Maori Treasure Box

Maori Treasure Boxes, known as 'wakahuia' or 'papahou', are ornately carved wooden containers traditionally crafted by Māori artisans of Aotearoa New Zealand to store precious personal adornments such as huia feathers and greenstone pendants. These objects represent a fusion of functional craft and sacred art, featuring intricate curvilinear 'kōwhaiwhai' and 'pakura' surface carvings that encode genealogical and spiritual significance. Appearing regularly at major auction houses including Christie's and Sotheby's, these taonga (treasures) are among the most sought-after examples of indigenous Pacific art.