Kau Kau Staff

The Kau Kau Staff was the staff and Badge of OfficeBadge of OfficeThe Badge of Office was the staff or tool carried by a Turaga to symbolize experience and authority, most often the transformed Toa Tool the elder had wielded in their days as a Toa. of Turaga MatauMatauA former Le-Metru test driver who became a Toa Metru, Matau wielded air, illusion, and shape-shifting before sacrificing his Toa power to wake the sleeping Matoran.. His twin Aero SlicersAero SlicersThe Toa Tools wielded by Toa Metru Matau, capable of channeling Air, serving as melee blades, and doubling as glider wings and rotors for flight. became the staff when he changed from a Toa of AirToa of AirWielders of the Element of Air, typically transformed from Le-Matoran, tasked with protecting the Matoran Universe. into a TuragaTuragaFormer Toa who fulfilled their destiny and transformed into leaders. Turaga wield Noble Kanohi masks and weakened elemental powers, guiding their communities.. Turaga OnewaOnewaOnewa served as Toa Metru of Stone, led Po-Koro through the Dark Time, and constructed the Metru Nui statue honoring the fallen Toa Mahri Matoro. named it after the "kau kau" sound made by the BrakasBrakasBrakas is a Rahi whose members appear in black, brown, and orange coloration and remain extant. monkey, a RahiRahiThe Rahi were the biomechanical wildlife of the Matoran Universe, built largely by the Brotherhood of Makuta, ranging from background fauna to engineered war beasts. of Le-WahiLe-WahiLe-Wahi is a region on the island of Mata Nui, inhabited by the Le-Matoran and Rahi. Formerly subject to the power of Teridax, the region is no longer under that influence.. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

Origin#

When MatauMatauA former Le-Metru test driver who became a Toa Metru, Matau wielded air, illusion, and shape-shifting before sacrificing his Toa power to wake the sleeping Matoran. and the other Toa MetruToa Metru and Toa HordikaSix Matoran elevated by Lhikan to save their city, mutated by Visorak venom, and restored in time to deliver the population to safety. gave up their power to wake the Matoran on Mata Nui, they became Turaga, and their tools changed with them. Matau's Aero SlicersAero SlicersThe Toa Tools wielded by Toa Metru Matau, capable of channeling Air, serving as melee blades, and doubling as glider wings and rotors for flight. became the Kau Kau Staff, which served as his Badge of OfficeBadge of OfficeThe Badge of Office was the staff or tool carried by a Turaga to symbolize experience and authority, most often the transformed Toa Tool the elder had wielded in their days as a Toa.. (BIONICLE Adventures 4: Legends of Metru Nui; BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

The name came from the "kau kau" call of the BrakasBrakasBrakas is a Rahi whose members appear in black, brown, and orange coloration and remain extant. monkey, and it was Turaga OnewaOnewaOnewa served as Toa Metru of Stone, led Po-Koro through the Dark Time, and constructed the Metru Nui statue honoring the fallen Toa Mahri Matoro. who chose it. Given how often the two old Toa traded jibes, it's easy to read the name as Onewa ribbing his colleague, though the encyclopedia simply records who named it. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

In its one real outing, the staff could chop down small trees. (BIONICLE: Quest for the Toa)

Matau and the Badge#

The Kau Kau Staff was more than a tool. It was Turaga MatauMatauA former Le-Metru test driver who became a Toa Metru, Matau wielded air, illusion, and shape-shifting before sacrificing his Toa power to wake the sleeping Matoran.'s Badge of Office, the sign of his place as elder of Le-KoroLe-KoroLe-Koro is a village situated within Le-Wahi, inhabited by the Le-Matoran and home to Turaga Matau and Toa Lewa. The settlement was once held under the control of Teridax.. In Metru NuiMetru NuiThe city beneath Mata Nui functions as the Great Spirit's brain, housing the Matoran whose labor keeps the god alive., Matau had fought with the Aero SlicersAero SlicersThe Toa Tools wielded by Toa Metru Matau, capable of channeling Air, serving as melee blades, and doubling as glider wings and rotors for flight.. When he became a Turaga, the blades became the staff. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

Its best-known use came when Matau lent it to TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. during Takua's search for the Toa StonesToa StonesSmall stones charged with a portion of a Toa's power, used to awaken the dormant Toa Power within a destined Matoran and elevate them into a Toa., as a reward for rescuing the Turaga from a dangerous Rahi. It was a small but real show of trust in a Matoran who wasn't yet the ChroniclerChroniclerThe Matoran role of recording history and Toa deeds through word and carving, held by figures like Takua and Hahli.. (BIONICLE: Quest for the Toa)

Powers and abilities#

The staff came from Matau's Aero SlicersAero SlicersThe Toa Tools wielded by Toa Metru Matau, capable of channeling Air, serving as melee blades, and doubling as glider wings and rotors for flight., but the stories never say what, if anything, it kept of their power over air. Any idea that he channelled his reduced elemental power through it is guesswork. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

What the game does show is practical. In Takua's hands the staff could cut down small trees, clearing the way through the jungle. (BIONICLE: Quest for the Toa)

