Maori Paddle

Carved Wooden Dance Paddle

This paddle of finely carved wood has a fine, deep patina and almost certainly dates to the late nineteenth century. It combines elements of early nineteenth (and earlier) canoe paddles with later elements and so is likely to be have served as a ceremonial or dance paddle. Indeed, such dance paddles are lighter than canoe paddles to better serve that purpose.

It is carved with motifs on both sides. The flatter side is decorated in the more sedate manner of traditional paddles from the nineteenth and eighteenth centuries. It is carved in low relief with

kowhaiwhai and pitau markings reminiscent of the moko decoration that Maori elders had tattooed on their faces.

The other side of the paddle is decorated in fine, high relief with two

tiki figures, one carved above the other, and with both having one eye closed and the other open (marked with haliotis shell disks), and the lower one carved with a protruding tongue. Their bodies comprise a series of rauponga spirals

Paddles that served a true utilitarian function to propel a canoe rather than being used for ceremonial or dance purposes tended to have only the low relief (or similar decoration but painted) as seen on the flatter side of this paddle.

The handle has two plain grips and two areas of fine, ribbed carving.

The paddle is in fine condition. There are some thin, age-related cracks and some minor fitting to the extremities. The item was acquired in the UK and most probably has been in the UK since colonial times.

See Conru (2007) for an almost identical example also attributed to circa 1880.

Conru, K., Rarities: Art from the Pacific Islands, Conru, 2007.

Kaeppler, A. L.,

Polynesia: The Mark and Carolyn Blackburn Collection of Polynesian Art, University of Hawaii Press, 2010.

Starzecka, D. C., R. Neich & M. Pendergrast,

The Maori Collections of the British Museum, British Museum Press, 2010.

UK art market