Story: Traditional Māori games – ngā tākaro

Tīpao – a stone throwing device

Tīpao – a stone throwing device

Among Ngāti Porou the word tīpao was applied to a number of throwing devices used in games. The illustration shows a stone-throwing tīpao made from a green stick of tītoki (Alectryon excelsus) with a cord attached. Other forms of tīpao included slings, also called kōtaha or maka, which appear to have been used for games rather than in warfare. A child's version of tīpao involved throwing potatoes with stick-and-cord device.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand
Reference: Elsdon Best, Games and pastimes of the Maori. Wellington: Government Printer, 1925

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How to cite this page:

Ross Calman, 'Traditional Māori games – ngā tākaro - Athletic pursuits', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/object/39340/tipao-a-stone-throwing-device (accessed 30 March 2024)

Story by Ross Calman, published 5 Sep 2013