Name/Title
Aotearoa (New Zealand) LintelEntry/Object ID
MK_0329Description
One of a pair, this carved and pierced wooden lintel panel (pare) exemplifies the intricate artistry and deep cultural symbolism of Māori architecture and craftsmanship. At its centre stands a male figure, flanked by two stylised manaia, all carved in elegant curvilinear lines, with eyes inlaid with iridescent haliotis (pāua) shell.
Traditionally positioned above the doorway or window of a chief’s house, such panels marked thresholds both physical and spiritual. The central female figure, an anthropomorphised deity with protruding tongue and patterned lips representing tattooed detail, embodies protective and purifying powers believed to dispel negative forces and remove tapu (sacred) restrictions from those entering. In Māori belief, female energies balanced and safeguarded the sacred mana of the communal meeting house.
The designs are reflective of traditional styles. Decorations of Māori lintels were either painted or carved, and the figural motifs were highly conventionalized; anthropologists note that innovation was traditionally prohibited, with punishment as severe as execution sometimes meted out to carvers who deviated from the norm.
The richly carved pare also reflects the wider decorative traditions of Māori architecture, where every surface—from rafters and posts to wall panels—was adorned with symbolic imagery. This panel, a complete and distinguished example of its type, stands as a testament to the enduring vitality of Māori artistry and spiritual heritage.
Acquired for the Mauna Kea’s collection in 1965, when Laurance Rockefeller developed the hotel, it remains paired with its companion lintel in the resort’s collection. Both pieces were very recently restored.Made/Created
Place
Country
Aotearoa (New Zealand)Continent
OceaniaDimensions
Height
23 inLength
46-1/2 inLocation
* Untyped Location
3rd Floor South EndFloor
3rd FloorBuilding
Beach WingRoom
Kamani RoomBuilding
HBR Main TowerFloor
3rd FloorBuilding
Beach Wing