It was also a useful thing to have in the wilds of Mata Nui, where Rahi were a constant danger. Matau handed it over to someone who had just shown he could deal with one. (BIONICLE: Quest for the Toa)

Takua's quest#

MatauMatauA former Le-Metru test driver who became a Toa Metru, Matau wielded air, illusion, and shape-shifting before sacrificing his Toa power to wake the sleeping Matoran. lent his Kau Kau Staff to TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. during the search for the Toa StonesToa StonesSmall stones charged with a portion of a Toa's power, used to awaken the dormant Toa Power within a destined Matoran and elevate them into a Toa.. The loan carried weight, since the staff was a Turaga's Badge of Office, and it came as thanks for Takua saving Matau from a dangerous Rahi. (BIONICLE: Quest for the Toa)

TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. was a wanderer rather than a fighter, and with the staff he could cut through obstacles in his path. In hindsight the loan looks like early preparation for the Matoran who would become TakanuvaTakanuvaHidden among the Ta-Matoran as Takua, the disguised Av-Matoran who became Takanuva was the sole Toa of Light produced in the Matoran Universe's full history., the Toa of LightToa of LightThe sole Toa wielding the Element of Light through the Avohkii mask, singular and feared by Makuta itself.. (BIONICLE: Quest for the Toa)

Later record#

The Kau Kau Staff is tied to MatauMatauA former Le-Metru test driver who became a Toa Metru, Matau wielded air, illusion, and shape-shifting before sacrificing his Toa power to wake the sleeping Matoran.'s role as Turaga of Le-KoroLe-KoroLe-Koro is a village situated within Le-Wahi, inhabited by the Le-Matoran and home to Turaga Matau and Toa Lewa. The settlement was once held under the control of Teridax. and to the loan to TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light., but it barely appears in later stories. It plays no part in any major action during the BohrokBohrokHive-minded mechanical creatures designed to reshape worlds, the Bohrok represent a threat the Toa Mata never expected. or RahkshiBionicle Rahkshi: the Sons of Makuta from Mask of LightRahkshi are armoured hunters made from kraata, the slug-like creatures of the Makuta. Six of them chased the Mask of Light across Mata Nui in 2003. Here's what they are, the different kinds and where they turn up in the films, books and comics. attacks. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated; BIONICLE: Quest for the Toa)

Its main job was to mark its bearer as a Turaga, and it did that throughout Matau's time as elder of Le-KoroLe-KoroLe-Koro is a village situated within Le-Wahi, inhabited by the Le-Matoran and home to Turaga Matau and Toa Lewa. The settlement was once held under the control of Teridax.. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

The Brakas connection#

The BrakasBrakasBrakas is a Rahi whose members appear in black, brown, and orange coloration and remain extant. is a noisy monkey RahiRahiThe Rahi were the biomechanical wildlife of the Matoran Universe, built largely by the Brotherhood of Makuta, ranging from background fauna to engineered war beasts. of Le-WahiLe-WahiLe-Wahi is a region on the island of Mata Nui, inhabited by the Le-Matoran and Rahi. Formerly subject to the power of Teridax, the region is no longer under that influence., and naming a Turaga's Badge of Office after its call was an unusual choice. It suited MatauMatauA former Le-Metru test driver who became a Toa Metru, Matau wielded air, illusion, and shape-shifting before sacrificing his Toa power to wake the sleeping Matoran.'s cheeky, unceremonious personality, and it's no surprise the name came from Onewa. Other Turaga carried implements with more dignified names. Matau carried one named after a screeching monkey. (BIONICLE: Encyclopedia Updated)

Despite the name, the staff did real work. The loan to TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. showed it as a tool as well as a badge. (BIONICLE: Quest for the Toa)

Significance#

The Kau Kau Staff is one of the few Turaga implements recorded changing hands. When MatauMatauA former Le-Metru test driver who became a Toa Metru, Matau wielded air, illusion, and shape-shifting before sacrificing his Toa power to wake the sleeping Matoran. lent it to TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. during the Toa StoneToa StonesSmall stones charged with a portion of a Toa's power, used to awaken the dormant Toa Power within a destined Matoran and elevate them into a Toa. search, there was no ceremony or prophecy, just a Turaga trusting his Badge of Office to a Matoran who would later shape events on Mata NuiMata Nui (Location)An island created by accident on the Great Spirit's face, home to the Matoran for a thousand years.. (BIONICLE: Quest for the Toa)

The loan looks like preparation in hindsight. TakuaTakuaAn Av-Matoran hidden on Mata Nui as a Ta-Matoran, who gathered the Toa Stones, served as Chronicler, and ultimately accepted the Avohkii to become Takanuva, the Toa of Light. later became the ChroniclerChroniclerThe Matoran role of recording history and Toa deeds through word and carving, held by figures like Takua and Hahli. and then TakanuvaTakanuvaHidden among the Ta-Matoran as Takua, the disguised Av-Matoran who became Takanuva was the sole Toa of Light produced in the Matoran Universe's full history., and carrying the staff before any title fits his habit of acting before anyone formally asked him to. (BIONICLE: Quest for the Toa)