Te reeree

human history

Te reeree. Sword. This is an ornamental depiction of the reeree. A length of hard wood has been used to portray the purpose of a handle and blade as one component. A woven encasement of the kakoko (thin white pinnules of the young coconut leaf) covers the entire length of the wood. Four sections that feature at the start of the blade and near the end of the blade show a coloured and decorative weave through the encasement. Three out of the four are turquoise dyed and the top in red. Two pairs of the noko (coconut midrib) line the sides of the blade from where the exposed handle section ends towards the tapered point of the reeree. A series of wii ni bakoa (sharks teeth) have been continuously inlayed between the pairs of the noko. A circular perforation features through the centre of each wii ni bakoa. Kora (cordage of coconut sennit fibres) has been threaded through each wii ni bakoa for the purpose of attaching and securing to the blade. Two triangular pieces of the nana (coconut shell) feature where the handle section finishes. The end of the reeree has been finished off with a fringe formed by the selvedge of the kakoko from the woven encasement.

Accession number: 1964.47 Last Update: 5 Dec 2018
Other Name

Sword (English)

Accession Number

1964.47

Accession Date

1964

Other Id

37491 (ethnology)

Department

Pacific

Enquire API view
10 Images
Te reeree, 1964.47, 37491, Photographed by Jennifer Carol, digital, 15 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply Cultural Permissions Apply
View gallery ( 10)