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Barkcloth | Baskets & fans | Clothing | Combs | Fishing & hunting | Jewellery & adornment | Household | Mats | Music & play | Ritual | Tools | War

Ritual

bamboo, wood, coconut fibre, Tahiti and the Society Islands, l. 77.4–80.4 cm, d. 0.5–0.7 cm, Inv. Oz 412–417

Bow made of wood slightly and unevenly bent, being narrower in the middle, and ends.

wood, Cook Inlet (presumably), l. 135 cm, w. 2.4 cm, d. 1.5 cm, Inv. Am 689

wood, Tahiti and the Society Islands, l. 151.5 cm, d. 3.1 cm (max.), Inv. Am 2

wood, Tahiti and the Society Islands, l. 149.5 cm, d. 3.5 cm (max.), Inv. Am 3

wood, Tahiti and the Society Islands, l. 162 cm, d. 3.5–4 cm (max.), Inv. Oz 350

Breast plate, formed into a crescent-shaped base made of light soft wood tied together. The breast is covered over with the beautiful red and black tropical peas.

Breast ornament (gorget)

wood, resin, beans, Marquesas Islands, w. 27 cm, h. 20 cm, d. 11 cm (neckline), Inv. Oz 111

Breast ornament with hook. Hung from two black bundles of twisted human hair, connected by a cord. A pendant at the front is made of whale tooth and has the form of a hook.

Breast ornament with hook lei niho palaoa

human hair, plant fibre, whale tooth, Hawaii, l. 2.6 cm (hook), 15–16 cm (strings), w. 0.9 cm (hook), Inv. Oz 234

Mother-of-pearl shell used as part of a pair of clappers or castanets.

Clappers tete

shell, Tahiti and the Society Islands, d. 9.5–18.5 cm, Inv. Oz 165b

Mother-of-pearl shell used as part of a pair of clappers or castanets.

Clappers tete

shell, Tahiti and the Society Islands, d. 9.5–18.5 cm, Inv. Oz 166

A pair of castinets or clappers, formed of two mother-of-pearl shells.

Clappers tete

shell, barkcloth, Tahiti and the Society Islands, d. 18.5 cm, Inv. Oz 405 a–b

Dance paddle made of wood with an almost rectangular and rounded blade and a semi-circular knob at the end of the handle.

Dance paddle paki

wood, Tonga, l. 64–84 cm, Inv. Oz 135

Dance paddle made of wood with an almost rectangular and rounded blade (that is damaged at the lower end) and a semi-circular knob at the end of the handle.

Dance paddle paki

wood, Tonga, l. 64–84 cm, Inv. Oz 352

Dance paddle paki

wood, Tonga, l. 64–84 cm, Inv. Oz 353

Dance paddle made of wood with an almost rectangular and rounded blade (that is missing on one side) and a semi-circular knob at the end of the handle.

Dance paddle paki

wood, Tonga, l. 64–84 cm, Inv. Oz 354

Feathered helmet that consists of wicker-work to which red, yellow, and black feathers are attached. A crest on the outer surface extends from the front to the back of the helmet.

Feathered helmet mahiole

wickerwork, feathers, Hawaii, c. 61 cm (crest), d. 15.5 cm, Inv. Oz 2457

Feathered idol with the shape of a human figure, formed of wicker-work, overlaid with feathers of red, yellow and black. The eyes are mother-of-pearl and the mouth fitted with dog-teeth.

Feathered image ki’i hulu manu

believed to represent Kuka’ilimoku, wicker, feathers, mother-of-pearl, dog teeth, Hawaii, h. 46.5 cm, w. 16 cm, d. 7.5 cm (neck), Inv. Oz 254

Feathered necklace that consists of yellow and red feathers, tightly arranged in circles.

Feathered necklace lei hulu

feathers, plant fibre, Hawaii, l. 40 cm, d. 2.5 cm, Inv. Oz 253

Headband made of plaited plant fibre that tapers towards the two ends with several plaited strings to fasten it.

plant fibre, Marquesas Islands, l. 37 cm, w. 5 cm, Inv. Oz 105

Headband made of grass and sticks wrapped with fibres attached on either side of the headband which protrudes 11cm above the headband.

plant fibre, sticks, mother-of-pearl, Marquesas Islands, l. 38.5 cm, w. 6 cm, Inv. Oz 106

Headband made of coconut fibres, interwoven, and attached to a round plate of Mother-of-pearl where long black and white tail feathers protrude behind it.

Headband uhikana

shell, tortoiseshell, feathers, plant fibre, Marquesas Islands, l. 39 cm, w. 4.5 cm (band), Inv. Oz 109

Kava bowl made of one piece of wood that is round and shallow, and rests on four legs.

Kava bowl kumete

wood, Tonga, h. 14.5 cm, d. 52 cm, Inv. Oz 409

Kava cup that consists of a half coconut shell and has an oval form.

Kava cup ipu ‘awa

coconut shell, Hawaii, h. 3 cm, d. 8 x 12 cm, Inv. Oz 394

Mat features alternating light brown and unpatterned, and dark brown patterned diagonals.

leaf strips, Tonga, l. 192 cm, w. 134 cm, Hanover 1854, No. 9

Mat made of dark and light plaited leaf strips interwoven in different ways to form patterns in the dark diagonals.

Mat ta’ovala

leaf strips, Tonga, l. 149 cm, w. 165 cm, Inv. Oz 141

A mourning dress formed of cock’s feathers fastened to a kind of netting made of cordage with sticks. Head-piece made of two large mother-of-pearl shells.

Mourning dress heva

shell, barkcloth, tortoiseshell, feathers, mother-of-pearl, Tahiti and the Society Islands, l. 210 cm, Inv. Oz 1522

Quiver or arrow case made of a large bamboo cane with plaited coconut fibre wound round its open end. The egg-shaped lid is made of a young light-brown coconut shell.

Quiver piha (peeha)

bamboo, coconut shell, fibre, Tahiti and the Society Islands, l. 88 cm, d. 5 cm, Inv. Oz 411

Shell trumpet, made from the shell of the species Triton tritonis, has a blowhole on one side, directly underneath the tip. It has a fibre band attached like a handle.

Shell trumpet putona

triton shell, cord, Marquesas Islands, l. 32 cm, w. 15 cm, Inv. Oz 326

of apron made of red-brown dyed musa leaves, knotted to a plaited band.

Skirt or apron tapu

dyed musa leaves, Tonga, l. 140 cm, w. 190 cm, Inv. Oz 152

Tabooing wand ko’o ko’o lua

wood, dog tail skin, plant fibre, Hawaii, l. 117 cm, Inv. Oz 1257

Tabooing wand ko’o ko’o lua

wood, dog tail skin, plant fibre, Hawaii, l. 57.8 cm, Inv. Oz 245

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