Fine Maori Wooden Canoe Bailer (Tiheru, Tata, Ta Wai) with Paua Shell Eyes

A FINE MAORI CANOE BAILER, TIHERU, FROM NEW ZEALAND. IN THE STYLE OF 19TH CENTURY BAILERS USED IN WAR CANOES. THE CURVED HANDLE TERMINATES IN A MANAIA LIKE HEAD ALSO WITH PAUA SHELL EYES. THE TOP BACK END IS DECORATED WITH A LARGE TIKI FACE WITH PAUA SHELL EYES AND OPEN MOUTH WITH TEETH. THE UNDERSIDE IS BEAR ONLY WITH AN OVAL INDENTED CARVED BASE WITH HANGING HOOK. 

MAORI BAILERS WERE MADE TO EMPTY THE WATER FROM THE BOTTOM OF LARGE WOODEN CANOES BUT ARE NOWADAYS ALSO SOLD AS A COLLECTABLE MAORI ARTIFACT IN THEIR OWN RIGHT.  MAORI CANOES OR WAKA VARIED IN SIZE BUT COLLECTABLE BAILERS ARE FROM LARGE WAR CANOES OR WAKA TUAU AND MOST ARE AROUND 40-60 CM IN LENGTH.  USED BAILERS SHOULD HAVE SOME SIGNS OF WEAR ON THE BOTTOM FROM USE.

INDIGENOUS MAORI WAR CANOE BAILERS ARE VERY VALUABLE AND SELLS FROM $2000 TO $50,000 DEPENDING ON THEIR AGE CONDITION AND DESIGN. SAMPLES ARE TO BE SEEN ON SOTHEBYS AND BOTHAMS.

Large bailers used for war canoes typically take the shape of a stylized human head. The bottom of the bailer ends in a mouth, with eyes positioned above and on either side. The handle extends from above the mouth, resembling an elongated nose, with the end often featuring intricate carving. The scoop of the bailer is designed to fit the shape of the canoes bilge, making it an efficient tool for bailing water.

Maori bailing devices are known byseveral different names tata, tiheru, and ta wai. This example is elaborately carved and adheres to the form of customary bailers, which is unique to Maori. Construction involved carving a single piece of wood to make a large hollowed scoop with a forward projecting handle. The bailing action was sometimes accompanied by an invocatory chant called a karakia tata.

Maori canoe bailers were associated with birds and manaia - strange beaked figures often identified as a sea monster, lizard, bird-man, ghostly spirit, symbol of mana power, or merely a human tiki. From the side the bailer looks like a floating seabird, the handle appearing like the neck and stylized head of a manaia. One of the primary roles of the Manaia is that of a guardian. It is believed to protect its wearer from harm and evil influences, acting as a spiritual shield. The Manaias bird-like head signifies its role as a messenger between the living and the dead, the natural and the supernatural. In this capacity, it carries prayers and messages to the gods, ancestors, and spiritual beings, ensuring that the spiritual needs of the living are communicated and that guidance is received from the other side.  

Paua shells are considered a treasure from the sea by the Maori people and played a significant role in pre-European Māori culture. According to mythology, the god Tangaroa created the paua with layers of blues, greens, and iridescent colors, a gift from the sea. The most prominent use of paua was for inlaying the eyes of carvings and wood art, to give them life-like glints and add to the beauty of the piece. 

A Maori wooden tiki mask represents Tiki, the first man in Māori myth, a guardian, a symbol of ancestral power (mana), and a connection to the spiritual realm. The tiki also serves as a conduit between the living and the deceased, embodying the mana (power or prestige) of ancestral lineage. Tikis are believed to protect the wearer and their home from evil spirits, offering a powerful spiritual presence. 

DIMENSIONS: 32CM LONG 18CM WIDE 13CM HIGH
CONDITION: IN GOOD CONDITION. 

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