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Te bwara n tauti

human history
  • Other Name

    Helmet of pufferfish skin (English)

  • Description

    Te bwara n tauti. Helmet of Porcupinefish/Pufferfish skin. This is an incomplete example wherein the outer skin of a tauti (porcupine fish) has been removed and dried into a stiff 'leather' with the intention to produce a bwara (helmet). As tauti are considered a rare species of fish they are therefore highly sought after to obtain. Their outer skin feature long spikes which increase the fearsome appearance of bwara n tauti.

    In order to create a bwara, the tauti is caught, gutted, then filled with sand to achieve a rounder shape. It may then be buried in the sand in a time-consuming process to dry out the skin. Sand particles are visible on the exterior of this bwara which suggests it has previously been buried in sand. It is dry and brittle. Cuts have been made around the edges of the tauti skin. No lining of woven baan ni kaina (pandanus leaves) has been created for the interior of the tauti.

  • Place
    [Gilbert Islands]/[Kiribati]
  • Accession Number
    1935.119
  • Accession Date
    1935
  • Other Id

    21915 (ethnology)

  • Department

    Pacific

Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan… … Read more

Images and documents

Images

  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te bwara n tauti, 1935.119, 21915, Photographed by Daan Hoffmann, digital, 16 Nov 2018, Cultural Permissions Apply

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