A Remnant of a Lost Civilisation?

This dramatic looking coconut palm wood carving was found amongst driftwood on a beach in the Pukearuhe area. It was donated to the museum in 1980 but no-one thought to record exactly when. In the abscence of any proper information it is tempting to speculate a little. Is it a remnant of a lost civilisation perhaps? Or maybe proof of an undiscovered grove of north Taranaki coconut palms? Maybe it comes from the prow of a majestic waka?

Sadly the reality is probably much more mundane. A visiting expert curator who examined the carving has noted that while the style contained some Hawaiian elements it has many of the hallmarks of a tourist souvenir.  The remnants of varnish still clinging to its surface lend further weight to this view. Whether it was washed up after being lost overboard from a touring yacht, or hidden on the beach as some kind of prank, we will probably never know.