Vintage Maori Wakahuia Carved Hardwood Treasure Box With Inlaid Abalone Shell

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This is a hand-carved wooden clamshell shaped Maori Wakahuia treasure box (aka feather box) with beautiful patterns and inlaid with … Read more This is a hand-carved wooden clamshell shaped Maori Wakahuia treasure box (aka feather box) with beautiful patterns and inlaid with New Zealand Paua (abalone) shell. The ends of the box are carved in the shape of turtle heads. The turtle, or honu in the Māori language, holds great significance in Maori culture and Polynesian cultures in general. The inside of the box is also hand-carved. The bottom of the box is marked as "Carved in Rotorua, New Zealand". (One round abalone shell piece is missing from one side of the box, but cannot be seen from the other side.) Overall, the box is 15" wide, 5.5" deep, 3.5" high and weighs about 2 lb.

The word Wakahuia comes from the words “waka” meaning container or vessel and “huia” - huia bird (now extinct). Huia feathers were traditionally worn as a hair adornment by Maori of high status. These feathers were considered “tapu” or sacred because of contact with the head of such individuals. Wooden boxes were elaborately hand-carved to hold and protect the feathers as well as other taonga (treasures). The boxes and their contents were often given names, and were handed down through families. They were usually hung from rafters, for safe keeping.








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