Pataka, The Maori Treasure Houses This beautiful old storehouse (pataka) is in the National Museum in Copenhagen The photograph above shows the porch of a Maori storehouse (pataka) which is in the National Museum in Copenhagen. It is one of the most beautiful ones which have survived, and is very old. Pataka were made in all shapes and sizes; many were not carved, or else had only a little carving or painting. But as well as these, every village of any consequence had an elaborately carved storehouse which belonged to the chief, and was a sign of his authority and prestige; hence the famous saying, ‘Ko te tohu o te Rangatira he pataka whakairo e tu na i roto i te pa tuwatawata’. Carved pataka were never used to store kumara or taro; they were used only for the people's most precious treasures—boxes containing greenstone, jewellery, weapons, finely worked cloaks and baskets, and so on. Gourds containing preserved birds and rats were