Mere (Patu, Waihaka)

The mere is a hand club, carved out of bone, wood or pounamu (greenstone). The mere is carried in the warrior's flax belt.

The Mere was a treasured Heirloom, passed from Generation to Generation and usually only Chiefs of high standing possessed them. They were lethal in the hands of a competent warrior, and a Chief would rather be killed by his own Mere, than lose his life to anothers in times of capture.

Nowadays the mere symbolises the facing and overcoming of life's challenges and difficulties.

• facing and overcoming of challenges
• facing and overcoming of difficulties

real-size mere