![cover image](https://wikiwandv2-19431.kxcdn.com/_next/image?url=https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/TaiahaPosition4.jpg/640px-TaiahaPosition4.jpg&w=640&q=50)
Taiaha
Close-quarters Māori weapon / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A taiaha (Māori pronunciation: [ˈtaiaha]) is a traditional weapon of the Māori of New Zealand; a close-quarters staff weapon made from either wood or whalebone, and used for short, sharp strikes or stabbing thrusts with efficient footwork on the part of the wielder.[1]
![Thumb image](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/46/TaiahaPosition4.jpg/320px-TaiahaPosition4.jpg)
Taiaha are usually between 5 and 6 feet (1.5 and 1.8 m) in length. It has three main parts; the arero (tongue), used for stabbing the opponent and parrying; the upoko (head), the base from which the tongue protrudes; and the ate (liver) or tinana (body), the long flat blade which is also used for striking and parrying.[2]
![Thumb image](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cc/RangiHiroa1930s.jpg/320px-RangiHiroa1930s.jpg)
![Thumb image](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/D%C3%A9tail_d%27un_taiaha.jpg/640px-D%C3%A9tail_d%27un_taiaha.jpg)