, and swinging blows. Māori weapons are notable for their fine sculptural form and were designed for close hand-to-hand combat. No other stone-age war implements surpassed them in deadly effectiveness.

Material: Maire (NZ Hardwood)

Measurements: 385mm x 135mm x 30mm

Shark teeth were highly sought after to wear as a symbol of prestige for personal adornment. They were reflective of the mana of the shark itself. This tooth pendant references the tiger shark. This shark is an aggressive predator and is found mostly in tropical and warm waters. Tiger sharks are named for the dark, vertical stripes found mainly on juveniles.

Material: Onewa (Waiotemarama)

Measurements: 105mm x 75mm x 22mm

Shark teeth were highly sought after to wear as a symbol of prestige for personal adornment. They were reflective of the mana of the shark itself. This tooth pendant references the tiger shark. This shark is an aggressive predator and is found mostly in tropical and warm waters. Tiger sharks are named for the dark, vertical stripes found mainly on juveniles.

Material: Onewa (NZ Greywacke)

Measurements: 96mm x 82mm x 19mm

The main purpose of this kete is to be a work basket, it is usually made from Harakeke (NZ Flax) of which the commencement is a 3ply braid at the bottom of the kete.

Material: Harakeke

Measurements: 300mm x 220mm x 85mm

The main purpose of this kete is to be a work basket, it is usually made from Harakeke (NZ Flax) of which the commencement is a 3ply braid at the bottom of the kete.

Material: Harakeke

Measurements: 405mm x 275mm x 95mm