This is the central panel of the prow of an 18th century CE war canoe. It is considered to be the best surviving example of the type known as tuere, with a separate splashboard and a triangular base fitted on to the central panel. Maori war canoes could be in excess of twenty metres long and carry up to 140 warriors. They were made with great care and attention to detail, and served as a focus of tribal pride. They were painted and adorned with feathers, and accompanying paddles and bailers were often elaborately decorated.
The panel has openwork carving on both sides, in a style associated with North Auckland, including rolling spirals on the elongated figures. It was probably made in the Hokianga district. Tuere prows appear to have been fairly widespread in the northern coastal area of New Zealand in the late eighteenth century, judging by illustrations by artists on Captain Cook's voyages.
The skills of Maori wood carving have not been lost. There has been a revival of interest mostly since the latter half of the twentieth century. A significant part of this revival was the building of twenty-two war canoes to coincide with the 150th anniversary, in 1990, of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.
This is the central panel of the prow of an 18th century CE war canoe. It is considered to be the best surviving example of the type known as tuere, with a separate splashboard and a triangular base fitted on to the central panel. Maori war canoes could be in excess of twenty metres long and carry up to 140 warriors. They were made with great care and attention to detail, and served as a focus of tribal pride. They were painted and adorned with feathers, and accompanying paddles and bailers were often elaborately decorated.
The panel has openwork carving on both sides, in a style associated with North Auckland, including rolling spirals on the elongated figures. It was probably made in the Hokianga district. Tuere prows appear to have been fairly widespread in the northern coastal area of New Zealand in the late eighteenth century, judging by illustrations by artists on Captain Cook's voyages.
The skills of Maori wood carving have not been lost. There has been a revival of interest mostly since the latter half of the twentieth century. A significant part of this revival was the building of twenty-two war canoes to coincide with the 150th anniversary, in 1990, of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi.