Paddle "hoe" · Austral Islands · ID: 3050090
Description
wood,
Carved from a single piece of medium wood the tiny chip carved designs cover the entire surface on both sides of the paddle and the finial is carved with seven fine “tiki” heads in a circle.
Exhaustive survey of the historical sources, has confirmed that there are no known eye-witness account of their use or function. No local name is recorded for them, anywhere, before 1890, though they are sometimes called “hoe” after the Tahitian word for paddle.
These objects were completely unsuitable for use in the conventional sense. Consequently it has been assumed that they were emblems of rank or status, for ceremonial rather than functional use.
Most Austral Island paddles are dated roughly between 1820 to 1840, mostly made probably on the Island of Raivavae, and are generally described as made for trade items. Their original use in pre European contact era is still a mystery today.
The object Paddle “hoe” with the object ID 3050090 was last part of the auction 101st Auction at November 11, 2023 on Zemanek-Münster Auction house. The object with the lot number 27 achieved a sales price of EUR 1,500.
You can find more Paddles and other popular object types on our related topic pages. You may also be interested in our page on Oceanian art.
Comparing literature
Hurst Gallery (ed.), Art of Polynesia, Cambridge 1987, p. 8 f.