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Rei Niho are ancient pre-European style artefacts found on archaic archaeological sites through out New Zealand. The People that carved them are known in archaeological terms as "The Moa Hunters" and are referred to as the people who first settled in New Zealand in around 1000 to 1100 AD and are some of the ancient ancestors of Maori. They left us some of their culture in the form of art such as the Rei Niho, Mau Kaki and Rock Paintings more common in South Island cave shelters. In Maori language Rei Niho literally means tooth necklace, this is because they were originally made from whales teeth. But they are far from just a tooth, they display some of the best and finest carving in ivory known today. |
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This style has links back to eastern Polynesia or Hawaiki the Maori home-land. The form can be seen in Marquesan ornaments, also in it's Hawaiian namesake 'Lei Niho'. Rei Niho in their era, are predecessor to the Hei Tiki. Phil is trying to revive the ancient art of carving and is wearing these treasures from a time that is hard to imagine. "We can only experience the feeling of this time through the art and style left to us from the people that lived here when rays from the rising sun hit Aotearoa".
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Features a 3-dimensional Kaka Parrot with inlayed paua shell eyes.This style has links back to Hawaiki the Maori Island home land.
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Features three small kaka parrots with inlayed paua shell eyes.This style has links back to Hawaiki the Maori Island home land.
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In the style of ancient pre-European whale ivory artefacts found on archaic archaeological sites through out New Zealand. This style has links back to Hawaiki the Maori Island home land.
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