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A tewhatewha is a long-handled
Tewhatewha in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Ceremonial weapons Clubs (weapon) Māori weapons New Zealand martial arts Polearms {{Weapon-stub
A tewhatewha is a long-handled Māori
Māori or Maori can refer to:
Relating to the Māori people
* Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group
* Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand
* Māori culture
* Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the C ...
club weapon
A club (also known as a cudgel, baton, bludgeon, truncheon, cosh, nightstick, or impact weapon) is a short staff or stick, usually made of wood, wielded as a weapon since prehistoric times. There are several examples of blunt-force trauma caused ...
shaped like an axe
An axe ( sometimes ax in American English; see spelling differences) is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood, to harvest timber, as a weapon, and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol. The axe has many for ...
. Designed to be held in two hands, the weapon comes to a mata (point) at one end and a rapa (broad, quarter-round head) at the other.
Use
Likepouwhenua
Pouwhenua or pou whenua (land post), are carved wooden posts used by Māori, the indigenous peoples of New Zealand to mark territorial boundaries or places of significance. They are generally artistically and elaborately carved and can be found t ...
and taiaha
A taiaha () is a traditional weapon of the Māori of New Zealand; a close-quarters staff weapon made from either wood or whalebone, and used for short, sharp strikes or stabbing thrusts with efficient footwork on the part of the wielder.
Taiaha a ...
, this long club was designed for sparring and lightning strokes and thrusts, aided by quick footwork on the part of the wielder. The blows were not struck with the blade as one would with an axe, but rather with the thicker straight front edge. It was common for tewhatewha to be decorated with a bunch of split pigeon or hawk feathers which hang from a drilled hole near the lower edge of the extension. This decoration may have also had the added benefit of confusing an opponent
Modern use
A tewhatewha was the symbol of command ofRoyal New Zealand Navy
The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN; mi, Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa, , Sea Warriors of New Zealand) is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force. The fleet currently consists of nine ships. The Navy had its origins in the Naval Defence Act ...
hydrographic survey ship HMNZS ''Resolution''.
The drum major of the New Zealand Army Band
The New Zealand Army Band ( mi, Puoro Puoro Ngāti Tūmatauenga) is a brass band that primarily provides musical support for the New Zealand Army at all state and ceremonial occasions. It was founded in 1964 by Captain James Donald Carson (1935 ...
uses a tewhatewha instead of a mace to give direction and keep time.
See also
*Mau rākau
Mau rākau, meaning "to bear a weapon", is a martial art based on traditional Māori weapons.
Weapons
Mau rākau is a general term referring to the skilled use of weapons. It is said that the use of weapons was taught in the Whare-tū-taua (Hou ...
Other Māori weapons
*Mere (weapon)
The mere () is a type of short, broad-bladed weapon in the shape of an enlarged tear drop. It was used to strike/jab an opponent in the body or the head, usually made from nephrite jade (pounamu or greenstone). A mere is one of the traditional, h ...
*Kotiate
Kotiate is a type of traditional hand weapon of the Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand.
A kotiate is a short club normally made of wood or whalebone. Kotiate means to cut or divide the liver (koti = cut in two or divide; ate = liver), i ...
*Taiaha
A taiaha () is a traditional weapon of the Māori of New Zealand; a close-quarters staff weapon made from either wood or whalebone, and used for short, sharp strikes or stabbing thrusts with efficient footwork on the part of the wielder.
Taiaha a ...
*Patu
A patu is a club or pounder used by the Māori. The word ''patu'' in the Māori language means to strike, hit, beat, kill or subdue.
Weapons
These types of short-handled clubs were mainly used as a striking weapon. The blow administered wit ...
*Pouwhenua
Pouwhenua or pou whenua (land post), are carved wooden posts used by Māori, the indigenous peoples of New Zealand to mark territorial boundaries or places of significance. They are generally artistically and elaborately carved and can be found t ...
References
External links
Tewhatewha in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Ceremonial weapons Clubs (weapon) Māori weapons New Zealand martial arts Polearms {{Weapon-stub