Long fighting staff or stabbing club "taiaha" ·  New Zealand, Maori · ID: 3051968

Description

hardwood, shell inlays (partly broken out),

The “taiaha” is one of the most iconic of all the Maori weapons. The long fighting staff was both a deadly weapon and a badge of rank.

There is a martial art system connected to the “taiaha”, known as “mau rakau”, that is still practised today. The “taiaha” requires skill, speed, and agility, which is why it was only wielded by high-ranking warriors, for all the highest art forms were practised only by those of noble lineage. The specialty of the “taiaha” was and still is defence.

The object Long fighting staff or stabbing club “taiaha” with the object ID 3051968 was part of the auction Auction 104 on April 12, 2025. The object with the lot number 157 achieved a sales price of EUR 3,600 with an asking price of EUR 2,000.

Here you will find more objects and interesting facts about Oceanian art.

Comparing literature

Hurst, Norman, Power and Prestige, Cambridge 1996, p. 122 ff. "A window into Te Ao Maori: The Taiaha", Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of the Arts, 24 September 2021