Māori Short Club, New Zealand Aotearoa

Acquired by the present owner at an English country auction some years ago

This short club is a patu onewa; in Māori patu is a general term for club, whilst onewa refers to the greywacke or basalt from which the club is made. All varieties of patu are designed to deliver a one-handed jabbing stroke aimed at the lower edge of the ribs, the lower jaw, or the temple, the blow being struck with the distal end of the club.