Todd Couper: Māori Weapons of War

This is a collection of six weapons used by the Maori in battle and ceremonies. These weapons, whether a club or staff, when wielded by a skilled hands of the Maori could dispatch an opponent in a single blow. Confrontations were often swift.

In Maori history warfare played a significant part and therefore these weapons with time would become treasures. Each weapon commands great respect and would often acquire their own names with whakapapa (genealogy) and mana (prestige) as passed down through the generations. Such important weapons would also be personified as specific animals taking on their fighting characteristics and maintaining the connection to the natural world.

This series of weapons I have chosen to align each individual piece with a different fish. Fish were often used to describe the weapons because of their fluid but swift movements.

Maori warrior image [top] from Kahui Whetu: Contemporary Maori Art, A Carver’s Perspective by Roi Toia and Todd Couper.