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Te matau

human history
  • Other Name

    Fish hook (English)

  • Description

    Te matau. Fish hook. This is used for fishing activities. The largest component of te matau is a length of te kuano (phosphate) that has been carved and smoothed to form rabatan te matau (shank).It is a pale yellow in colour and smooth in texture with some transparency when held towards the light. The top segment has been tapered into a blunt point and a perforation has been drilled at the top where a line would be attached.

    The opposite end features a hackle of te burae ae te mwakemwake (a type of plant). The hackle is fibrous and dark yellow in colour. They have been bound to the end with off-white coloured thread. A strand of thread has been left loose where the tabon te matau (point) has been bound. The taban te matau is made of te ri (bone) that is curved in form and tapers into a sharp point. It is off-white in colour and shows some porous surface texture. This matau is from Banaba island in Kiribati.

  • Place
  • Accession Number
    1932.190
  • Accession Date
    1932
  • Other Id

    17482.2 (ethnology)

  • Department
Te matau; 1932.190; 17482.2; Cultural Permissions Apply

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