Treasure Box

An oval wakahuia (treasure box) made of carved wood. The lid is undecorated. There are carved heads at either end of the box with their tongues extended. Underneath the heads are their bodies, extending to the bottom of the box. One figure is female, the other is male. Their hands are extended upwards and end in manaia (spiritual guardian). On the bottom of the box, there is unfinished surface decoration (dog-tooth notches and parallel ridges) begun on one side.

A wakahuia is a carved wooden box used to contain personal belongings that are important to the owner. These items were generally used for adornment and could be feathers that were used in the hair, pendants, combs, etc. Because the items kept within the wakahuia carried the mana of their owners and ancestors, the wakahuia itself became a sacred object, symbolising the transmission of identity and status. Wakahuia were typically suspended from the ceilings of Māori homes, signifying both protection and reverence for their contents. There was also a practical aspect of the box being suspended, as this meant that people could see the intricate carvings underneath. A wakahuia served not only a practical role but also a deeply spiritual one, preserving and honouring the mana of those who had come before.