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Selu

human history
  • Other Name

    Comb (English)

  • Description

    Selu. Comb. This particular type of comb may also be referred to as selu tuiga. This comb is of Samoa and made for the purposes of adorning the hair, primarily for female but can also be worn by male. It is made up of three components: tuāniu (coconut leaflet midrib), wire and glass beads. It is vertical in nature and its framework is made entirely from dried tuāniu.

    The lower part shows a row of twenty-six tuāniu, lined neatly in a flared manner and used as selu teeth for hair insertion. Flexible wires of light brown and dark brown colours are used to lash the tuāniu together across the mid-section. These lashings are arranged in ways to create decorative patterns. The upper or crowning area of the selu shows the truncation of most tuāniu leaving only three sets of tuāniu pairs on both sides and in the centre. Each pairs are intermittently lashed and further adorned by attachment of five miniature, white, glass beads. These remaining tuāniu are tied altogether at the very top, resulting in a pinnacle for the selu.

  • Place
  • Accession Number
    1954.11.39
  • Accession Date
    15 Jan 1954
  • Other Id

    33710 (ethnology)

  • Department
comb, 1954.11.39, 33710, Photographed by Jennifer Carol,… … Read more

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