Mere (weapon)
| Mere (weapon) | |
|---|---|
.jpg)
|
|
| Information | |
| Weapon type: | Striking weapon, professional weapon, ceremonial weapon |
| Designations: | Mere, Patu |
| Use: | Club |
| Region of origin / author: |
New Zealand , Māori |
| Distribution: | New Zealand |
| Overall length: | about 25 cm to 50 cm |
| Blade width: | about 7 cm to about 15 cm |
| Handle: | jade |
| Particularities: | other materials: whale bones , hardwood , stone |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Mere ( Maori. ) ˈMɛrɛ, also Pata , Mere Pounamu . Merermere , Patu Paraoa or Patu Pounamu , is a striking weapon and a trademark of the Māori in New Zealand.
description
A mere is shaped like a spatula or a leaf . The naming is different from tribe to tribe, with some tribes the name Pata is more common. The handle of a mere is made narrower than the hammer. The striking piece is slightly oval and has sharp edges. At the end of the handle there is a hole that can be used to attach a lanyard or rope to prevent the weapon from being lost in combat. The length and width vary depending on the version. There are meren , the length of which differs greatly from the usual dimensions. These are used for ceremonial purposes instead of fighting, as their weight and dimensions would make them unsuitable for combat use.
materials
Meren are made from different materials: jade (māori: pounamu ), whale bones , hardwood or types of stone. The name of the mers is based on the type of materials from which they are made.
- Jade: Mere Pounamu , Patu Pounamu
- Whale bones: Patu Paraoa
- Hardwood: Mere Rakau , Meremere
- Stone: Patu Onewa
Manufacturing
The stone blocks from which the mere are made are carefully selected so that cracks or incorrect colors are excluded. After a rough cut, the blanks are ground into shape with the help of quartz sand and sandstone blocks . The production time varies depending on the material; the jade versions can take several years to manufacture and polish .
function
Meren were used as a weapon in combat. Due to their material, the processing and the edge retention of jade they are serious weapons that can cause severe injuries, especially in the skull area . In the fight, the most sensitive parts of the body such as the head, neck and arms were beaten. In contrast to other club shapes, the hit with the mere is not performed from top to bottom, but rather pushing forward. For transport it was tucked into a folded fold of the warrior's belt.
The Mere Pounamu were also used as a ceremonial or professional weapon . For the chiefs (Rangatira) of the Māori it is considered a sign of their leadership. They are said to have special powers and spiritual power ( mana ). It was a kind of honor for warriors to be killed by a mere . Particularly valuable pieces are passed on in the family through the line of succession. Some pieces that served their owner as grave goods were later removed from the grave.
Literature and Sources
- British Museum. Trustees: The British museum quarterly, Vols 10-12 , Trustees of the British Museum, 1935, 174
- Elsdon Best : The Māori as he was: a brief account of Māori life as it was in pre-European days. RE Owen, Govt. Printer, 1952
- Elsdon Best: Forest lore of the Maori: with methods of snaring, trapping, and preserving birds and rats, uses of berries, roots, fern-root, and forest products, with mythological notes on origins, karakia used, etc. Te Papa Press , 2005, ISBN 978-1-877385-01-8
- Richard Wolfe: With Honor - Our Nation, Our Army, Our History: New Zealand's History Told Through the Collections of the QEII Army Museum. Penguin Group New Zealand, 2007, ISBN 978-0-670-04565-5
- Makereti Papakura : The Old-Time Maori. Pomona Press, 2008, ISBN 978-1-4437-3423-3
- Peter Fraser: Te rangi hiroa: the coming of the Maori. 1949
- Work on jade from the University of Texas
- Robley Horatio Gordon: Pounamu. Notes on New Zealand Greenstone. Guilford, London 1915, pp. 31–38 ( archive.org )
Web links
- Mere in the British Museum, London
- Mere in the New Zealand Museum