Contemporary Maori art. Framed Maori fishhook carving, small.

Description

Te matau a Maui – the fishhook of Maui

Contemporary Maori art, Maori design, crafted from plantation grown gaboon using laser technology. This piece of art boasts super fine detail, paua inlay and is mounted on an earth toned background inside a custom glass covered shadow box frame. Each piece is individually signed by our Maori artist Mike Carlton and comes complete with wall mount and related story to back.

• Overall size: 126mm x 161mm x 26mm (4.96″ x 6.34″ x 1.02″)
• comes with wall mount and back stand
• description at the back of the frame

In ancient Maori folklore the exploits of Maui (half God / half man) stand unrivaled.

On one such adventure Maui stowed away in the waka (Maori canoe) when his four older brothers departed on a fishing expedition. When they were far from land, Maui revealed himself and convinced his brothers to paddle further out to the deepest sea where the fish would be in abundance.

With his enchanted fish hook which he had fashioned from the jawbone of his great grandmother, with its paua (abalone) shell eyes to see in the depths of the sea and a tuft of dog hair to keep the hook warm in the freezing depths and to retain the scent of the bait (blood from his nose) Maui cast his fishing line.

As soon as his hook descended to the ocean floor it was devoured by a giant fish. The ocean foamed and boiled as Maui struggled with all his strength to land the fish. Finally the fish yielded and floated to the surface.

Te Ika-a-Maui (the fish of Maui), more commonly known as the North Island of Aotearoa (New Zealand) had arisen in the South Pacific Ocean. Te Waka a Maui (the canoe of Maui) is known as the South Island and Stewart Island is Te Punga a Maui (Maui’s anchor).

Source: Mike Calton – Maori artist