Image
The elegantly shaped pouwhenua is a highly effective weapon in the hands of a skilled user. Its rau (blade) is larger and heavier than that of a taiaha, and the opposite end tapers to a stabbing point. This 19th-century example has a small area of fine carving beneath the rau.
Using this item
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Reference: WE000906
Permission of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa must be obtained before any re-use of this image.