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 perforation on the pendant has been drilled for te nimwaerere (cordage of human hair and coconut husk fibre) to be threaded through. The pendant is almond shaped with a shallow convex form. The convex surface has been smoothed to show a plain area that is red with some white discolouring and clusters of pores. 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 and a mixture of red and white colours. The depth of the shell material can be seen from where it has been cut into an almond shape. The neck band of te nimwaerere consists entirely of one cord that has been knotted through the pendants perforation and 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.