| :: Ceremonial Exchange in Mount Hagen New Guinea |
Bridging Prehistory, Traditional and Contemporary Rituals and Habits: Sambia
Bibliography
The Rope of Moka: Big-Men and
Ceremonial Exchange in Mount Hagen,
New Guinea by Andrew Strathern
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Review: 1,
The Rope of Moka: Big-Men and
Ceremonial Exchange in Mount Hagen,
New Guinea by Andrew Strathern
Buy at amazon.com
Review: 1,
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Kina shell or valuable currency
Shell; kina; fibre; grass; pigment; woven stitched
Centimetres: 35.5 (length)
1920-1940 AD
Highlands; early 20th century AD
Area of Origin: Coastal Region; Highlands Region;
Papua New Guinea; Melanesia
This crescent shaped object is made from the
Gold Lip Shell (Pinctada maximums), and is an
integral part of the payment and exchange system
in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Irian Jaya
(Indonesia.) It is called “kina” in PNG, which is
also the name for the modern currency of that
country.
The kina shell is also a personal adornment used
for ceremonial occasions. A woven cord of plant
or animal fibres is fastened to holes drilled on
both ends of the shell. In the Sepik River Region,
these cords were decorated with Nassa Shells.
When used in an exchange, a kina shell may be
dyed with natural red or ochre colours, and
mounted on a display board called “moka”. This
custom is mostly prevalent in the Mount Hagen
area of the Highlands of New Guinea.
Shell; kina; fibre; grass; pigment; woven stitched
Centimetres: 35.5 (length)
1920-1940 AD
Highlands; early 20th century AD
Area of Origin: Coastal Region; Highlands Region;
Papua New Guinea; Melanesia
This crescent shaped object is made from the
Gold Lip Shell (Pinctada maximums), and is an
integral part of the payment and exchange system
in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Irian Jaya
(Indonesia.) It is called “kina” in PNG, which is
also the name for the modern currency of that
country.
The kina shell is also a personal adornment used
for ceremonial occasions. A woven cord of plant
or animal fibres is fastened to holes drilled on
both ends of the shell. In the Sepik River Region,
these cords were decorated with Nassa Shells.
When used in an exchange, a kina shell may be
dyed with natural red or ochre colours, and
mounted on a display board called “moka”. This
custom is mostly prevalent in the Mount Hagen
area of the Highlands of New Guinea.
As valuable items, large kina shells have their own names. They are preserved in specially woven bark bags.
During ceremonial occasions, the shell is presented in its bag.
Until the early 1960s, kina shells had a fixed exchange value of 12 Australian shillings per pair. A full-grown
pig was worth about 8 shells, depending on the region. After PNG’s independence in 1975, kina shells lost
their formal monetary value. In the Highlands of PNG, they are still used as currency and are a valued item
of wealth and ornament.(Text from Royal Ontario Museum)
During ceremonial occasions, the shell is presented in its bag.
Until the early 1960s, kina shells had a fixed exchange value of 12 Australian shillings per pair. A full-grown
pig was worth about 8 shells, depending on the region. After PNG’s independence in 1975, kina shells lost
their formal monetary value. In the Highlands of PNG, they are still used as currency and are a valued item
of wealth and ornament.(Text from Royal Ontario Museum)
Large stone work ax collected near
Wamena, Papua (Irian Jaya). It is
approximately 3 feet (1 meter) long and
quite heavy.
http://www.art-pacific.com/artifacts/nugui
nea/weapons/axesclub.htm
Wamena, Papua (Irian Jaya). It is
approximately 3 feet (1 meter) long and
quite heavy.
http://www.art-pacific.com/artifacts/nugui
nea/weapons/axesclub.htm