Tapas from Santa Cruz Islands : we can recognize tapas or lepau from Santa Cruz Islands thanks to their thin black herringbone patterns included in juxtaposed rectangles. The most ancient pictures show that delicately decorated lepau were worn as turban while other most simple beaten barks could be used as aprons.

Ebony Nzunzu

Nzunzu and Kesoko

Riverstone Kesoko

Canoes prows symbolizing the protecting spirit Nzunzu, were tied to the front of the boats, on the waterline limit.

Nzunzu never closing the eyes and continuously observing the horizon could spread out Kesoko, evil spirit living in the water.

The mother-of-shells inlays symbolize paintings worn by warriors on their face.

Accessories and exchange currencies

Nose ornament (nelo) from Santa Cruz Islands (mother-of-shells, fiber and pearls) : Those nose ornament nelo are worn by men during initiation dances called nelanga nelo. It is during this occasion that the initiates have their nose pierce.

Money belt from Malaïta in vegetal fibers and bivalve shells. Three shells from the bivalves family are used to make those belts. Chama iostoma for the red color, beguina semi-orbiculata for the black color and anadara granosa for the white one.

They were made by women specialized in making those little shell disks. The patterns symbolized the belonging to such or such clan.

Funerary currencies (zaru)

Funerary plates or currencies from Solomon Islands especially come from New Georgia and Choiseul Islands. These kinds of items, both sign of  wealth and symbol of hereafter, could be worn as ornament, then supposed to be preserved in the next world being set down close to deceased skull.

Clubs and shields

Parade club shield (qauata) from San Cristobal or Santa Ana.

Subi from Malaita (wood and fiber).

Alafolo from Malaita (wood and lime).

<- lava lava shield (weaved rush).

War shields of this kind were used in New Georgia Island, Florida Island, Santa Isabel Island and Guadalcanal.

<- Ceremonial stick wari hau (Malaita Island) in fiber and mother-of-shell.

These are probably the first objects that have been noticed and collected by the Europeans when Count Alvaro of Mendana discovered the archipelago in the end of the 16th century.

Trader axe from New Georgia made of wood, mother-of-shell, parinarium resin and iron blade. ->

From the second half of the 19th century, those iron blades exchanged with the Europeans and then adapted have become frequent weapons whose Solomon Islands inhabitants used in an efficient way during fights.

Transition between the wooden handle and the iron blade is there provided by a representation of the frigate bird. It is also underlined by several mother-of-shells inlays.

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Last update : 15/11/09
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