Pa taki aheu

Pa taki aheu. Fish hook. This is a handmade pa taki aheu. The pa (shaft) is made of pahina (mother-of-pearl shell). It is shaped like a thin rectangle with a rounded end. The rounded end of this pa is marked with a black painted dot. The pahina is white and yellow in colour. The pahina is drilled with holes to allow for the afo (string) to thread through and secure it and the maga (hook) together. The maga of this pa taki aheu is made of una hono (turtle shell). The maga is a light brown colour and shaped slightly like a square. The afo is made using twine and kafa (coconut sennit). The hackle is made of two white feathers which have been tucked into the afo that secures the maga to the pahina. Pa taki aheu were considered very important as it kept families fed. Pa taki aheu were stored in tuluma (tackle box) and used by tautai (fishermen).