Taona n riri te burerewa

Taona n riri te burerewa. Used as adornment for dance costumes, this ornamental belt features perforated burewa (small white cowrie shells) strung onto a cord of te kora (coconut sennit) then incorporated into a thickly braided 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 white in colour with a slight yellow tinge and an overall glossy sheen. They are arranged in two rows down the length of the taona n riri increasing the band's width. 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

23002.3 (ethnology)

225 (Maude Collection)

Department

Pacific