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Te reeree

human history
  • Other Name

    Sword set with shark's teeth (English)

  • Description

    Te reeree. Sword set with shark's teeth. The blade and main lance or shaft of this rere (sword) are carved from te kanni (coconut wood). Due to its size and weight, this rere would be wielded with both hands. The blade is carved to a pointed apex and is ovoid in cross section. There is a wrapping of baan ni kaina (pandanus) interwoven with te nimwaerere (human hair and coconut sennit) fitted to the top of the blade.

    The lance is long and cylindrical in shape finished in with a rounded butt at the base. Wii n bakoa (shark teeth) have been perforated at their base and fitted into the grooves of the blade in alignment with the blade's perforated holes. Te kora (coconut sennit) lashes each wi n bakoa securely to the blade through the perforated holes. There are fifty four pairs of wii n bakoa along the blade of this rere. There is some fraying of the fibre visible. The rere is medium brown in overall colour, while the wi n bakoa are off-white in colour.

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

    21944.1 (ethnology)

  • Department

    Pacific

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