Pirori (cord drill)

Awiri or tuwiri (also known as the pirori) was a cord drill that Maori used to create holes in hard materials such as basalt, pounamu (New Zealand greenstone) or bone. The holes were made by applying downward pressure and a twirling motion by pulling cords, creating friction at the drill point to bore through solid material. Making holes in hard materials especially important in the manufacture of pounamu adornments and suspension holes in wrist weapons.

Components
There are fiveindividual components to a wiri: 1. the pou (central spindle); 2. the porotiti (circular whirl); 3. the mata (stone drill point); 4. the aho (dressed fibre cords); and 5. the haupae (balance weight of stones tied to the central pou to add additional downward pressure).

Unique to Maori
While there are different types of drills throughout the Pacific similar in style, cord drills were unique to Maori. They leave a signature suspension hole, identifiable by the hourglass-shaped hole through the drilled material.

Provenance
This drill was possibly recovered from a settlement on the East Cape of New Zealand by a collector before being acquired by Te Papa. It is in very good condition and a fine example of early technological innovation by Maori.