Ao Rapa Nui Dance Paddle – Easter Island (chile), Oceania

The Ao is a dance paddle or staff of authority attributed to the high chiefs of Rapa Nui. Used during an annual festival, it was brandished and served to provide rhythm for songs and dances. It represents a highly stylized male figure in the form of a double-bladed "kayak" paddle.
HEIGHT: 75 cm
PERIOD: late 19th century / early 20th century
MATERIAL: wood