A fantastic Arero Upoko hand carved from a gorgeous piece of Marsden Flower Pounamu, with rich green colour and creamy gold flower at the tip and hung on a beautiful Sterling Silver bail with Korus. A wonderful taonga
Arero(tongue) and Upoko (head) are key anatomical terms for the distinctive carved ends of the taiaha, a traditional Māori long fighting staff, representing the weapon's aggressive, alert nature for striking and defence in close combat, with the upoko often featuring carved faces and the arero a protruding tongue.
Upoko(Head): One end of the taiaha, carved to resemble a head with faces on both sides, symbolizing awareness. Arero (Tongue): A protruding tongue shape at the end of the upoko, used for quick, sharp thrusts and jabs in battle. Alertness & Power: The upoko and arero signify vigilance and aggression, reflecting the weapon's use in ancient Māori martial arts (mau taiaha). Spiritual Symbolism: The tongue (arero) can also symbolize the power of words, capable of both creation and destruction
Taiaha
is a traditional weapon of the Māori of New Zealand; a close-quarters staff weapon made from either wood or whalebone, and used for short, sharp strikes or stabbing thrusts with efficient footwork on the part of the wielder. are usually between 5 and 6 feet (1.5 and 1.8 m) in length and often have a pounamu greenstone-tipped blade at one end. It has three main parts; the arero (tongue), used for stabbing the opponent and parrying; the upoko (head), the base from which the tongue protrudes; and the ate (liver) or tinana (body), the long flat blade which is also used for striking and parrying. The Taiaha is a symbol of valour and strength
Marsden Putiputi (Flower)
Pounamu from the Marsden, West Coast area. The centre of this stone is a highly translucent, light-ish green shade, free from dark spots and other flaws. One of the rarest varieties, held in high esteem by the Māori. The most prized Greenstone in New Zealand is Flower Jade, Greenstone with pale green or ochre clouds of colour. This distinctive patterning and colouring come from the outside rim or 'rind' of the greenstone boulders or stones where the surface has oxidised.
Hand Carved by Andy Ruskin & Gilt
Dimension 96mm long x 16mm wide x 8mm thick Total length 102mm
This will be the exact piece you will receive in the photos. There may be a slight degree of colour variation based on different computer or device screen resolutions that you are viewing from.
