| Native Name | Taurapa |
| Object Number | P2320 |
| Current Location | Collections Storage |
| Culture | Maori |
| Provenience | New Zealand |
| Period | Te Huringa I Period |
| Date Made | 1800 - 1900 CE |
| Section | Oceanian |
| Materials | Wood |
| Description | A taurapa (canoe stern post) of a waka (canoe) carved from one piece of wood. The principal design is takarangi/pitau carving, double interlocking spirals. Two curved ribs extend upwards from underneath a manaia (spiritual) figure, and up to a second manaia head. 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. |
| Length | 141 cm |
| Width | 38 cm |
| Credit Line | Purchased from W. O. Oldman; Subscription of Herbert L. Clark in memory of Edward W. Clark, 1911 |
| Other Number | 9547 - Dealer's Number |
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