1886.1.1157

Collection type

Object

Description

Carved wooden paddle with flat, pointed leaf-shaped blade. Two sections of carving, one just above the blade and one mid-handle. [MOBB 2/7/2019]

Geographical reference

New Zealand

Oceania > Australia and New Zealand > New Zealand

Cultural groups

Māori

Person

Field collector Someone on board the HMS Endeavour (1768-1771)

Field collector HMS Endeavour

PRM source Ashmolean Museum, University of Oxford

Date / Period

Date made: Before 12/10/1769?, uncertain

Date collected

By 1878

Acquisition information

Transferred: 10/02/1886

Materials and processes

Material Wood Plant, Process Carved

Dimensions

Length: max 1670 mm

Object numbers

Accession number: 1886.1.1157 Other numbers: 1078 31

Research and responses

* There is a note in the Ramsden collectors volume stating 'Retrospective numbers written in pencil down left hand column June 1975 E.S.G. Collated with A.M. but considerable problems encountered. All Ramsden seem to be in A.M.' Note that this exercise may have been the source of the confusion that occurred during Elizabeth Sandford Gunn's work on the Ashmolean collection with regard to numbers. In some instances, these numbers SEEM to have been used to number the objects (wrongly). [AP 15/7/99]

This paddle and 1886.1.1158 were examined by Steve Gibbs (Associate Professor, Toikhoukura - School of Contemporary Maori Visual Arts) on 5 June 2017. He made the following observations: That both paddles are most likely carved from Totara wood, a native New Zealand redwood used in carving. There is no painting on the blade of either paddle and no traces of pigment to suggest there ever was. Both paddles were designed to be used to paddle a war canoe (to pull water) and to be used in combat. He thought 1886.1.1157 unusual, possibly a later copy? But carrying the same tribal design systems. He had not seen the 'x' carvings on any other paddles he had seen during his research but thought that they could possibly be the marking system of the paddle's owner (or placed on the paddle by traders). The carving of the Manaia; a tribal motif that is one of the key links that ties all of these Hoe waka to the same event and location of creation, was carved with stone tools and is where the paddle was gripped for paddling. The carving makes the grip grippier when wet. However, on 1886.1.1157, the carving would not have worked to make the grip gripper in the same way and so perhaps this paddle was intended more for ceremony? These hoe waka (canoe paddles) are associated with an event that took place at 3 p.m. on 12 October 1769, the first peaceful exchange of items with Maori off a place located south of Gisborne (Turanganui-a-kiwa), Whareongaonga is the name of this natural deep sea port south of Turanganui-a-kiwa. The Maori who occupied this region at that time were known as Ngai Tahupo and Rangi-i-waho who occupied the land near Whareongaonga during this time. The paddles were exchanged in the ritual of gifting ‘Takoha' (to gift). [FB 5/6/2017]

In a note to Jeremy Coote written immediately after his visit to the PRM on 5 June 2017, Steve Gibbs writes: 'My immediate impression would be that both 'Hoe Waka' belong to the same set that was traded/gifted to Cook/Tupaia in 1769 off Whareongaonga (south of Gisborne). They have the same blade design and carry the carved manaia form. Neither have remnants of painting on the blade - which is similar to the How Waka that is in Sunderland Museum.' (Original in RDF.) [JC 7 6 2017]

Search terms: Navigation, Paddle