Matau (fish hook).

This matau (fish hook) is fashioned from a single piece of bone. It has a \ /-shaped opening at the top between two inward-pointing kāniwha (barb-like projections). The kāniwha bevel down to a narrow gap that opens out into the U-shaped internal cavity of the hook. A kōreke (snood knob) at the top is positioned at an angle to the shaft so that the hook would rotate when pressure was applied to the line. A row of fine notches extends around the outer edge of the shaft from the snood attachment end, around the base, and some distance towards the point.

Function
The stoutly pointed hook design is thought to have worked by latching hold of the fish's lower jawbone rather than by piercing through the side of the mouth behind it. The jawbone was guided through the narrow gap by the kāniwha, which then held it secure aided by the rotation of the hook as the line was pulled taut.

Tradition
The Māori demigod Māui is credited in tradition with inventing the kāniwha 'barb', which, much to the resentment of his older brothers, enabled him to catch many more fish than they could. This ancient story reinforces the importance of this advance in fishing technology to the welfare of Māori.