Timo (grubber)

Ornamental carving based on the timo garden tool. Carved naturalistic tattooed male head on handle. Outside bend of curved handle has a stylised figure with incised kowhaiwhai design below. Raranga (plaited) flax fibre on handle; inlaid paua shell in figures eyes.

Timo, also known as timotimo, or tima were used as grubbers for loosening soil. They were often carved from the branch attachment to the trunk of a tree, with a flattened blade and a round handle. Some timo were made to form a straight right angle from a selectively chosen forked-branch, their peculiarity lies in the length of the blade, being the same or longer, than the handle.

The timo could be used effectively in a crouching position, and loosened soil too hard to be worked by a broad-bladed tool.