Search results

Start typing

photograph of current display in the Grand Vestibule
Grand Vestibule: The British Monarchy and the World

The Grand Vestibule at Windsor Castle reflects interaction between the monarchy and the wider world

MAORI

Kapua Whakarito (Budding Cloud)

RCIN 37065

Maori hand clubs, called patu, are typically carried in a warrior's flax belt. They were used for close hand-to-hand combat and wielded with a series of thrusting and cutting strokes. They are made from a range of materials, including whalebone and wood. Patu made from New Zealand nephrite, like this one, are known as mere pounamu. They are treasured heirlooms, passed down by successive chiefs and inheriting their mana or authority. This example has particular significance: having been used to fight the British during the New Zealand Wars (1845–72), it was sent to Queen Elizabeth II by Chief Paora Rerepu Te Urupu as a symbol of reconciliation in 1964.


    The income from your ticket contributes directly to The Royal Collection Trust, a registered charity. The aims of The Royal Collection Trust are the care and conservation of the Royal Collection, and the promotion of access and enjoyment through exhibitions, publications, loans and educational activities.