Te reeree

human history

Te reeree. Sword. This is an ornament depicting a hand held weapon that is characteristic to i-kiribati. It is long and spatulate in form with a short handle that shows an oval cross-section at its base. Both the wooden handle and the spatulate length are encased with a coloured weave of ira (pandanus leaf). The woven encasement is made up of three natural tones that define the geometric patterns throughout. The intersection of the handle and blade including a section of the end of the reeree have been finished with fringed lengths of ira. Both have been bound off with a coil of the nimwaerere (cordage of human hair and coconut sennit fibres). The same style of cordage has been used to lash and secure the noko (coconut midrib) and wii ni bakoa (sharks teeth) to the edges of the blade. Small circular perforations have been drilled through the centre of each wii ni bakoa for threading the nimwaerere. Wii ni bakoa has been continuously inlayed along the noko towards the pointed end of the reeree.

Accession number: 1952.68.1 Last Update: 5 Dec 2018
Other Name

Sword (English)

Place
Kiribati
Accession Number

1952.68.1

Accession Date

04 Jun 1952

Other Id

32906 (ethnology)

Department

Pacific

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Te reeree, 1952.68.1, 32906, Photographed by Jennifer Carol, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply Cultural Permissions Apply
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