Taona n riri te burerewa

Taona n riri te burerewa. Used as adornment for dance costumes, this ornamental belt features burewa (small white cowrie shells) strung onto a cord of te kora (coconut sennit) then incorporated into a thickly woven belt of baa ni kaina (pandanus leaves). It is tied around the waist of a female dance performer, atop the riri, or dance skirt. All such decorative waist ornaments are collectively termed taona n riri. The burerewa are matte white in colour with a slight purple tinge. They are arranged in pairs along the length of the belt which serves to increase the overall width of the band. Two ties of natural baa ni kaina are incorporated to the ends.

Other Name

Waist ornament of cowrie shells (English)

Place

Tabiteuea/Gilbert Islands/Kiribati

Accession Number

1936.295

Accession Date

1936

Other Id

23001 (ethnology)

111 (Maude Collection)

Department

Pacific