Maori Wakahuia Treasure box

Description

An excellent Modern Maori Wakahuia hand carved from New Zealand Kauri.Made by a formally trained master carver.Length 460mm
From wiki-
Waka huia
and
Papa hou
are treasure containers made by
Māori
- the indigenous people of
New Zealand
.
[1]
These treasure containers stored a person's most prized personal possessions, such as
hei-tiki
(pendants), feathers for decorating and dressing the hair such as the tail feathers of the
huia
(Heteralocha acutirostris),
heru
(hair comb) and other items of personal adornment. Waka huia and papa hou were imbued with the
tapu
(taboo) of their owners because the boxes contained personal items that regularly came into contact with the body, particularly the head (the most tapu part of the body).
Waka
huia
and papa hou were designed to be suspended from the low hanging ceiling of Māori
whare
(houses) where their beautifully carved and decorated undersides could be appreciated. They were highly prized in themselves and carefully treasured as they passed between generations. As
taonga
(treasures), waka huia and papa hou were often gifted between
hapu
(sub-tribes),
whanau
(families), and individuals to acknowledge relationships, friendships, and other significant social events
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