Small patu bone carving. Small Maori patu

Description

Small patu bone carving. Patu (Mere, 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.

Size:

• 52mm x 26mm (2.05″x 1.02″)