Some symbolic aspects of the Big House

The Big House is the symbol of the Clan. Its frame is made from forests trees. The elements of the frame are strongly tied between each other and hooked to the central post. Coconut tree leaves or straw are used as roofing.

The Big House can get together the following carved elements :

- The central post, considered as a living human being, is the most important part of the house by its volume and its symbolic implication. It is the symbol of groups gatherings, strength and image of the Ancestor, the soul of the House. Most often, the central post is made of houp wood, a sacred tree, endemic to New Caledonia.

Reproduction in kaori wood of a Big House ->

- The House posts : the lower posts of the House can be carved. They are a representation of the Ancestor of each group that have been taken part in the building of the House.

- The divination plank : those planks are most often a representation of the Ancestor with a human face carved to both ends. They can be found essentially in Bourail and Houailou area.

- The roof finial : is a also a symbolic wooden carving emblem of the chiefly house that owns it. It stands up straight on the top of the Big House. Its ornamentation describes the rank of the chiefly house. The central part, the most significative one, depicts the Ancestor.
<- Kohu wood roof finial from Bourail Area.

- The doorframes : these are houp wood plates carved in low relief and set here and there of the door of the Big House. The upper part represents an Ancestor's face. The lower part is engraved with geometrical figures whose patterns differ according to the areas. The doorframes are the caretakers of the house and the protectors of the case's inhabitants.

- The caretakers : these are some little carvings planted on the ground or in the straw of the walls or else, tied to the central post facing the entrance of the house.

<-- Isle of Pines doorframes -->

Other symbolic elements of Kanak culture

- The carved bamboos : originally, the bamboo was a travelling stick filled with magical herbs to protect the traveller. Since the European men have arrived, it has become a real picture book, witness of the everyday life and especially, a colonisation chronicle.

- Pearls currency or 'thewe" currency (Nemi language, Hoot ma Whaap area) is, according to Maurice Leenhardt's expression, a seal to confirm the alliance between groups. They are stamped by spiritual values and entirely an Ancestor's representation. Kanak currency is a living currency circulating through ceremonies and generations. It is composed of a "head"  which can be carved or woven, and a "foot" made from a hank of flying fox fur; The string of shell beads represents the spine of the Ancestor and the final skein the sexual organ or feet of the same Ancestor. The money is most often preserved in a bag made from coconut tree leaves or banyan tree beaten bark.

Recent "thewe" money from Kouaoua

According to the regions, the pearls are made of flying fox bone, lizard bone or point shells. They are stringed on a thread and worn on a stone to refine them. They are two types of currency :  the black one, the most rare, and the white one more common.

In the course of time, Kanak society has been adapting itself to the evolution and modernity. More and more often, we can see appear during the ceremonies, recent-made currency composed of traditional elements (bone, shells, mother-of-pearl, coconut fiber, tapa) and modern elements (wool, plastic) within a set of harmony of colors.

- The clubs : The club called "casse-tête" is a weapon whose only head can hit unlike the one called "massue" whose any part of the head can be used to strike. We tell so about beak bird club, either short or long (respectively "gö popwä wërëwa" and "gö poropwä wërëwa" in Paici language) and of the phallic club ("Gö mââce"). All these are war weapons.

- The monstrance axe : the name of this object comes from its likeness with the catholic cult monstrance. Its character of parade encourages this designation which has no ties with the local denomination. In the local language, it is actually linked with the word "club". Most often, it is called "green stone club" or more simply "green club". The blade is made from a green hard stone called "jade". Most often, it is a round and polished serpentine or nephrite with two holes at the base which permit to join it to the handle.

This wooden handle is wrapped in a tapa strip hold by a coconut fiber plait or flying fox fur and is ending at the base  by a pedestal made of half a coconut containing some magical elements.  Shell bunches added to the handle make a small bell sound that gives rhythm to the speaker's speech shaking the axe during chief's mourning ceremonies.

The monstrance axe is a parade weapon, a chief or a group's pride. It may be an item used for exchange during important customary ceremonies too. The ceremony axes of value circulated through the chiefly houses exchange network. Others remained among the chiefly house wealth, transmitted from generation to generation.

- The mask : it can be found in the Northern, the Center and a part of the Southern Mainland. It is completely unknown in the far South, in the Isle of Pines and in the Loyalty Islands. Northern style uses the carving technique of the sculpture in the round. It is defined by a prominent and curved nose whose end can reach the mouth.

Cherry tree wooden mask from Koumac

- The canoes : used for deep-sea fishing, relationships between coastal villages and inter-insular navigation, several types of boats exist : 

The simple canoe with balancing pole is the most common. She can transport three or four passengers. Proppelled with a paddle or a pole, she can also have a sail. She can be used for fishing.

The canoe simple reach is a bigger boat is for at sea fishing and for longue distance journeys.

The double canoe is composed of a platform that can be used as boarding bridge and that can bear a shelter where it possible to make a fire. It is equipped with a sail and is guided with a removable rudder.

Reproduction of a simple canoe with balancing pole.

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Last update : 20/03/10
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