Waka Huia (Treasure Box)

This box was used to store taonga (precious objects). Designed to be suspended from the ceiling, its entire surface is decorated with motifs comprising a series of pakati (notches) bordered by parallel haehae (grooves). This combination is characteristic of Māori sculpture and can take a number of forms. Rauru spirals and bands of whakarare (a word meaning “distort” or “confuse”) are seen here. Such motifs are not simply decorative: their aesthetic quality can, among other things, win the favour of ancestors, and in turn make the object more effective.