Rakei ura

Rakei ura. Bodice of a full dance costume. The bodice consists of two cups made from kaka (coconut leaf stipule). Each cup of the bodice has separate patara rim (serrated rim) made of rauara (pandanus) hand-sewn onto the edges of the kaka. 3-ply cords made of sennit form ties that are knotted to the strands of rauara inside each cup. The bodice is decorated in the centre between the cups with strands of rauara, representative of a flower. The bodice is further decorated with three tassels made of kiriau (hibiscus fibre) hand-sewn into lower edge of bodice using cotton thread. Two of the tassels are each decorated with two puka seeds and one poepoe seed (Job's tears seed). One tassel is decorated with two puka seeds and three poepoe seeds (Job's tears seeds). Illegible text is wrtten in dark coloured ink on the inside of a cup. "54306.3" is also written in black ink on the inside of a cup. Good condition.