Adzes (toki in Te Reo Māori) are a type of stone tool used by Māori and other Pacific cultures.
Toki were usually hafted to a wooden handle or kakau. Hafted toki are known as toki taraī. Toki were attached to the handle using lashing woven from prepared plant fibres, such as harakeke (New Zealand flax). These tools were usually used for woodcutting tasks, including wood felling, carving, and making waka.
Ceremonial toki were endowed with high mana and not used for everyday tasks. Ceremonial toki had elaborately carved handles, which could also be decorated with kurī (dog) fur or feathers. Hei toki were small ornamental toki worn around the neck.
Brought to Aotearoa through the ancestral knowledge of Polynesian stone workers, the study of Toki has been critical for studying population migration. The variability in function and design features between different artefacts tell researchers a story of resource availability, manufacture development, innovation, and pre-industrial technology.
Toki are typically found in archaeological sites in various stages of manufacture or repair, rarely discoverable as complete, unused objects. Instead, unmodified and fully finished Toki are mainly found in caches or burial sites. The frequent repairs and modifications made to Toki, evidenced in archeological record, highlight the value of the stone and the effort dedicated to their crafting: an investment not lightly thrown away.
The production of Toki involved several intricate steps, starting with the extraction of stone blanks, followed by flaking (whāwhā) and hammer dressing (paopao) and, for materials like Pounamu, sawing was necessary. The process concluded with the abrading and polishing of the Toki using hoanga.
Aotearoa's unique geological origins from the continental crust provided a more diverse array of stone sources for Toki manufacture compared to other Pacific regions. With a plethora of igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks available, this resource variety enabled the creation of a diverse range of Toki, each with unique properties.
The stones chosen for Toki in Aotearoa were specifically selected for their toughness, hardness, and workability. Among the most favoured sources were Motutapu greywacke, Tahanga basalt, Nelson/D’Urville Island metasomatized argillite, Southland/Murihiku argillite, and Pounamu.