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Taona n riri te burewa

human history
  • Other Name

    Waist ornament of cowrie shells

    Te Katau ni burewa

  • Description

    Taona n riri te burerewa. Used as adornment for dance costumes, this ornamental belt features perforated burewa (small white cowrie shells) strung onto a cord of te kora (coconut sennit) then incorporated into a thickly woven belt of baa ni kaina (pandanus leaves), natural in colour. It is tied around the waist of a female dance performer, atop the riri, or dance skirt. All such decorative waist ornaments are collectively termed taona n riri.

    The burerewa are white in colour with a slight yellow tinge and an overall glossy sheen. They are arranged in two rows down the length of the taona n riri increasing the band's width. Each end of the belt is finished in a tight-woven flat cord with a toggle of 8 extra burewa that when the belt is tied around the waist act as the ties for more security.

  • Place
    Nonouti/Gilbert Islands/Kiribati
  • Accession Number
    1940.3
  • Accession Date
    1940
  • Other Id

    25133.2 (ethnology)

  • Department

    Pacific

Taona n riri te burewa, 1940.3, 25133.2, Photographed by… … Read more

Images and documents

Images

  • Taona n riri te burewa, 1940.3, 25133.2, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 09 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Taona n riri te burewa, 1940.3, 25133.2, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 09 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Taona n riri te burewa, 1940.3, 25133.2, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 09 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Taona n riri te burewa, 1940.3, 25133.2, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 09 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Taona n riri te burewa, 1940.3, 25133.2, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 09 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Taona n riri te burewa, 1940.3, 25133.2, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 09 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Taona n riri te burewa, 1940.3, 25133.2, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 09 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Taona n riri te burewa, 1940.3, 25133.2, Photographed by Andrew Hales, digital, 09 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Ornament

Artefact

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