Te Bure. Egg cowrie shell dance ornament. This is a dance ornament worn upon the neck or arms. It is considered rare and of value. It would be worn for the ruoia dance. Te bure (egg cowrie; amphiperas ovum) is bulbous in form, off-white in colour and smooth in surface texture. Some transparent pale brown marks dapple the surface. Both of ends of te bure feature short spires. Opposite, other ends present an interior canal. The aperture of the bure are narrow. Their interiors are light orange in tone with a surface layer of dried white residue. The inner lip curves inwards with a softly serrated surface. Circular perforations have been drilled into the mid section of the inner lip. This could have been made from the use of a terebra shell or te uubai (pump drill). A two ply cordage called Te nimwaerere is made of dark brown human hair and benu (coconut husk fibre). It has been threaded through the circular perforation to form the band. The ends have been left untied. Te bure are usually kept in the possession of mature and/or married women.