Description: Fuaga Maka, or Maka oloi. Grinding stone. Fuaga maka are used to sharpen the edges of adzes and knives. This is a process that is aided by running water. This fuaga maka is shaped from maka uli, or dark volcanic stone, which is porous and textured to the touch. One side is flatter and smoother than the porous underside due to previous wear from grinding.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1929.30Accession Date: 1929Description: Fuaga Maka, or Maka oloi. Grinding stone. Fuaga maka are used to sharpen the edges of adzes and knives. This is a process that is aided by running water. This fuaga maka is…

Description: Tridacna shell missile ground to an egg shape. Grey/white in colour, with dirt markings across the surface. Chipping visible across surface.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Date: [1929]Description: Tridacna shell missile ground to an egg shape. Grey/white in colour, with dirt markings across the surface. Chipping visible across surface.

Description: Te la 'oe 'eap. Adze blade. Made of a single piece of tridacna shell. Square in shape and grey/white in colour. Steep bevel with a moderately sharp cutting edge. Uneven surfaces across both sides.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Date: 1924Description: Te la 'oe 'eap. Adze blade. Made of a single piece of tridacna shell. Square in shape and grey/white in colour. Steep bevel with a moderately sharp cutting edge. Uneven…

Description: 'Ōfa'i  tāviri. Grinding stone. A flat triangular stone, tapered and bent at one corner and cream/off-white in colour.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1937.105Accession Date: 24 Mar 1937Description: 'Ōfa'i  tāviri. Grinding stone. A flat triangular stone, tapered and bent at one corner and cream/off-white in colour.

Description: Qato ni Gone. Small armlet consisting of fourteen perforated teeth of a cetacean strung onto a cotton cord. The teeth are off-white/beige in colour with globular white shapes, visible across most of the teeth.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1930.107Accession Date: 25 Mar 1930Description: Qato ni Gone. Small armlet consisting of fourteen perforated teeth of a cetacean strung onto a cotton cord. The teeth are off-white/beige in colour with globular white shapes,…

Description: Maka tau. Throwing stone. This large maka tau is made from poupou ana hifo mai luga (stalactite) and would have been used in war as a throwing weapon. When used during combat, it would be thrown at the enemy from as far away a distance as four meters. This maka tau is ovoid and egg shaped with some flattened sides or planes that also make it look slightly rectangular. It is light brown and greyish in colour. Its exterior surface has been ground smooth however some fine lines, cracks, and natural furrows or contours remain on the stone. The maka tau was often used as a defending weapon in combat and if thrown correctly, could do real damage and even cause death.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1931.580Accession Date: 16 Nov 1931Description: Maka tau. Throwing stone. This large maka tau is made from poupou ana hifo mai luga (stalactite) and would have been used in war as a throwing weapon. When used during…

Description: Ofa'i fa'ahoro. Stone sinker. This ofa'i fa'ahoro is ground and smoothed into a reel, with two bulbous forms and a central groove around the circumference. Porous surface. A shallow depression is visible at the top and the bottom of the ofa'i fa'ahoro. Grey in colour.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1931.533Accession Date: 19 Oct 1931Description: Ofa'i fa'ahoro. Stone sinker. This ofa'i fa'ahoro is ground and smoothed into a reel, with two bulbous forms and a central groove around the circumference. Porous surface. A…

Description: Bati ni Vuaka. Boar tusk. Circular in shape, tapering from the base end to a pointed end. Mostly white/ivory in colour with dark brown coloured markings. Plant fibre material is visible inside the tusk, visible from the base end.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYDescription: Bati ni Vuaka. Boar tusk. Circular in shape, tapering from the base end to a pointed end. Mostly white/ivory in colour with dark brown coloured markings. Plant fibre material…

Description: Bati ni Vuaka. Boar tusk. Circular, and in the shape of a spiral, tapering from the base end to a pointed end, and mostly cream in colour. Hollow inside tusk that is visible from the base end.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYDescription: Bati ni Vuaka. Boar tusk. Circular, and in the shape of a spiral, tapering from the base end to a pointed end, and mostly cream in colour. Hollow inside tusk that is visible…

Description: Pendants, whaletooth x 12, small units. Have holes drilled in base.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1983.76Accession Date: 31 May 1983Description: Pendants, whaletooth x 12, small units. Have holes drilled in base.

Description: Pendants, whaletooth x 12, small units. Have holes drilled in base.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1983.76Accession Date: 31 May 1983Description: Pendants, whaletooth x 12, small units. Have holes drilled in base.

Description: Katoua. Club. This is a large katoua, made of wood and is dual-purposed as a cleaver and spear. The cleaver and spear are at either end and the katoua is made to be held in the middle. The cleaver would be aimed forward and spear backwards, so that you can attack front opponent, but also attack behind opponents with the spear (Reference KH). The traditional purpose of such club is for intended bodily harm during combat however it is possible that this particular katoua was designed for dances such as takalo (war dance) and meke (drum dance). A great part of the cleaver half resembles a paddle blade from the centre of shaft by which it is smooth and rounded at the edges. The cleaver has a long and thin point as an extension from the blade. For the other half, the shaft centre narrows and becomes cylindrical, taking the form of a spear. The spear head is pointed, marked by a circumferential protrusion and a dull tip. This katoua is overall smooth and dark brown in colour by which appears to be of synthetic source. A range of cut marks and the likes are visible across the katoua surface, particularly chipped sections around the spear as well as three lengthways cracks across the shaft and spear. The spear head is thoroughly perforated with diamond patterns, a unique feature of this katoua.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Date: UnknownDescription: Katoua. Club. This is a large katoua, made of wood and is dual-purposed as a cleaver and spear. The cleaver and spear are at either end and the katoua is made to be held in…

