Te kaneati

Te kaneati. Bonito lure. This is made up of four components: cassis shell, te ira n atu (human hair), cord (commercial) and iron metal. The shank is shaped and smoothed from a cassis shell into a tubular-like form, possibly using an atitai (hard coral stone). The narrow end is tapered, whilst the wider end is slightly narrower than the body, interrupted only by encircling furrows. The furrows assist in the lashing of the iron point. This is done by wrapping the shank and point together using a thin, dark-coloured, two-ply te kora te ira n atu, with a portion of unplaited hair left in a tassle-like manner. The shank is overall an off-white colour, featuring a mustard-yellow portion along the edge in a longitudinal manner. Near the tapered end, a perforation is bored through the body of the shell. A long two-ply te kora te ira n atu is looped through this hole. This has unravelled slightly towards the end and a portion of the cord is wrapped at the root with another layer of thin, two-ply te kora te ira n atu.

Other Name

Bonito lure (English)

Place

Tabiteuea/Gilbert Islands/Kiribati

Accession Number

1936.295

Accession Date

1936

Other Id

23940.1 (ethnology)

Department

Pacific