Kali
Three-legged kali (headrest) made of wood carved in imitation of bamboo. One leg is a curved extension of the stalk, the other two legs are formed of a curved piece of wood tied onto the main piece with coconut fibre cord.
Headrests were used in the Society Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji primarily as pillows. The head was regarded as sacred and should not be allowed to touch the ground. Headrests also kept the head cool on warm nights. This example was collected on Samoa by the missionary John Williams (1769-1839) in 1832. It is in a Fijian style, however, helping to show the extent to which headrests were traded and gifted within the Pacific. Within Fiji they were usually given as marriage gifts by the woman's side as proof of their ability to establish a successful household.
Headrests were used in the Society Islands, Samoa, Tonga and Fiji primarily as pillows. The head was regarded as sacred and should not be allowed to touch the ground. Headrests also kept the head cool on warm nights. This example was collected on Samoa by the missionary John Williams (1769-1839) in 1832. It is in a Fijian style, however, helping to show the extent to which headrests were traded and gifted within the Pacific. Within Fiji they were usually given as marriage gifts by the woman's side as proof of their ability to establish a successful household.
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Object Details
ID: | ZBA5510 |
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Collection: | World Cultures |
Type: | Kali |
Display location: | Display - Pacific Encounters Gallery |
Date made: | Before 1832 |
People: | Williams, John |
Credit: | National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London |
Measurements: | Overall: 180 mm x 760 mm x 230 mm |
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