Kana-akari (coconut grater)

item details

NameKana-akari (coconut grater)

ProductionPiki Taripo; circa 1992; Mauke

Classificationgraters

Materialssteel, wood

DimensionsOverall: 250mm (width), 28mm (height), 434mm (length)

Registration NumberFE010163

Credit linePurchased 1992 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds

Overview

Kana-akari (coconut graters) like this one are used to scrape the flesh from the shells of akari (mature coconuts) that have been husked and split in half. Kana-akari of various forms are still used today and are an essential tool in the daily preparation of food in the Cook Islands.

Details and usage

This kana-akari consists of a long narrow metal strip with a serrated end, which is screwed onto a flat pentagonal-shaped wooden board. The operator sits on the board with the projection between their legs and scrapes the flesh from the coconut shell.

Coconut grating stools

Other types of kana-akari take the form of stools carved from blocks of wood or fashioned from suitably shaped branches.

Origin and acquisition

This kana-akari was made by Piki Taripo of Areora village, Mauke, in the Cook Islands. It was purchased by Richard Walter on behalf of the National Museum (Te Papa's predecessor) between 1992 and 1993.