Rabatan te matau. Shank of a fish hook. Cut from te bwaeao (mother of pearl shell), in a long narrow elliptic strip. While both ends of the rabatan (shank) taper, one is pointed while the other has been cut flat. The rabatan is still in the process of manufacture and is unfinished but is intended to be used within a composite fish hook for trolling. It is smooth in texture with a high degree of shine. However the edges, which have been ground down, are smooth but dull. The outer surface features some superficial abrasions and is multi-coloured with patches of white at one end and purple and bronze patches at the opposite end. The inner surface of the shell is white and iridescent with some surface spotting. Its brilliance and sheen is further enhanced by its uneven surface, which features a series of slightly raised contours that create movement in the light.