Paepae & Perepere

Our province continues to yield many treasures from the swamps.  Only this year a farmer friend dug up a ceremonial bowl on a shaft.  Both items below were found similarly, the first one back in 1904.  Unusually both sets have ears.  Otherwise the spiderweb puwerewere decoration, serpentine look, and pointy heads are all distinctively from our region  Paepae typically adorns the front bench of the meeting house where the top dog speakers sit before oration.

This feminine Perepere would have been positioned in front of a storehouse.   Less fierce than many and with an almost a surprised look. The weather drove us into Puke Ariki our local excellent museum.