Rito & pearlshell fan
date: label: Accession Date
content: 17 Feb 2017
label: Collection Date
content: 2010
name: label: Collector
content: Jean T. Chapman-Mason
label: Donor Name
content: Jean T. Chapman-Mason
notes: label: Notes
content: Fan with pearl shell body, and fiber woven through holes in the perimeter of the shell. Fiber ends in long fringe. Donor describes as "natural coloured rito fibers (from immature leaves of the coconut tree which have been boiled), yellowing with age; must be kept dry as water causes rito to lose shape. Also, keep it out of sunlight as it causes the yellowing." "...Parau (pearlshell of the Pinctada margaritifera) which yields the black pearl. Probably made in Penrhyn or Manihiki where the pearl shell occurs (and pearl farms are located)." "These fans are frequently given as gifts; made by Northern Group (Apa Tokerau) women on Pukapuka, Palmerston, Manihiki, Rakahanga and (Tongareva) Penrhyn islands but moreso on Manihiki and Tongareva today. This one was in JT Chapman-Mason's household for over 10 years; she cannot recall how she came by it."
label: Record Last Modified
content: 26 Aug 2016
label: Specimen Count
content: 1
place: label: Place
content: Rarotonga, Cook Islands, Polynesia
topic: label: Topic
content: Ethnology
culture: label: Culture
content: Cook Islands Maori
setName: label: See more items in
content: Anthropology
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 2069807
label: USNM Number
content: E433835-0
objectType: label: Object Type
content: Fan
physicalDescription: label: Length
content: 35 cm
label: Width
content: 24 cm
label: Height
content: 4 cm