Matau (Fish hook)

Matau. Fish hook. Matau is very small in size, carved from light colour parau (mother of pearl shell) ground down to form shank. Matau nio (hook point) is carved from amber coloured shell, curved. Two drilled holes at base of nio. Snood looped through drilled hole at nio. Both the hackle and taura tautai (fishing line) are made of twine.