Carved Wheku Mask 20.5cm by Derek Drewry queenstown nz Timbers in the ruler:

Timbers in the ruler:

Pūtātara were used to communicate over distances and were treasured as heirlooms by chiefly families

Before humans arrived it was common throughout New Zealand’s forests

Mau Taringa are gifts for those we care for

Carved Wheku Mask 20.5cm by Derek Drewry queenstown nz Timbers in the ruler:Handcarved by Derek Drewry Ngati Te Rangi Iwi NZ Totara wood 13cm x 20. 5cm x 4cm The wheku (gable mask) sits below the tekoteko (standing figure) on the top of a whare nui (meeting house). The mask can be related to an important ancestor of the house or be symbolic of a story relating to the origins of the carving. A wheku in your home can be seen as a guardian role, with tongue thrust out to challenge whoever enters a room or dwelling.