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GREENSTONE "HAND CLUBS"
(PATU POUNAMU)
MAORI CULTURE,
NEW ZEALAND
RETURN TO PAGE 1
COPYRIGHT
APRIL
30, 2013 PETER A. BOSTROM
Both of these patu
pounamu were probably made sometime in the 1900's. The larger mere on
the left is inscribed on one side in white ink with, "From New Zealand,
Matthew Cowley Missionary----1928-1952, Maori-Club." Mr. Cowley was a
Mormon missionary who was born in Idaho. He learned the Maori language
and wrote his diaries in Maori. His most remarkable achievement was a
revision of the Maori text of "The Book Of Mormon." He first arrived in
Auckland in 1914 and preached in a Mormon mission until 1919 when he
left to attend the George Washington law school. He later returned to
New Zealand in 1938 until 1945. He died in 1953. This patu pounamu
"club" may have been a gift for his time spent in New Zealand. This
"club" is made of a lighter color greenstone and it measures 16 7/16
inches (41.8 cm) long, 4 5/8 inches (11.8 cm) wide and 1/2 inch (1.2 cm)
thick at the center of the blade. The hole was drilled through from one
side in a non-traditional way. But it appears to have been done in a
primitive way that left ridges of rings on the surface of the interior wall.
The patu pounamu "club" on the right was made from a beautiful dark
green and semi-translucent colored greenstone. Although small, the hole
seems to have been drilled traditionally from both sides in an hourglass
shape. There is considerable damage on a large area of the end of the
blade that was restored. This "club" measures 11 11/16 inches (29.7 cm)
long, 3 5/8 inches (9.2 cm) wide, and 5/8 inch (1/6 cm) thick at the
center of the blade.
The Maori considered
greenstone the most highly prized of all stones. Their
most valued personal wealth was considered to be their worked and
unworked greenstone made into adzes, clubs and ornaments, plus finely
woven flax garments and canoes. Maori tradition developed a mythical origin
for greenstone and
a certain quality of life. A Maori named Te Otatu once remarked, "let
the gold be worked by the white man. It was not a thing known by our
ancestors. My only treasure is the pounamu (greenstone)." The stone has
been referred to as greenstone, nephrite, jade, jadeite, green talc, and bowenite, plus several native names. There are different types of New
Zealand greenstone. The hardest variety of nephrite was the most desired
for tools.
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