Taiaha

The taiaha is a traditional close-quarters staff weapon of the Maori people of New Zealand, made from wood or whalebone and typically five to six feet long. It has three working parts: the upoko, or head, carrying a carved arero, or tongue, used for stabbing and parrying; the ate or tinana, the gripped body of the shaft; and the rau, a flattened blade used for striking. It was wielded with short, sharp strikes or stabbing thrusts backed by quick footwork, and its use as a weapon of war declined after European contact introduced firearms, though it survives today in Maori martial training, ceremonial welcomes, and kapa haka performance. This description is adapted from Wikipedia contributors under CC BY-SA 4.0; changes were made. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/