Te ntabo

Te ntabo. Red shell neck ornament. This is a neck ornament that features a pendant made from the shell of the koikoinanti. A single te moromoro (bead) has been placed near the perforation on the pendant where te nimwaerere (cordage of human hair and coconut husk fibre) has been threaded through. The pendant is almond shaped with a shallow convex form. The convex surface has been smoothed to show a plain area. The opposite side of the pendant is concave and shows the remains of the original interior of the shell that is slightly rough upon the surface, mostly red in colour with some natural pale brown shading. The depth of the shell material can be seen from where it has been cut into an almond shape. Te mormoro is red in colour and the neck band of te nimwaerere cosists of two cords from the shells perforation and then becomes one at the ends. It has been left unfastened. Te Ntabo would be worn around the neck by either sexes. The koikoinanti can also be referred to as 'the small shell of the spirits' and is regarded a highly valuable possesion.