Hand Club

A mere pounamu (greenstone hand club) made from tangiwai (a type of greenstone). Long, flat, teardrop-shaped with rounded edges; a knob at one end pierced for a wrist cord (tau).

A mere pounamu is a highly valued one-handed weapon. Featuring a sharp, striking edge, mere were used for cutting and stabbing rather than hitting, as when blocked by another weapon, they could break. As the creation of a mere would be a long process, and a mere was highly treasured, care was taken to avoid breaking one. Originally used in hand-to-hand combat, mere pounamu were both practical weapons as well as symbols of chieftainship. Passed down through generations, they were often given names and were thought to have their own mana (status/power).