A "TAIAHA."

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1684, 26 February 1913, Page 6

A "TAIAHA."

PRESENTED TO THE PRIME MINISTER. A memento which Iho Prime Minister brought back with him'from his rcccnt northern tour is a 'taiaha, which was presented to him at Rotorua by the chief, Mita Taujiopola'. 'Jlio taiaha is a staff of hard but not very heavy wood. It was used as (i weapon in much the samo i"ai;iion ns English yeomen at bno timo used the quarter-staff. The specimen presented to Mr. Massay lias a history. Tradition states that it was the property of and was named after Awliituri, tlw great-greatgrandfather of Mita Taupopolti; Th-s latter clnijns descent from Rangitihi through WahiaO.'tlic brother of Hinemoa, as is shown in tho following genealogy supplied to Mr. Massey by Captain Gilbert Mail':— Rangitihi. Tultournngi. ' i Tnkctakehikuroo. ' : <' Tul't'a. ' : i . , , Umukaria — Hinemaru. \ 'Waliiao . Hinemoa - Tutanckal. Tc Anu Mntdo,'' To .A 1110. . Awhiluri - To Ipu. ' i-. Waiata - Tanwwhnrnro. To Whareircf ~ Ivohuru. - ■ Homano. ... ; Mita Taupopoki, , Wahioo and Hinemoa brother am! sister. 'J'lio symbol — signifies "married." Awhiluri taial'.a has no doubt crackod a few crowns, ill its day. It is a. weapon'of simple design,. At one end it terminates in a .carved tongue. At tho base of the tonguo . is: a ring of wood studded with points to ..represent a pair of lips* and teeth. Just Ijclow tlio'wooden ring tlio staff is decorated with a" flowing tassel of coloured'flax fibre,