Te mwae teimoone

human history

Te mwae teimoone. Neck ornament of shell discs. Te mwae (neck ornament) is made up of three material components: te kora (cordage of coconut sennit fibres), te nana (coconut shell) and te nouo (conus shell). This is a fastened strand of threaded circular discs of te nana and te nouo. The neck band of te kora has been used to thread the discs together. The discs are small, circular in shape and flat in form. They form an alternating pattern where the sequence is made up of a disc of te nana then a disc of te nouo. Te mwae teimoone are a reflection of social status and would be worn by men. However it can also be worn by women who have descended from these men. The name ‘teimoone’ reflects the colours of the sea snake.

Accession number: 1931.126 Last Update: 11 Jul 2024
Other Name

Neck ornament of shell discs (English)

Accession Number

1931.126

Accession Date

1931

Other Id

16325.1 (ethnology)

Department

Pacific

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