Ethnographic Arms & Armour
 

Go Back   Ethnographic Arms & Armour > Discussion Forums > Ethnographic Weapons

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 16th July 2020, 07:24 AM   #1
Pinocchio
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 12
Default Taiaha identification holes

This Taiaha has 2 attachement holes at the base of the figure . One on each side .
Never seen such configuration .
Does anybody has seen other taiaha like this ?
Any idea of what was attached and for who it was the privilege ?
Thanks
Attached Images
  
Pinocchio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17th July 2020, 10:15 AM   #2
Ian
Vikingsword Staff
 
Ian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: The Aussie Bush
Posts: 4,006
Default

Hi Pinocchio.

Would you please post a picture of the whole piece. That way folks can orient the close ups and give you a clearer idea of what the holes may have been for.

Thanks,

Ian.
Ian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17th July 2020, 12:14 PM   #3
Gavin Nugent
Member
 
Gavin Nugent's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,818
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pinocchio
This Taiaha has 2 attachement holes at the base of the figure . One on each side .
Never seen such configuration .
Does anybody has seen other taiaha like this ?
Any idea of what was attached and for who it was the privilege ?
Thanks
Pinocchio,

Perhaps an anchor point for cord to retain such embellishments in place

Gavin
Attached Images
 
Gavin Nugent is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 17th July 2020, 06:10 PM   #4
kronckew
Member
 
kronckew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,145
Default

Mine do not have holes, do yours go all the way thru such that a cord could be passed thru to retain a wrapping? Red feathers and dog hair or fibre bundles were a common decor at the base of the tiaha like these above. mine are just retained by a tight wrap of flaxen red string and the taper of the shaft widening from the tiki to the business end, which prevents it moving. The bundles were, I am told, to move in the air and distract an opponent as the main strike came from the other end (the tiki 'spear point' was NOT the business end of a tiaha, the blade edge at the opposite end was).
kronckew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18th July 2020, 12:18 PM   #5
Pinocchio
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Posts: 12
Default

The Theretos ( colar made of dog hair and feathers ) where attached by tight rapping, never secured with holes like on this one .
It must be something else ... Thanks for trying ;-)
Pinocchio is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 18th July 2020, 05:49 PM   #6
kronckew
Member
 
kronckew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
Posts: 4,145
Default

Aha! found one of my old thread posts: Another religious (holey ) tiaha. It suggests holes in that one may have been added later for mounting or holding them in a display.

https://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showt...ht=Maori+tiaha

Those holes were in one edge of the blade portion tho, where it'd be more likely not to be used in combat as it would blunt any blows, so I doubt anything would be tied there then.

Tewatewa would have holes in the blade for tying feather bundles. The Axe blade portion was NOT for striking with on these, they use the poll/butt of the bitt-like part, or the rather pointy other end. The blade was used for signalling to their troops, and only a chief carried one.

Worth a look at the referenced bits in the other posts in that thread too.

More:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buvGKf2nBWs

Tewhatewha: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFaWRplzoY8

Putting them all together: Washington DC Haka. the white bone Patu clubs look harmless. they have sharp edges and the Maori can poke on into a skull and pop the top of it off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLmS9e_4m6A

The 'Chief' starts off with a rather Shillelagh-like club, but switches to a tewhatewha shortly after.

Note their chests get rather red from the blows they give them. The German army rifle drill team slaps their chests with their rifle butts with similar bruising. After a few years doing that, some of them need breast reduction surgery.
Attached Images
 

Last edited by kronckew; 18th July 2020 at 06:36 PM.
kronckew is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 19th July 2020, 01:44 AM   #7
Battara
EAAF Staff
 
Battara's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Louisville, KY
Posts: 7,135
Default

As Ian said please post pictures of the whole thing!
Battara is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 20th July 2020, 01:45 AM   #8
Gavin Nugent
Member
 
Gavin Nugent's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,818
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pinocchio
The Theretos ( colar made of dog hair and feathers ) where attached by tight rapping, never secured with holes like on this one .
It must be something else ... Thanks for trying ;-)
Indeed. All Thereto I have seen are wrapping of several different kinds of fabric or twine, many with this area of the upoko completely covered by the Thereto.

Given the shape of the Taiaha's upoko and that the Thereto very often slips, and that these holes are not common features, perhaps the individual who owned it went to such troubles to secure the collar so it did not look like this one pictured...

Gavin
Attached Images
 
Gavin Nugent is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 10:08 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Posts are regarded as being copyrighted by their authors and the act of posting material is deemed to be a granting of an irrevocable nonexclusive license for display here.