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Te matau

human history
  • Other Name

    Fish hook (English)

  • Description

    Te matau. Fish hook. This is a composite te matau made from the following: te raum (mussel shell), te nimwaerere (cordage of human hair and coconut sennit fibre) and te ira (hair). Te rabatan te matau (shank) has been filed from te raum into a length where the ends has been curved off. Its exterior shows some fragmentation, it is hard in material and metallic grey in colour. A small circular perforation has been drilled into one end.

    This would be for the purpose of inserting and attaching te ao (line). Adjacent to this, small furrows have been filed out. Te tabon te matau (point) of te raum also, has been positioned in the centre at the end and secured with lashings of te nimwaerere. The filed furrows assist in positioning and directing te nimwaerere. A hackle of te ira that is dark brown in colour has also been included in the lashing. Te tabon te matau is crescent shaped. A circular perforation has been drilled at its base where it joins with te rabatan te matau. Te nimwaerere has been inserted through this perforation further securing it to form a complete te matau.

  • Place
    Gilbert Islands/Kiribati
  • Accession Number
    1936.295
  • Accession Date
    1936
  • Other Id

    23934.1 (ethnology)

  • Department

    Pacific

Te matau; 1936.295; 23934.1; Cultural Permissions Apply

Images and documents

Images

  • Te matau; 1936.295; 23934.1; Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te matau; 1936.295; 23934.1; Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te matau; 1936.295; 23934.1; Cultural Permissions Apply
  • Te matau; 1936.295; 23934.1; Cultural Permissions Apply

Artefact

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