Taona n riri te takanea

Taona n riri. Used as adornment for dance costumes, this ornamental belt features perforated takanea (ovum shells) strung onto a cord of te kora (coconut sennit) then incorporated into a thickly woven belt of baa ni kaina (pandanus leaves). It is tied around the waist of a female dance performer, atop the riri, or dance skirt. All such decorative waist ornaments are collectively termed taona n riri. The takanea are white in colour with a slight orange tinge in their interior and have an overall glossy sheen. They are arranged in a row along the length of the taona n riri. Several of the takanea have additional perforations in the surface. Two ties of natural baa ni kaina are incorporated to the ends.

Ingoa Kē

Waist ornament of cowrie shells (English)

Wāhi

Beru/Gilbert Islands/Kiribati

Accession Number

1940.3

Rā Tāpiringa

1940

Tohu Tuakiri Kē

25176 (ethnology)

Wāhanga

Pacific