Maori Hand Clubs

Maori hand clubs (Mere) were used with one hand and were carried into battle usually carried stuck in the back of the belt or girdle (tatua). All short hand weapons were attached to the wrist by means of a cord of plaited fibre of the harakeke (phormium tenax). They are one of the most easily recognizable native weapons from the south pacific.

Patu
Stone Patu Onewa
Patu have an average length of about thirteen inches. They are a double edged weapon and were made of hard volcanic stone patu onewa, greenstone patu pounamu or the jaw bone of a sperm whale patu paraoa. At later times they were even made from iron patu pora. They were never made from wood.

Making stone Patu with Neolithic tools was hugely time consuming. As a result they were prized Maori weapons.