Kare u ta (incised bamboo)

This kare u ta (incised bamboo) was made by the Kanak people of New Caledonia. Little is known about the full range of functions kare u ta had in Kanak society, but research suggests they were used in ceremonial rites of passage. However, not all bamboo objects from New Caledonia had this purpose. Some were undecorated and used as musical instruments, while others were used as storage containers for special herbs.

Decoration

Kare u ta were decorated through a scorch-marking process or with sharp pieces of flint, shell or metal. One or more artists might have decorated a bamboo, covering it in a range of figurative and geometric images. The figurative elements on many documented examples of kare u ta appear to depict scenes, events, and characters from Kanak culture and society. Other scenes feature European figures and their activities. Sometimes introduced animals, such as dogs and horses, or introduced technologies, such as firearms and sailing ships, are prominent. This example is decorated with human figures and images of rifles.

Acquisition

This is one of five examples of kare u ta in Te Papa's collections that were probably collected in the nineteenth century. In 1948, the New Zealand Government purchased it for an undisclosed sum from the London dealer and collector W O Oldman.

References

Burns, Margaret E, Incised bamboo from New Caledonia: A visual analysis The Australian Journal for Anthropology 13: 1 (2002) :1-22