condensed discuss document expanded export feedback print share remove reset document_white enquire_white export_white report_white
discuss document export feedback print share gallery-landscape xml

Te mwae te nikabono

human history
  • Other Name

    Neck ornament of conus shells

    Te Itua ni Katang

    Te Itua Nikabono

  • Description

    Te mwae te nikabono. Neck ornament of conus shells. This te mwae (Neck ornament) consists of fourteen nouo (conus shells) segments strung onto light brown te kora (coconut sennit) and tied together at the ends. Each segment has been sliced off from the base of the nouo shell creating a flat disc shape that is slightly convex on the outer surface and has the raised spiral ridges of the shell visible on the reverse side.

    The nouo shells are off-white in colour with natural dark spiralled speckling. A perforation at the side edge of each of these shells has been drilled for te kora to thread through. The size of these nouo discs increase in size towards the centre of the Neck ornament, at which is centred the largest nouo. Small discs of te nana (coconut shell) of a dark brown colour have also been interspersed, attached on the string. The te nana are a dark brown colour.

  • Place
  • Accession Number
    1936.295
  • Accession Date
    1936
  • Other Id

    24063 (ethnology)

    112 (Maude Collection)

  • Department
Te mwae te nikabono; 1936.295; 24063, 112; Cultural… … Read more

Images and documents

Images

Artefact

The development of the Auckland War Memorial Museum online collection is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.

The gift of curiosity

With unlimited free entry to all paid exhibitions, discounted event tickets and exclusive Member-only events, a Museum Membership is the gift that keeps on giving year-round.

SEE OPTIONS FROM $60

The gift of curiosity