A patu is a club or pounder used by the Māori. The word patu in the Māori language means to strike, hit, beat, kill or subdue.
Weapons
These types of short-handled clubs were mainly used as a striking weapon. The blow administered with this weapon was a horizontal thrust straight from the shoulder at the enemy's temple. If the foe could be grasped by the hair then the patu would be driven up under the ribs or jaw. Patu were made from hardwood, whale bone, or stone. The most prestigious material for the patu was
pounamu (greenstone). Māori decorated the patu by carving into the wood, bone or stone.
Types of patu include:
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patu pounamu or mere: made from pounamu (greenstone).
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patu onewa: made of stone. These resemble the mere in outline but thicker, because the stone used was more easily broken than the resilient pounamu.
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patu paraoa: made of whale bone
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patu tawaka and patuki: made from wood. Other styles of short-handled wooden clubs include the kotiate and wahaika.
Less traditional is the rare
patu pora, made from iron
[ "Paya pora" , Journal of the Polynesian Society, volume 39, 1930] and the hatchet or whaling harpoon heads (
pātītī).
The patu normally has "a round or rectangular hole in the handle for the tau, or wrist cord".
Pounders
Types of nonweapon patu include:
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patu muka: a pounder used to soften Phormium (muka) in preparation for weaving.
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patu aruhe: a pounder used to break up edible fern roots for food.
==Gallery==
See also
External links
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Mere pounamu in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
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Patu onewa in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
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Patu paraoa in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
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Patu muka in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
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Patu aruhe in the collection of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
