Te butu

Te butu. Small dagger set with shark's teeth. Butu are designed to exact facial injuries to opponents targeting the forehead and the eyes so as to obscure vision or leave visible disfigurement. These small handheld weapons are easily concealed on a person and were often held and used by women. This small handheld weapon consists of a wii n bakoa (shark tooth) perforated at the base and lashed to a small handle of te kanni (coconut wood). The wooden handle is flat, carved to a point at grip end and is ovoid in cross section. It is smooth and matte in surface treatment. A series of drilled depressions along the side edge of the handle at one end creates the grooved ridge in which the wii n bakoa slots in securely lashed with kora (coconut fibre cordage). Two wii n bakoa are missing from the side edge. A small hole is drilled at the grip end with a loop of brown kora cord threaded through for suspension. The wii n bakoa is natural in colour while the wooden handle is dark brown in colour.