Tabua (ceremonial whale tooth)
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Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Tabua are pierced and braided whales' teeth, originally taken from the lower jaw of sperm whales found stranded on Fijian beaches. Because whale strandings are relatively rare in Fiji, whale teeth are highly valued. Cultural value In Pacific Island societies, some objects have a cultural value that far outweighs their market value. In Fijian society, tabua are examples of this kind of object. Fijians consider tabua to be kavakaturanga (chiefly items). They are not worn, but are presented at important ceremonies, including weddings, births, and funerals. Tabua used to be the most effective way to give weight to an apology or atonement. The occasion that tabua are presented at also determines their spiritual value. Construction To make tabua, the whale teeth are polished and sometimes rubbed with coconut oil and turmeric to darken them. In some cases, the teeth are smoked in a small tent-like structure covered in barkcloth in order to turn them a rich tobacco colour. Ceremonial tabua have holes drilled through the tip and the butt, and a braided sennit (coconut husk fibre) cord is attached. On this tabua, a small metal engraved plaque (corroded) is attached to the central part of the tooth. The inscription reads: "To Mr & Mrs W. R. Dyer from Fijian Met. Observers Aug 1948". Attached to either side of the tooth are little plastic tags which are attached to a twisted cord of sennit fibre. Whale teeth While tabua are a uniquely Fijian object, whale teeth are also important in other societies. Fijians traded with Tongans for whale teeth and when European whalers arrived in the region they introduced greater numbers of whale teeth into the local economy. European sailors used to carve and colour whale teeth in their spare time (this was called scrimshaw). Whale teeth were shaped into necklaces and other ornaments in many parts of the Pacific, including Samoa, Tonga, Tahiti, Hawai'i, and the Marquesas Islands. Māori also used whale teeth to make rei niho (whale tooth pendants), which were worn by people of high rank. Acquisition History This tabua is part of a small collection of objects which were acquired by Walter Ralph Dyer during his work as a meteorologist in Samoa and Fiji during the 1930s and 1940s.
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Details
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Title
Tabua (ceremonial whale tooth)
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Date made
Gifted: 2010
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Subject
Fijian, ivory, plant fibre, plastic, metal, tooth, necklaces, ceremonial objects, tabua, Fiji, Polynesian, Melanesian
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Rights
All Rights Reserved
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Location
Cable Street, Wellington
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Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
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Text adapted with permission from Te Papa and Digital NZ
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