Maori God Stick (Whakapakoko Rākau), New Zealand, pre-1950

Oceania, New Zealand, Maori culture. A Maori god stick, or whakapakoko rākau (taura atua), a wooden peg surmounted by a carved human head and tapering to a point below. The face carries a broad brow, a flared nose, and lips drawn back over notched teeth, with inlaid shell eyes. Incised patterns, including chevrons, notching, and spirals, ornament the cheeks and jaw, while the lower shaft is smooth and rounded. Sculptures of this type served as temporary shrines for an atua (deity or ancestral spirit), summoned into the figure by a tohunga (priest) during ritual. The god stick was driven point-first into the earth, often bound with cord, and used in rites associated with healing, protection, and ceremony. The god stick occupies a distinctive place in Maori ritual practice. Unlike a permanent idol, it functioned as a provisional vessel: the atua was not thought to reside within the wood continuously but was drawn into it for the duration of a rite. During invocation the tohunga would bind the figure with a cord of dressed flax, chanting karakia (incantations) to summon the deity's presence. Once the ceremony concluded, the object reverted to ordinary tapu-charged wood. The pointed lower shaft allowed the stick to be planted upright in the ground of a sacred precinct, so that the carved head, the seat of mana, stood at the level of the celebrant. Parts from certain animal species including nacre shell may require an additional license upon import into another country due to legislation relating to endangered species and environmental conservation. If you are not sure whether CITES rules apply to your item, please see the CITES Appendices. Item # 203997

Estimate:$1,800

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