Te kaneati

Te kaneati. Fishing lure. This is made of te bwaeo (mother of pearl shell), natural fibres and a lashing of discoloured white thread. The rabatan te matau (shank) has been cut into a spatulate shape from the hinge segment of te bwaeo. Its protrusions can be seen from the depth of the form. It features across the central and end segments of te rabatan te matau. It is hard in material, off-white in colour with some dark grey areas, shows some transparency and shimmer. One end shows how it has been filed and tapered into a point. A circular perforation has been drilled into its side. This is for the purpose of inserting and attaching te ao (line). Opposite this end, a hackle of natural fibres and te tabon te matau (point) has been lashed to te rabatan te matau. The hackle is long, fibrous, grey and yellow in colour and curls inwards. Te tabon te matau is also made from te bwaeo. Its depth indicates the slim area of te bwaeo it has been cut and filed from. It is crescent shaped and is positioned so that the tabon te matau is in line with te rabatan te matau. A circular perforation can be seen through the centre of te tabon te matau. The lashing of discoloured thread has been inserted through this adding to its join with te rabatan te matau.