Removing jawbones

Maori traditionally treasured stranded whales for their jawbones, which were used for carving. When three sperm whales beached and died at Paekakariki in March 1996, Maori from the region removed the jawbones from two of the three. The third whale was washed out to sea.

URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/EarthSeaAndSky/SeaLife/Whales/en