The gifting and exchange of tabua was a serious business and the recipient was bound by tradition to honour the accompanying request. In some cases tabua were even presented in exchange for the taking of a life. They were given as offerings for war or peace, as tokens to symbolise marriage or as payment of bride price. The gifting of tabua was traditionally a great ceremonial event in Fiji. The cord and bindings of the tabua are created using different materials as well, such as coconut fibre, pandanus or bark cloth. Tabua also vary greatly in size, with the larger ones being more highly prized. However there are a number of tabua in the collection that have a rougher, unfinished feel. Tabua generally have a polished appearance, varying in colour from pale cream, to yellow, to walnut brown. The tabua, wasekaseka and sisi in the collection demonstrate a range of styles and production techniques. The collection therefore represents both tradition and change in this renowned Fijian art form. Wasekaseka became more common after European contact, with the increased trade in whale ivory and availability of iron tools. There is also the impressive wasekaseka necklaces fashioned from tabua which have been cut and polished into tusk-like ornaments. The Museum also has a selection of tabua which are bound together in necklaces known as sisi, which were worn by chiefs and other individuals of high status. There is the tabua itself, a single whale's tooth smoothed and polished into an object of great power and significance, which is gifted or exchanged at special ceremonies. It does not store any personal data.Tabua and whale's teeth ornaments can be found in a number of forms, each of which is represented in the collection. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category 'Performance'. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin.

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