| Native Name | Tekoteko |
| Object Number | P5003 |
| 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 wooden tekoteko (gable figure) with a complete wheku (carved face that depicts an ancestor) figure. The body is covered in rauponga (rows of dog tooth notches between parallel grooves and ridges). Around the mouth are pakati (parallel grooves) and spiral carvings. The mouth is open, and a five-fingered hand is pressed against it. The other hand is lying across the middle of the body. The back of the figure is flat. A tekoteko is a carved human figure, often representing an ancestor. It is typically placed on the gable of a wharenui (meeting house) and serves as a symbol of protection, identity, and ancestral presence. |
| Length | 69 cm |
| Width | 18 cm |
| Other Number | 30 - Other Number |
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