Te ree ree
Kupu whakaahua: Te ree ree. Sword. This is a shark tooth sword and is made from wii ni bakoa (sharks teeth), te kanni (coconut wood), te ngea (ironwood), te ira (pandanus leaf), te kora (coconut fibre cord), te nimwaerere (human hair cordage), and te noko (coconut midrib). A length of te kanni (coconut wood) has been cut and carved to create a long cylindrical handle and blade that tapers at the end. The extent of the blade features four rows of wii ni bakoa running along its length and placed at right angles around the circumference of the blade. The teeth have been drilled through their centers to create circular perforations at their base. Each one has been aligned along the blade with the help of two long pieces of te noko on either side of the row of teeth, and cross-section lashing around the width of the blade with te kora, threaded through the circular perforations in the teeth and over the te noko. The result is a sharp, multi-faceted, serrated blade. The guard has been fashioned in the same way but with two long curved pieces of te ngea that also taper. The ends of both these pieces have decorative coverings made from te ira which have been interwoven and also bound with te nimwaerere (human hair cordage). There are also decorative bands of te nimwaerere binding in intervals along the length of the blade and the two te ngea pieces that make up the guard. These two pieces (of the guard) have been cross-lashed diagonally to the handle with te kora and te noko however this binding has come loose. Both the blade and the guard have sections or whole rows where teeth are missing or have had their tips broken off. This te ree ree was made for the purpose of combat.
Kohinga: HUMAN HISTORYRā Tāpiringa: UnknownKupu whakaahua: Te ree ree. Sword. This is a shark tooth sword and is made from wii ni bakoa (sharks teeth), te kanni (coconut wood), te ngea (ironwood), te ira (pandanus leaf), te kora…