manaia

manaia noun plural manaia

a common figure in Māori carving consisting of a human body and a bird-like head

Word Origin for manaia Māori Examples from the Web for manaia Historical Examples of manaia

And so Manaia took me, and my mother threw up her arms and sank and died.

Louis Becke

Then Manaia whispered to me and asked me if it was to my mind to take her.

Louis Becke

The manaia, or beauty man of the village, accompanied by two magnificent looking aides, came forward to meet us.

Nellie van De Grift Sanchez

I perceived that the manaia purposely played badly in order to let me win his head knife, on which he had carved my name.

Nellie van De Grift Sanchez

It so happened that half-way down the cliff, which is twelve fathoms high, there was a boy named Manaia.

Louis Becke