Te katibana

human history

Te katibana. Waist band. The katibana was one of several components making up a full otanga (suit of Kiribati armour). It would be worn across the stomach outside of protective overalls. This katibana is made from a wide band of dried porcupine stingray skin. The skin is yellow pale in colour with a bumpy and serrated outer surface. The katibana is long and rectangular in shape but stiffly rolled into a cylinder. It is not likely to flatten out again without specialised conservation assistance. A rod of wood frames each wide end of the skin lashed to it with te nimwaerere (human hair and coconut sennit).

Accession number: 1940.3 Last Update: 27 Jun 2019
Other Name

Waistband, armour (English)

Accession Number

1940.3

Accession Date

1940

Other Id

25227 (ethnology)

Department

Pacific

Enquire API view
17 Images
Te katibana, 1940.3, 25227, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply Cultural Permissions Apply
View gallery ( 17)