Kali

Click here to view image

Author/ School/ Dating:

Kali

Technique and Dimensions:

wood

Back to Focus:
Viti Islands (Fiji Islands)

Placed under the back of the neck, it was initially reserved for the use of aristocrats to preserve the elaborate hairstyles and prevent the spiritual power, the mana, which was thought to envelop their heads like a halo, came into contact with the soil thus triggering dangerous consequences especially for "ordinary people".

lei ‘olepe

Click here to view image

Author/ School/ Dating:

lei ‘olepe

Technique and Dimensions:

Shells: Chlamys sp.

Back to Focus:
Polynesia

Necklace of bivalve shells: it was also used as a hat band.
Hawaii

No’oanga

Click here to view image

Acquisizione:

E.A. d'Albertis 1932

Author/ School/ Dating:

No’oanga

Inventario:

C.D.A.1106

Provenienza (nazione):

Isole Cook

Tecnica:

Modellato in un unico pezzo di tamanu, albero il cui legno non è soggetto a processo di marcescenza grazie alla resina di cui è impregnato.

Utilizzo:

Simbolica Questo tipo di sedile aveva un valore più simbolico che utilitario. Cerimonie

Back to Focus:
Polynesia

Seat reserved for leaders. Shaped in a single piece of tamanu, the tree whose wood has the advantage of not being subject to the process of rotting thanks to the resin that impregnates it. No'oanga had more symbolic than utilitarian value.
Atiu, Cook Islands

 

Lei niho palaoa

Click here to view image

Titolo dell'opera:

Necklace with pendant

Acquisizione:

Enrico Alberto D'Albertis 1932

Author/ School/ Dating:

Necklace with pendant

Epoca:

XIX - 1851 - 1900

Inventario:

C.D.A.1038

Misure:

Tipo di misura: lunghezza; Unità di misura: cm; Valore: 20; Tipo di misura: lunghezza; Unità di misura: cm; Valore: 10

Provenienza (nazione):

Hawaii

Tecnica:

Originariamente il pendente, appeso al centro di un fascio di treccine di capelli umani formate ognuna da 50 a 100 capelli, era costituito da un dente di capodoglio di piccole dimensioni. A seguito dell'incremento del commercio con le navi baleniere americane e della conseguente maggiore reperibilità d'avorio, le dimensioni dei pendenti aumentarono. Molti esemplari del XIX secolo hanno il pendente realizzato in avorio di tricheco.

Utilizzo:

Riconoscimento dello status sociale. Tradizionalmente veniva indossata da uomini e donne di rango superiore, anche se nel XIX secolo fu utilizzata anche da individui di status inferiore. Fu usata anche come oggetto di scambio con visitatori americani ed europei. Cerimonie/vita quotidiana (?)

Back to Focus:
Polynesia
Descrizione:

Necklace consisting of a central ivory pendant in the shape of a hook (stylisation of a godhead with chin, mouth and tongue, centres of vitality and spiritual strength) supported by two skeins of thin braids of human hair. At the other end of the two skeins are sewn two dark brown cotton webbing for closure. Worn exclusively by higher ranking chiefs of both sexes as the second most important symbol of power after the feather cloak. The materials from which it is made indicate its sacred character: in the Eastern Pacific, the head was considered the most sacred part of the human body because spiritual strength was believed to be concentrated mainly in it and in the hair. When a sperm whale died, its hair was cut off and used to make objects such as this ornament. The sperm whale was not hunted but when a carcass was stranded on the reefs it became the property of the chief of higher rank; once found the teeth were removed and used. In this type of ornament the tooth was moulded in the shape of a tongue, perhaps indicating that the wearer spoke with authority.

lei - collana / lei po’o - lei per testa

Click here to view image

Author/ School/ Dating:

lei - necklace / lei po’o - lei for head

Technique and Dimensions:

Shells: Orobophana sp. , vegetable fibres

Back to Focus:
Polynesia

Made of small shells it could also be used as a crown (lei po'o).
On the basis of the material used, we distinguish the non-perishable lei made with feathers, bone, hair, teeth, shells and perishable ones made with flowers, leaves and small fruits.

The conception of this type of ornament is Polynesian, but it is in Hawaii that it has reached greater quality of expression: the materials were selected for beauty, color, symbolism, therapeutic value, fragrance. After the discovery of these islands were introduced new materials including:

glass, ceramics, semi-precious stones, which were incorporated into the making of necklaces. With tourism, production has become an important economic activity: today, alongside the traditional necklaces are those made with silk, paper, current coins in the United States, plastic, ribbons.
Hawaii

lei - collana

Click here to view image

Author/ School/ Dating:

lei - necklace

Technique and Dimensions:

Shells, vegetable fibres

Back to Focus:
Polynesia

Hawaii

lei - collana / 2

Click here to view image

Author/ School/ Dating:

lei - necklace / 2

Technique and Dimensions:

Shells, vegetable fibres of Touchardia latifolia (olona)

Back to Focus:
Polynesia

Hawaii

lei - collana / 3

Click here to view image

Acquisizione:

D'Albertis Enrico Alberto 1932

Author/ School/ Dating:

lei - necklace / 3

Inventario:

C.D.A.3262

Provenienza (nazione):

Hawaii

Tecnica:

Le conchiglie venivano raccolte dalle donne, in gruppo o da sole, sulla riva, lavate, asciugate e suddivise per specie o dimensioni. Una giornata veniva dedicata alla foratura che a seconda delle dimensioni della conchiglia veniva effettuata con attrezzi diversi

Utilizzo:

Ornamentale Vita quotidiana

Back to Focus:
Polynesia

Hawaii

Ornamento

Click here to view image

Author/ School/ Dating:

Ornament

Technique and Dimensions:

Shells, vegetable fibres

Back to Focus:
Polynesia

East Polynesia

Ke’a tuki popoi

Click here to view image

Author/ School/ Dating:

Ke’a tuki popoi

Technique and Dimensions:

volcanic stone

Back to Focus:
Polynesia

The dough for the popoi is beaten for a long time with the pestle on a thick wooden table, hoana, slightly concave, to soften it.
Isole Marchesi

Subscribe to