necklace

Description:

Necklace of Ten Whale Teeth, Sisi, Fiji, Western Polynesia. The teeth of the Sperm Whale (Physeter catodon) were of great value and cultural significance for the people of Western Polynesia, and one manifestation of that importance was the use of smaller whale’s teeth as components in necklaces. Fijian sisi necklaces such as this one, which incorporated a number of smaller Sperm Whale teeth, were among the most prized valuables in that group. When Western whaling ships, sandalwood traders and shippers of Canadian furs began to appear in the region around 1800, they found that they could supply whale’s teeth to the Fijians and Tongans in return for vast quantities of fresh fruit and vegetables, drinking water, timber and so on. Flooding the region with previously very rare ivory meant that it lost some of its value for the Fijians, but it also meant that there was more of it for craftsmen to break up for use in making their breast ornaments, necklaces, sporting darts, and inlaid shapes on clubs and headrests. The sisi always maintained its value, however, because the sheer number of whole teeth required was still enormous. The ivory-workers in Fiji were predominantly Tongan specialists (tufunga fono lei), and they developed a technique for sawing down whole teeth into finely polished long, curved points. Necklaces called waseisei could be made from these points which (in many ways) excelled the craftsmanship of the sisi, but they were always given secondary value to the sisi because the teeth were not whole. In this way, the sisi was like a little wearable string of tabua ceremonial valuables for the Fijians. Sperm whale ivory, coconut fibre. Mid-19th Century. Formerly in the private collection of Mr James Edge Partington. Ten small whole sperm whale teeth pierced and strung together into a necklace using coconut fibre.

Format:

image

Collections:

Horniman Museum and Gardens

Content partner:

Horniman Museum and Gardens

Availability:

Not specified