Micronesia and Polynesia

Select the caption you wish to read from the index below or scroll down to read them all in turn

Micronesia and Polynesia 1 - Model boat 2 - Cloth 3 - Shell discs 4 - Ornament 5 - Barkcloth (masi kesa) 6 - Waistband (liku) 7 - Presentation tooth (tambua) 8 - Tattooing implement (ai qia) 9 - Fork (ai cula ni bokola) 10 - (bowai) 11 - Club (kiakavo vividrasa) 12 - Throwing club (i tavatava) 13 - Club () 14 - Club (waka vividrasa) 15 - Club (i tuki) 16 - Paddle club (kinikini) 17 - Bowl (tanoa) 18 - Throwing club (i ula drisia) 19 - Battle hammer (totokia) 20 - Wooden dish (bete) 21 - Club (apa’apai) 22 - Club (‘akau tau) 23 - Club (apa’apai) 24 - Club (apa’apai) 25 - Pounder (tuki) 26 - Trolling lure (pa) 27 - Neck-rest (kali) 28 - Box and lid (turama) 29 - Necklace 30 - Genealogy

1 - Model boat Made before 1956 Tabiteuea Island, Kiribati

This is a model of the smaller inter-island outrigger (te wa), which remains in use today. These boats were made only with the natural resources found on the islands. Canoes are associated with men, their skill in fishing and survival at sea.

2 - Cloth Made before 1908 Caroline Islands

A banana-leaf fibre cloth, which was traditionally woven by a woman on a back-strap loom. This was then worn by a noble man or woman, probably on Pohnpei, the largest Micronesian island.

3 - Shell discs Made before 1949 Chuuk Islands, Caroline Islands

Eight discs made from Conus shells threaded with twisted fibre and all knotted together. This may have been used as a form of currency or as a gift for exchange.

4 - Ornament Late 19th century Kiribati

A necklace made from small Nassa shells pierced and threaded onto white twisted thread. These are the shells of shallow water mud snails that belong to the family Nassariidae.

5 - Barkcloth (masi kesa) 20th century

Stencilled cloth made from the inner bark of the paper mulberry tree (Broussonetia papyrifera). This piece was probably made for sale to visitors. Although many Fijians themselves used patterned barkcloth, plain masi was used abundantly.

6 - Waistband (liku) Made before 1875 Fiji

Cloth made from the inner bark of Hibiscus tiliaceus, this was worn around the hips by a woman as part of a customary dress. The fringe width was determined by age and marriage status.

7 - Presentation tooth (tambua) Early 20th century Fiji

Made from the tooth of the sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus), these teeth were an essential part of any ceremony involving the exchange of gifts. This was not worn as an ornament.

8 - Tattooing implement (ai qia) Collected by Veitch, 1865 Fiji

Marks on the skin were made by tapping the blade dipped in black pigment with a hammer. Tattooing was done by women on women, on fingers and around the mouth and genital areas. It was a very painful procedure.

9 - Fork (ai cula ni bokola) Made before 1850 Fiji

This type of fork was used for eating cooked human flesh in time of war as an insult to an enemy. The early date of this item suggests it may have been used for this purpose, but many were made for sale to visitors.

10 - Club (bowai) Early 20th century Fiji

A popular fighting club, this baseball-bat styled club was used to crush the head of an opponent. One is used as the of the Fijian House of Representatives.

11 - Club (kiakavo vividrasa) Made before 1850 Fiji

These clubs were rarely used for fighting as they lack a killing point but instead were used as dance and ceremonial clubs. The shaft has a plaited fibre binding.

12 - Throwing club (i ula tavatava) Late 19th century Fiji

All warriors wore a throwing club tucked into their waistband. This would have been used in hand to hand as well as being thrown.

13 - Club (sali) Early 20th century Fiji

Light form of a fighting club with a sharp edge, used for snapping bone. This example is as likely to have been used in dancing as in fighting. It is named after the wild banana flower.

14 - Club (waka vividrasa) Likely 19th century Fiji

The club is made from a tree root and the shaft is covered in plaited fibre. It was thrusted into an opponent’s body or swung to crush his head.

15 - Club (i tuki) Made before 1844 Fiji

Carved from the branch of a tree fern, the curved terminal is in the form of an animal’s head. These high status clubs were often buried with their owner when they died.

16 - Paddle club (kinikini) Made before 1844 Fiji

A large paddle-shaped club that was exclusive to high-ranking chiefs and priests. It was passed on as an heirloom and long use has often worn the carved designs away from the handles.

17 - Bowl (tanoa) 19th century , Fiji

This ceremonial bowl was used by high ranking people in the formal ceremony of serving yaqona, the narcotic juice from the root of Piper methysticum, a species of pepper plant.

18 - Throwing club (i ula drisia) Made before 1844 Fiji

A very popular type of throwing club formed from the rootstock of small trees. They would have been employed as a short to stun, maim or even to kill the enemy.

19 - Battle hammer (totokia) Collected 1864 – 66 Fiji

Made from vesi (Afzelia bijuga). This club’s head is carved to represent the fruit of the Pandanus palm. It was used to pierce an opponent’s skull and deliver a killing blow.

20 - Wooden dish (bete) 19th century Fiji

This priest’s vessel played a role in various ceremonies, including rituals associated with cannibalism. It would have served as an oil dish for the anointment of priests and for serving yaqona, a strong pepper-based drink that’s imbibed during rituals.

21 - Club (apa’apai) Collected by Veitch, 1865 Tonga

A dance and ceremonial club made from Casuarina wood. It has a lozenge section that’s deeply carved with bands of designs.

22 - Club (‘akau tau) Collected before 1778 Tonga

This type of club with its mushroom-shaped head is a rare type in Tonga. It is similar to the Fijian , but the pierced lug for a suspension is typically Tongan. This item was collected during Captain Cook’s second or third voyage.

23 - Club (apa’apai) Collected before 1778 Tonga

Collected during Captain Cook’s second or third voyage, the club’s handle is bound with three strands of plaited coir fibre. This binding was a way of consecrating or making objects special.

24 - Club (apa’apai) Collected before 1778 Tonga

Clubs, such as this one, would only have belonged to Tu’i Tonga, the semi-divine chiefs. This was acquired either during Captain Cook’s second or third voyage.

25 - Pounder (tuki) Collected before 1778 Tonga

Made from hardwood, this tool was used for pounding breadfruit (Artocarpus altilis) to make a pudding called faikakai. This example was collected by Captain Cook.

26 - Trolling lure (pa) Late 19th century Tonga

‘You have got the land. I bring you the water, as land without water is useless. Here it is with all the fish and living creatures in it.’ A pa was presented by Tongan chief Enele Ma’afu’out’itoga to the newly appointed Governor of Fiji, in 1875.

27 - Neck-rest (kali) Collected before 1778 Tonga

This wooden pillow was collected by Captain Cook. The head was considered the most sacred part of the body as it contained a man’s mana or soul. The neck‑rest therefore kept a man’s head from touching the floor.

28 - Box and lid (turama) Made before 1943 Tokelau Islands

Used by Tokelau Islanders for carrying clothing or other precious materials when travelling by canoe.

29 - Necklace Made before 1904 Samoa

Shell necklace made of two strands twisted together on a string of vegetable fibre. Shells, in the 18th and 19th centuries, were some of the most sought-after collectables in public and private collections.

30 - Genealogy Rosanna Raymond (born Made in 2007 London, England)

A pair of Levi jeans decorated with patches of decorated barkcloth. This artwork addresses the meaning barkcloth has to modern Polynesians and to issues relating to identity.