Oceanic Wooden Maori Walking Stick Tokotoko

NEW ZEALAND, EARLY 20TH CENTURY A.D.

36 7/8 in. (545 grams, 93.8 cm).

Carved with a seated tiki and two kneeling tiki figures, with inset abalone shell eyes and bands of linear and notch carving, the pear-shaped handle with a metal plaque inscribed: 'J.L. LD. N.Z. 1903'.

Provenance

From the collection of Mr Carlos Bahamonde, Manchester, UK.

Literature

Cf. a similar walking stick or orator’s staff (tokotoko) in the Royal Trust collection, inv.no. RCIN 69421.

Footnotes

A tokotoko is a traditional Māori carved ceremonial walking stick, and a symbol of authority and status for the speaker holding it. The tokotoko were beautifully carved. The most elaborate, like this one, shows a well-nourished, naked Paikea-type male ﬁgure lying ﬂat, with his legs in the air to form a handle. The sticks have two distinctive female faces further down, one with a moko on the lips and the other with a moko kauae. All faces have pāua-shell eyes. The body of the tokotoko is intricately carved with a three-dimensional curved shape. It is less than a metre in length, pointing to its use as a ‘talking stick’ rather than an aid to walking.

CONDITION

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LOT 2759