A Trip to Australia and New Zealand
Auckland - War Memorial Museum
The Maori were formidable warriors and Maori history is replete with numerous battles and skirmishes between various Maori tribes and between Maori warriors and European soldiers. Before the arrival of Europeans with muskets, the Maori fought hand to hand with stone age weapons and the wooden shield was a basic part of a warrior's equipment kit. As can be seen here they came in all shapes and sizes and each was distinctive. The owner of a given shield could easily be identified on the field of battle or in a ceremony leading up to conflict. Depending on the individual's prestiege within the community, the shield might well be a symbol of authority and political power.
