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Overview
This is a pate, a wooden slit drum from the Cook Islands. This example was used as a presentation piece by the Cook Islands Returned Services Association (Inc.).
Construction
A pate is made by cutting a hardwood branch or tree trunk and removing the bark. A number of holes are drilled in a straight line, then the bits between them are chiselled out to form a long opening. The most important part of the process is working out how much wood should be hollowed out from the centre slit as this, along with the shape of the opening, determines how high or low the pitch of the drum will be.Pate are made as instruments but are also sold as souvenirs for the tourist market. This example is decorated with geometric patterns and has been modified to be used as a presentation piece. The inscription 'Cook Islands Returned Services Assn' has been carved on its surface.
Significance
This pate is part of a small collection of objects from the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services Association (RNZRSA) that represent important facets of the associations history and work, including relationships with kin organisations in Fiji and the Cook Islands, and the N.Z. Home Servicemen's Association. It was probably presented as a gift by the Cook Islands Returned Services Association to the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association sometime in the late 20th century, however, the precise date has not been recorded. It was part of the RNZRSA's collection in its Head Office in Wellington before it was donated to Te Papa in 2015.