Te riri

human history

Te riri. Skirt. This is a three layered te riri. It has been constructed from a mass of te kakoko (young, white and central leaf of the coconut palm). Te riri portrays three different lengths layers. The base layer is the longest, the second layer is of mid length and the top layer is short again. The pinnules of te kakoko are less that 2.5mm in width and furl inwards. The edge is slightly uneven at the bottom and a cord has been used as the knotting base for the lengths of te kakoko which would be tied across the wearer’s waist. The cord extends from the top corners of te riri. Upon closer inspection of the pinnules, oil may have been applied. There is also a charcoal odour which could indicate whether te riri was coloured through an underground oven or heat fixed after applying methods of burial and soil fixing.

Accession number: 1940.3 Last Update: 1 Oct 2026
Other Name

Skirt (English)

Accession Number

1940.3

Accession Date

1940

Other Id

25166 (ethnology)

Department

Pacific

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Te riri, 1940.3, 25166, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 07 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply Cultural Permissions Apply
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