Neck ornament of coconut shell discs (English)

Te mwae te nana. This te mwae (neck ornament) consists of te nana (coconut shell) cut and ground into small discs perforated at their centre and strung onto te kora (coconut sennit cords). There are thirteen doubled up strands in total. The strands appear to have been originally intended for a katau (coconut shell girdle ornament) but have been adapted to become a te mwae (Neck ornament ornament). The nana discs are dark brown in colour with a high sheen.

22938 (ethnology)

8 (Maude Collection)

Pacific