Te Wheke o Muturangi was the pet octopus of a great tohunga (priest) Muturangi, in Hawaiki. Kupe hunted the giant octopus to avenge the theft of fish. The chase and battles eventually led them across the ocean Te Moananui-a-kiwa to Aotearoa, where Kupe defeated Te Wheke in the Cook Strait.
This piece represent the epic battle between Kupe and Te Wheke o Muturangi. The design and proportions express the over whelming challenges, but also the fortitude and strength to rise up and prevail.
Wahaika: short club-like weapon for hand-to-hand combat, named for its hook-like shape resembling a fish's mouth. Waha - mouth, ika - fish.
