Canoe Paddle

A wooden hoe (paddle) for a waka (canoe). A paddle with a straight handle and a knob at the end. The front side of the blade is carved with a wheku (carved face that depicts an ancestor) figure in the center, with a band of carving going from the eye to the point where it expands into a spade shape. Pakura (spiral crescent) decorative elements, with pāua (abalone) shell eyes. The reverse of the paddle is undecorated, with an 'RR' carved onto the surface. The whole paddle is carved in Bay of Islands style with steel tools.

Waka (canoes) are of central importance to Māori history and identity. Canoes were practical as they were necessary for trade, exploration, fishing, and warfare, but they were also symbols of Māori heritage. They represent the voyages that the ancestors undertook to migrate to and settle in New Zealand (Aotearoa) from their homeland. In Polynesian mythology, this homeland is called Hawaiki, the original home of all Polynesians. A waka is also vital to personal and community identity, as each iwi (Tribal Nation) is associated with a specific waka, which connects a person to their ancestors and land.