Maori orators' staffs are known as tokotoko. They are a symbol of authority, usually held during formal speeches. This pair was used in 1963 when Queen Elizabeth II attended celebrations for Waitangi Day. The ceremony marks the anniversary of the treaty made between Maori and Queen Victoria in 1840, in which the queen pledged protection for the indigenous peoples of the islands. At the top of each staff is a figure with an open mouth and a large, protruding tongue – a sign of defiance used in Maori war dances (haka) to intimidate opponents. The expression features heavily in the stylised figures of Maori woodcarving.