Te matau

human history

Te matau. Fish hook. This te matau is made of the following components: te rabatan te matau (shank), te tabon te matau (point), a bind of lashing and hackle. Te rabatan is made from te bwaeo (mother of pearl shell). It is pale yellow and off-white in colour with some shimmer. A transparent patch of brown can be seen along its exterior. It has been filed into a length where one end has been tapered into a small point and the other end into a flat spatulate shape. It has been cut from the hinge segment of the shell. This is defined by its depth from where it has been cut and filed. Its ridge can be seen along the central segment of te rabatan te matau. Among this section a circular perforation has been drilled through the depth of the hinge part of the shell. This is for the purpose of inserting te ao (line). The spatulate end of te rabatan te matau has been utilized in lashing te tabon te matau (point) and a short hackle of pale yellow fibrous pinnules. Te tabon te matau is made from copper. It appears to have been worked into its current form, a slim cone-like form that curves towards the flat side of te rabatan te matau. It is dark brown in colour with some erosion across its surface. A mix of thread and a patterned cordage of black and white has been used to lash it to te rabatan te matau. The hackle of natural fibres has been tied into the lashing.

Accession number: 1936.295 Last Update: 30 Nov 2018
Other Name

Fish hook (English)

Accession Number

1936.295

Accession Date

1936

Other Id

23917.8 (ethnology)

Department

Pacific

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Te matau, 1936.295, 23917.8, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 29 Oct 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply Cultural Permissions Apply
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