MAORI LONG WEAPONS

kronckew · 19th June 2016, 07:02 PM

current full sized taiaha (1.5 metre +/-) commercially available are mostly made of evergreen wood & are fairly light. my feathered one falls in this category. i've found a couple carvers online that will make them from traditional hardwood, but they are much more expensive as good hardwoods are hard to come by and hardwood is harder to carve too.

i managed to acquire one from a collection estate sale, also around 1.5 metres, but it weighs more than twice what the contemporary one does. it also appears to be a lot harder. it has a flax fibre 'skirt' in lieu of feathers or dog hair bundles.

there are two more two handed weapons, the pouwhenua, similar to the taiaha with a similar bladed striking end, but a sharp round section point on the other end for stabbing, and the tewhatewha, again, point one end and a quarter circular axe-like protrusion, frequently with feathers or hair attached to improve visibility - it's carried by the war chiefs as a signalling device similar to the japanese war fan...copies of these from museum photos below my two.

if the martial arts interest you, there is a movie called "the deadlands: where the warrior spirit was born'' on dvd that might interest y'all. (it's available thru amazon). also available thru amazon is a fairly thin book reprint 'traditional maori weapons' by jeff Evans- i do have a copy of that. (cover below)

aother link to youtube video of a haka with tewhatewha, patu, etc. is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLmS9e_4m6A

as a humorous aside, note the bruises to their chests as the video progresses and they slap themselves. i read recently of german army drill team men having to have breast reduction surgery as in their routine the rifle is slapped into their chests, causing enlargement over time.

p.s. - the tewhatehwa 'axe blade' was NOT used to strike, the side opposite was. the blade just added mass to the strike.

VANDOO · 20th June 2016, 03:44 PM

MORE EXAMPLES OF TAIAHA FROM OLD POSTCARDS, BOOKS ,ECT.
#1., #2., #3., #4, # 5. & #6 VARIOUS TAIAHA
#7. 1840 DRAWING OF WARRIORS UNKNOWN LONG WEAPON
#8. DRAWING OF A MAORI PA (FORTRESS)
#9. DRAWING, BATTLE AT THE PA
#10. SIGNALING WITH A TEWHATEWHA AT THE PA

VANDOO · 20th June 2016, 04:27 PM

THE SECOND MOST COMMON MAORI LONG WEAPON IS THE TEWHA TEWHA THEY ARE MADE OF WOOD AND RARELY OUT OF WHALE BONE AND HAVE A LARGE AX LIKE BLADE AT ONE END AND A SHARP ROUNDED POINT FOR THRUSTING AT THE OTHER END. A TUFT OF FEATHERS IS OFTEN TIED THRU A SMALL HOLE UNDER THE AX HEAD, IT IS SAID TO CONFUSE OR IRRITATE THE ENEMY. SOME EXAMPLES ARE PLAIN AND SOME HAVE A SMALL DESIGN CARVED NEAR THE SHARP TIP, SOME ARE ENTIRELY OR PARTIALLY CARVED WITH MAORI DESIGNS.
#1. THE HEAVY AX LIKE AX STRIKING END.
#2. THE SHARP THRUSTING TIP.
#3. 3 EXAMPLES OF TEWHA TEWHA
#4.& #5.TWO TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF THE CARVED DESIGNS OFTEN FOUND
TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY DOWN THE SHAFT TOWARD THE SHARP TIP.
#6. DRAWING FROM COOKS VOYAGE 1778
#7. OLD CHIEF WITH TEWHA TEWHA
#8. MAORI CHIEF, ROTACU ANAHA 1901
# 9. THRU #12. VARIOUS OLD PICTURES OF WARRIORS WITH TEWHA TEWHA

VANDOO · 20th June 2016, 05:12 PM

MORE EXAMPLES OF TEWHA TEWHA SOME WITH CARVED DESIGNS SOME WITH FEATHER BUNDLES WOOD AND WHALEBONE EXAMPLES.

VANDOO · 20th June 2016, 05:36 PM

#1. & #2. MY TEWHA TEWHA 53 INCHES LONG FULLY CARVED HARD BUT LIGHT
WEIGHT WOOD FOR CEREMONIAL USE NOT A OLD FIGHTING EXAMPLE. CIRCA
1950'S
#3. GOOD OLD CARVED EXAMPLE
#4. THRU #12. FULLY CARVED TEWHA TEWHA 46.5 INCHES LONG, 6.25 INCH
BLADE. CEREMONIAL USE PICTURES SHOWING DETAILS.

VANDOO · 20th June 2016, 06:28 PM

THE TEWHA TEWHA WAS A SORT OF LONG AX WEAPON IN FUNCTION. WHEN IRON TRADE AXES WERE INTRODUCED A LONG AX AND A SHORT AX WEAPON WAS CREATED. THE LONG AX WAS CALLED KAKAUROA SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS A TOMAHAWK, I AM NOT SURE IF THE SHORT AX HAS A DIFFERENT NAME.

