Walking Stick

Orator's Staff

A tokotoko (walking stick) made of one piece of wood. The upper and lower halves of the walking stick are undecorated. The middle of the tokotoko has one wheku (carved face that depicts an ancestor) figure, a background of triangular rauponga (rows of dog tooth notches between parallel grooves and ridges). The wheku figure has their hands on their knees, and pāua (abalone) shell eyes.

A tokotoko is a walking stick that is both practical and symbolic in Māori culture. It is commonly used by elders and orators during speeches, particularly on the marae (sacred place), where it signifies the speaker’s right to speak and their connection to whakapapa (genealogy/identity). It can also be used as support when walking.