Description: Breast ornament; tridacna shell disc with overlaid shape in turtle shell; shell currency discs on rolled fibre suspension cord; "Bought for Mabel at Santa Cruz, this day 13th July, 1869" written on in pencil. Great-grandfather of vendor was Robert Capel Tilly, Captain of the 'Southern Cross' mission ship. Mabel was his wife's sister.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1992.59Accession Date: 14 Feb 1992Description: Breast ornament; tridacna shell disc with overlaid shape in turtle shell; shell currency discs on rolled fibre suspension cord; "Bought for Mabel at Santa Cruz, this day 13th…

Description: Tiki ni Wasekaseka. Whale tooth. Narrow and curved in shape, with a pointed tip and a bored base. Ivory/off-white in colour.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1925.146Accession Date: 1925Description: Tiki ni Wasekaseka. Whale tooth. Narrow and curved in shape, with a pointed tip and a bored base. Ivory/off-white in colour.

Description: Bati ni Vuaka. Boar tusk, used as an integral part of dance, war, and ceremonial attire. Circular in shape, tapering from the base end to a pointed end. Muddy white/ivory in colour with brown visible across the top, and red and brown visible across the underside. Hollow inside the tusk, visible from the base end.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1925.92Accession Date: 30 Apr 1925Description: Bati ni Vuaka. Boar tusk, used as an integral part of dance, war, and ceremonial attire. Circular in shape, tapering from the base end to a pointed end. Muddy white/ivory in…

Description: Bati ni Vuaka. Boar tusk, used as an integral part of dance, war, and ceremonial attire. Circular in shape, tapering from the base end to a pointed end. Mostly white/ivory in colour with various tones of brown. There are two holes drilled near the base end. Solid grey/brown coloured substance inside the tusk, visible from base end.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1925.92Accession Date: 30 Apr 1925Description: Bati ni Vuaka. Boar tusk, used as an integral part of dance, war, and ceremonial attire. Circular in shape, tapering from the base end to a pointed end. Mostly white/ivory in…

Description: Bati ni Vuaka. Boar tusk, used as an integral part of dance, war, and ceremonial attire. Circular in shape, tapering from the base end to a pointed end. Mostly cream/ivory in colour with caramel brown across the inner side of tusk. There are two holes drilled near the base end, with a cord (possibly cotton), threaded through, with a braid woven from magimagi (coconut sennit) tied to the cotton cord. Solid substance inside the tusk, visible from base end.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1925.92Accession Date: 30 Apr 1925Description: Bati ni Vuaka. Boar tusk, used as an integral part of dance, war, and ceremonial attire. Circular in shape, tapering from the base end to a pointed end. Mostly cream/ivory in…

Description: Bati ni Vuaka. Boar tusk. Circular in shape, tapering from the base end to a pointed end. Mostly white/ivory in colour with black and brown visible near base end. Hollow inside the tusk, visible from the base end.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1925.92Accession Date: 30 Apr 1925Description: Bati ni Vuaka. Boar tusk. Circular in shape, tapering from the base end to a pointed end. Mostly white/ivory in colour with black and brown visible near base end. Hollow…

Description: Katoua. Club. This is a large katoua, made of wood and is dual-purposed as a cleaver and spear. The cleaver and spear are at either end and the katoua is made to be held in the middle. The cleaver would be aimed forward and spear backwards, so that you can attack front opponent, but also attack behind opponents with the spear (Reference KH). The traditional purpose of such club is for intended bodily harm during combat however it is possible that this particular katoua was designed for dances such as takalo (war dance) and meke (drum dance). A great part of the cleaver half resembles a paddle blade from the centre of shaft by which it is smooth and rounded at the edges. The cleaver a long and thin point as an extension from the blade. For the other half, the shaft centre narrows and becomes cylindrical, taking the form of a spear. The spear head is pointed, marked by a circumferential protrusion and a dull tip. This katoua is overall smooth and dark brown in colour by which appears to be of synthetic source. A brown commercial string is tied around the spear shaft.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Date: 1890Description: Katoua. Club. This is a large katoua, made of wood and is dual-purposed as a cleaver and spear. The cleaver and spear are at either end and the katoua is made to be held in…

Description: Maka tau. Throwing stone. This maka tau is made from poupou ana (limestone) and would have been used in war as a throwing weapon. When used during combat, it would be thrown at the enemy from as far away a distance as four meters. This maka tau is ovoid or egg-shaped, fitting comfortably within the palm of the hand. It has ends that taper slightly to rounded points however one of these points have been chipped off or gouged. It is off-white and milky in colour but riddled with fine lines and cracks. Its surface is otherwise very smooth and polished. The fine lines and markings are brown in colour and stand out against the milky whiteness of the limestone. The maka tau was often used as a defending weapon in combat and if thrown correctly, could do real damage and even cause death.

Collection: HUMAN HISTORYAccession Number: 1925.3Accession Date: 1925Description: Maka tau. Throwing stone. This maka tau is made from poupou ana (limestone) and would have been used in war as a throwing weapon. When used during combat, it would be thrown…