Kumete (bowl)

This large beaker-shaped kumete (bowl) is made of wood. It is supported on three very short legs and is part of a set of three. It has geometric designs around the outside of the rim and on the base. These have been adapted from painted designs found in the historic Church of Ziona built in 1882 in the Cook Islands.

Origin
The kumete was made in Mauke, probably in 1992, by Vavia Pate and the men of the Mauke Carving Workshop, which was established in the Cook Islands in 1992.

Form and function

In the Cook Islands, wooden bowls vary in name, size, shape, and features. Often made of tamanu wood, the small to medium sized bowls are used for domestic purposes and the larger bowls for feasts. Kumete from the Cook Islands are usually oval or round in shape, with an upward projecting rim.

Acquisition

This kumete was purchased by Richard Walter on behalf of the National Museum (Te Papa's predecessor) in 1993.