A Finely Carved Maori Whalebone Club ‘Kotiate Paraoa’

A Finely Carved Maori Whalebone Club ‘Kotiate Paraoa’
Fine colour and patina, worn smooth in areas from use
Whalebone, shell
New Zealand Maori
Early 19th Century

PROVENANCE:
Purchased through Finch and Co, November 2010
Ex Privately entered lot into auction, UK
Ex Private collection

The short hand clubs of the Maori known as ‘patu poto’ were made in several shapes from wood, whalebone, stone and nephrite or greenstone. They were carried thrust into the girdle of a kilt or into a special war-belt. All ‘patu’ were designed for in fighting where split-second action required thrusting jabs with little time for downward blows. Short clubs have a flat broad blade with a rounded end sharp enough to split the skull, or to cause deadly injuries to the neck or ribs by thrusting blows. The fighter kept firm hold on the weapon by means of a thong of dogskin which passed through the hole on the handle and around the wrist and thumb. It was possible for a skilled warrior with a short club, by speed and using a cloak wrapped around the left arm to parry blows, to defeat an opponent armed with a long club ‘taiaha’.