Tiki ivi po'o (ornament)

item details

NameTiki ivi po'o (ornament)

ProductionUnknown; 1800s; Marquesas Islands

Classificationcostume, ornaments

Materialsbone

Techniquescarving

DimensionsOverall: 25mm (width), 40mm (length)

Registration NumberOL000226/2

Credit lineOldman Collection. Gift of the New Zealand Government, 1992

Overview

This ivi po'o (small bone cylinder) comes from the Marquesas Islands. Ivi po'o are a form of personal adornment that could be plain or intricately decorated. This one features a carved human form and is referred to as a tiki ivi po'o. Tiki ivi po'o are believed to represent ancestral deities.

Tiki ivi po'o
Tiki ivi po'o were popular adornments. People wore them around their necks on cord or in their hair. They also attached them to all manner of objects to decorate them. They were tied to shell trumpets and incorporated into the design of fan handles and other treasured household items.

Acquisition
No details are known about the maker or history of this item. In 1948, it was acquired by the Dominion Museum (Te Papa's predecessor) as part of the Oldman collection of Māori and Polynesian artefacts.