Te bure

Te Bure. Neck ornament of egg cowrie shells. This neck ornament features three large bure (egg cowrie shell; amphiperas ovum). These types of shells are considered rare and valuable. They can be used for other kinds of body adornments such as bure n aonibai (arm ornaments), normally worn for the ruoia dance. Te bure are bulbous in form, off-white in colour and smooth in surface texture. Grey marks dapple some parts of the surface. They feature short spires where the opposite ends present the anterior canal. The aperture of the bure is narrow. Their interiors show a pale orange in tone with a surface layer of dried white residue. The inner lip curves inwards with a soft serrated surface. Circular perforations have been drilled through the mid sections of the inner lip where it is visible on the exterior. One out of the three bure has been polished, defining it from the matte surface textured ones. A thin braided cord of dark brown human hair has been threaded through the perforations forming a neck band. It has been used to knot the three bure together and left un-tied. Te bure would only be kept in the possession of mature and/or married women.