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Tabua

On display
human history
  • Other Name

    Whale tooth (English)

  • Description

    Tabua. Consisting of a tovuto (sperm whale)'s tooth with wa ni tabua (cord of the tabua) attached to the ends of the tooth. The tabua is crescentic in shape, ovoid in cross-section, and is yellow-orange/copper in colour, and of high-polish. There are two holes drilled on either ends of the tabua. The wa ni tabua voivoi (cord of the tabua made of pandanus), is woven out in tali rua (two-ply), and is threaded through the holes at each end.

    There is a row of short lines incised across the tabua.

  • Place
  • Other Id

    14813 (ethnology)

    O105 (Edge-Partington)

  • Department
  • Display Room
Tabua, 14813, O105, Photographed by Jennifer Carol, digital,… … Read more

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