Maori Tribal Adze

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32210, 31 January 1970, Page 5

Maori Tribal Adze

(Contributed by the Canterbury Museum) On May 11 last year, visitors, perhaps aware that the Canterbury Museum was closed on a Sunday forenoon, might have, seen an interesting sight when the writer, as director, opened the doors to a Maori party from the Ngati-Rua sub-tribe of Opotiki coming to lend their tribal greenstone adze, Waiwharangi, to the Cook Bicentenary Exhibition.

The carefully wrapped heirloom was carried by Mr Peter Amoamo, now of Mosgiel, but a member of the guardian family from Opotiki, in the presence of his father, Mr Fred Amoamo, his aunt. Mrs Ruahema Tairua, and other members of the NgatiRua sub-tribe of Whakatohea. While the welcome was given and reciprocated the package never left the possession of the bearer. When it was unwrapped the jade-green brilliance of the blade, in a variety of nephrite known to the Maoris as kahurangi, glowed in the autumn sunlight. The adzeblade itself was 10 inches long, only 2 indies wide and less than half an inch thick. It had been faslrioned' before Cook’s arrival by the Ngati-Kahungunu of Hawke’s Bay from a block of jewelquality nephrite from Arahura on the west coast of the South Island, doubtless obtained by trade from their Ngai-Tahu relatives across Cook Strait. Emblem Of Rank Such adzes, with slender greenstone blade and carved haft, were not meant for use in wood working. They were meant to be carried by the tribal chief, as the emblem of his rank. The blade flashed in the sun to accompany the gestures of the tribal orator. It lay on the breast of the chiefly 'dead. Such ceremonial adzes were called Toki Pou Tangata and each had its personal name. The ceremony which brought the Amoamo' family south to Christchurch was the wedding of their youngest son, Reihana, to - Rana; daughter of Whenua and Sweet Rehu of Rapaki, the father from the well-known Ngai-Tahu family of Canterbury, the mother originally from Ngati-Kahungunu. In the Roman Catholic Cathedrail the young couple looked most dignified, and at the wedding reception truly radiant It was appropriate that the

Rehu parents should conduct their new kinsmen as visitors (manuhiri) to the museum of their district and witness the

handing-over ceremony of Waiwharangi, the tribal adze The illustration shows Waiwharangi (upper) together with a ceremonial adze of Cook vintage, but with name and tribal association lost, lent by the Dominion Museum. Note how in each the “toe” of the haft has been cut back to expose most of the blade, to view. Covered by the lashing of the braided flax-fibre is a hole drilled through the adze butt, to prevent the blade becoming loose on its ; precarious perch. At the opposite or “heel” end of the haft, a carved human figure links with the upper shaft. In the case of Waiwharangi the delicate tracery had broken along the' line of the shaft to the point where it would not have been safe to send the adze on its nation-wide Cook bicentenary exhibition. When the exhibition arrives at Christchurch on March 13 next, visitors will see an apparently perfect carving. For this we thank lotua Tuarau, master carver of the Dominion Museum, who gave it expert personal care. There is a long story, could we teH it, of the history of Waiwharangi. In brief the blade was made by NgatiKahungunu of Hawke's Bay, about 1750, came into the possession of Ngai-Tai at Gisborne, possibly in the very year (1769) of Cook’s landing there. From the Ngai-Tai it passed in turn as a battle trophy into the possession of the Whakatobea of Opotiki', or more particularly their sub-tribe Ngtai-Rua. The present haft was carved about 100 years ago when the adze was recovered from its hiding place. Before being entrusted to our exhibition the adze had not been shown to Europeans at all. The honour of its Inclusion in the Cook Exhibition is deeply appreciated.—R.S.D. TJte illustration shows the 100-year-old haftihg of the tribal adze from Opotiki (upper) and an example with original hafting dating from Cook’s visit 200 years ago (lower).