Unusual shield

Tu Tangata, Issue 13, 1 August 1983, Page 34

Unusual shield

A handsome carved shield, which takes two men to lift, has been completed in Taumaranui by the Kotahitanga Church Building Society and will be at stake during coming months for competition in Maori Cultural work.

But the shield has something special about it carved from totara, the log has been buried for untold numbers of years under sand and water at the mouth of the Wanganui River where it enters the sea.

The huge log was discovered by the firm of Bullocks at Wanganui which was given a contract to rim an under-water cable across the rivermouth.

The heavy machinery being used located the big log 15 metres under the water and it was necessary to use explosives to raise it to the surface.

A huge slab that was blown to the surface was drawn to the attention of the founder and director of Kotahitanga, Mr Alex Phillips, Taumarunui, who had it brought to him.

It was identified as totara but whereas the ordinary totara from the forest has a distinct red colouring this peice of timber has a matured dark brown colour. Mr Phillips has termed it “the totara of the underworld”.

The main figures on the face of the shield represent the Maori God of the Forest, Tane, flanked by two crouching warriers on guard. All have their taiaha weapons.

Circling the inner pattern are a series of manaia each connected to the next one to provide an example to all the tribal areas of N.Z. to join together.

The same theory is contained in the next circle a net that winds round the other figures a net to hold the people together.