Standing Artwork - Wheku
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$123.48
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$123.48
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- Regular Price
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- Sale Price
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It is important to note that the figures in Māori carving, with rare exceptions, are not religious, but secular. They do not represent idols, but renowned ancestors (tipuna) of the tribe.
The Wheku as found at the apex of the gable on the front of the large carved house symbolises an important ancestor whom the house was named. The house itself represents his body. The sloping bargeboards being his arms (maihi), the rafters (heke) being his ribs and inside being his stomach or bosom (pohō).
The head is usually represented on its own with no part of the body visible. In old houses it is actually carved on the projecting end of ridgepole (tahuhu), and the body of the figure will be seen on the ridgepole.
There are many tribal variations in how the head in Māori carving are: Wheku, the Koruru and the Ruru, each distinguished by the shape around the eyes.
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INTERNATIONAL DELIVERIES
Online orders are dispatched Monday to Friday.
Allow 5 - 10 business days for international deliveries.
Once your order has been collected by our courier, you’ll be notified via email and provided a tracking number. All orders/parcels are labelled as a “signature required” courier service for security purposes.
For full delivery details read our shipping terms.
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