Tanoa fai`ava (kava bowl)

This is a tanoa fai`ava, a wooden bowl used in the preparation of a beverage made from the roots of the kava plant. The roots are crushed into a powder-like form and mixed in the bowl with water. Kava, or 'ava as it is known in Samoa, can be served informally, although its most important use is in chiefly meetings and ceremonies.

Manufacture and design

Historically, the manufacture of tanoa fai'ava was a specialised task and certain villages in Samoa acquired a reputation for producing quality work. Older forms of tanoa fai `ava have four legs (like this one), whereas most tanoa fai'ava seen today have many legs, which are either round or square in section and usually set very close together. Today's tanoa fai'ava are still made in a range of sizes, big enough to serve large formal gatherings or small enough to be portable and popular with tourists. The elegant form and lines of tanoa fai'ava make them a popular gift and souvenir. They are one of the most enduring icons of Samoan hospitality and culture.

Acquisition

This tanoa fai'ava was collected by Reverend J Collier around 1912 and presented to the Dominion Museum (Te Papa's predecessor) by Mrs Tighe.