Wahaika

This beautiful art piece is based on a traditional Maori weapon, the wahaika. A wahaika or “mouth of the fish” is used by the Maori’s for hand-to-hand fighting. It is named after the notch on the side which is used to catch an opponent’s weapon.

The art piece was created by Te Rangikapiki Fraser, a talented Maori artist. He carved this beautiful wahaika out of ironwood and finished it with harakeke, a flax plant from New Zealand, and duck feathers.