Model War Canoe (waka taua)

This intricately carved model of a "waka taua" (war canoe) demonstrates the elegance of Maori ocean vessels. Maori communities presented small scale models of canoes as gifts to important visitors to Aotearoa during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Capable of carrying up to 100 warriors using paddles or sails, full-scale war canoes were the largest and most important of the various watercraft built by the Maori. The bow, stern, and strakes were carved separately and bound together to form a sleek, efficient sea-going vessel. When not in use, a "waka taua" was unlashed and dismantled, the carved components removed, and the hull protected from the elements in a special structure built near the water’s edge.