Rākau sticks

This set of six carved rākau sticks feature a tekoteko form at the top with inlaid paua eyes, and were used by Girl Guides.

The Girl Guides incorporated various aspects of Te Ao Māori into their programmes, including tī rākau or stick games. Within Māori culture, tī rākau were played by both men and women to help with hand-eye coordination, including the ability to catch spears in battle. In the 20th century, tī rākau were adopted by a number of Pākeha organisations, including Girl Guides, Scout and schools to teach rhythm and hand-eye coordination.