VANDOO · 20th June 2016, 06:43 PM

#1, #2. #3. #5. & #6 MAORI SHORT AXES
#4.MAORI LONG WEAPONS, a. POUWHENUA, b. TEWHA TEWHA,
c & d. TAIAHA, e. LONG AX KAKAUROA
#7. VARIOUS WEAPONS AND SHORT AX
#8, # 9., #10, & #11. CEREMONIAL ADZ, (TOKI POUTANGATA)
#12. VARIOUS MAORI WEAPONS, a.& b. TAIAHA , c. POUWHENUA,
d. TEWHA TEWHA ,e. WHALEBONE, HOEROA

19th June 2016, 07:02 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,250	current full sized taiaha (1.5 metre +/-) commercially available are mostly made of evergreen wood & are fairly light. my feathered one falls in this category. i've found a couple carvers online that will make them from traditional hardwood, but they are much more expensive as good hardwoods are hard to come by and hardwood is harder to carve too. i managed to acquire one from a collection estate sale, also around 1.5 metres, but it weighs more than twice what the contemporary one does. it also appears to be a lot harder. it has a flax fibre 'skirt' in lieu of feathers or dog hair bundles. there are two more two handed weapons, the pouwhenua, similar to the taiaha with a similar bladed striking end, but a sharp round section point on the other end for stabbing, and the tewhatewha, again, point one end and a quarter circular axe-like protrusion, frequently with feathers or hair attached to improve visibility - it's carried by the war chiefs as a signalling device similar to the japanese war fan...copies of these from museum photos below my two. if the martial arts interest you, there is a movie called "the deadlands: where the warrior spirit was born'' on dvd that might interest y'all. (it's available thru amazon). also available thru amazon is a fairly thin book reprint 'traditional maori weapons' by jeff Evans- i do have a copy of that. (cover below) aother link to youtube video of a haka with tewhatewha, patu, etc. is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLmS9e_4m6A as a humorous aside, note the bruises to their chests as the video progresses and they slap themselves. i read recently of german army drill team men having to have breast reduction surgery as in their routine the rifle is slapped into their chests, causing enlargement over time. p.s. - the tewhatehwa 'axe blade' was NOT used to strike, the side opposite was. the blade just added mass to the strike. Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 19th June 2016 at 08:03 PM.

20th June 2016, 03:44 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	MORE EXAMPLES OF TAIAHA FROM OLD POSTCARDS, BOOKS ,ECT. #1., #2., #3., #4, # 5. & #6 VARIOUS TAIAHA #7. 1840 DRAWING OF WARRIORS UNKNOWN LONG WEAPON #8. DRAWING OF A MAORI PA (FORTRESS) #9. DRAWING, BATTLE AT THE PA #10. SIGNALING WITH A TEWHATEWHA AT THE PA Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 20th June 2016 at 03:57 PM.

20th June 2016, 04:27 PM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THE SECOND MOST COMMON MAORI LONG WEAPON IS THE TEWHA TEWHA THEY ARE MADE OF WOOD AND RARELY OUT OF WHALE BONE AND HAVE A LARGE AX LIKE BLADE AT ONE END AND A SHARP ROUNDED POINT FOR THRUSTING AT THE OTHER END. A TUFT OF FEATHERS IS OFTEN TIED THRU A SMALL HOLE UNDER THE AX HEAD, IT IS SAID TO CONFUSE OR IRRITATE THE ENEMY. SOME EXAMPLES ARE PLAIN AND SOME HAVE A SMALL DESIGN CARVED NEAR THE SHARP TIP, SOME ARE ENTIRELY OR PARTIALLY CARVED WITH MAORI DESIGNS. #1. THE HEAVY AX LIKE AX STRIKING END. #2. THE SHARP THRUSTING TIP. #3. 3 EXAMPLES OF TEWHA TEWHA #4.& #5.TWO TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF THE CARVED DESIGNS OFTEN FOUND TWO THIRDS OF THE WAY DOWN THE SHAFT TOWARD THE SHARP TIP. #6. DRAWING FROM COOKS VOYAGE 1778 #7. OLD CHIEF WITH TEWHA TEWHA #8. MAORI CHIEF, ROTACU ANAHA 1901 # 9. THRU #12. VARIOUS OLD PICTURES OF WARRIORS WITH TEWHA TEWHA Attached Images

20th June 2016, 05:12 PM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	MORE EXAMPLES OF TEWHA TEWHA SOME WITH CARVED DESIGNS SOME WITH FEATHER BUNDLES WOOD AND WHALEBONE EXAMPLES. Attached Images

20th June 2016, 05:36 PM	#5
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	#1. & #2. MY TEWHA TEWHA 53 INCHES LONG FULLY CARVED HARD BUT LIGHT WEIGHT WOOD FOR CEREMONIAL USE NOT A OLD FIGHTING EXAMPLE. CIRCA 1950'S #3. GOOD OLD CARVED EXAMPLE #4. THRU #12. FULLY CARVED TEWHA TEWHA 46.5 INCHES LONG, 6.25 INCH BLADE. CEREMONIAL USE PICTURES SHOWING DETAILS. Attached Images

20th June 2016, 06:28 PM	#6
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THE TEWHA TEWHA WAS A SORT OF LONG AX WEAPON IN FUNCTION. WHEN IRON TRADE AXES WERE INTRODUCED A LONG AX AND A SHORT AX WEAPON WAS CREATED. THE LONG AX WAS CALLED KAKAUROA SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS A TOMAHAWK, I AM NOT SURE IF THE SHORT AX HAS A DIFFERENT NAME. Attached Images

20th June 2016, 06:43 PM	#7
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	#1, #2. #3. #5. & #6 MAORI SHORT AXES #4.MAORI LONG WEAPONS, a. POUWHENUA, b. TEWHA TEWHA, c & d. TAIAHA, e. LONG AX KAKAUROA #7. VARIOUS WEAPONS AND SHORT AX #8, # 9., #10, & #11. CEREMONIAL ADZ, (TOKI POUTANGATA) #12. VARIOUS MAORI WEAPONS, a.& b. TAIAHA , c. POUWHENUA, d. TEWHA TEWHA ,e. WHALEBONE, HOEROA Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 20th June 2016 at 07:53 PM.