Necklace (lei niho palaoa)
Not on view
The pronounced upward curve of this walrus ivory pendant is likely a stylized reference to a tongue. Its incorporation into the necklace signals the importance of oratory in chiefly pursuits. The crescent-shaped form, a design vital to embodying the divine, also acted as a counterpoint to the crested helmet that protected the head of the chief. Cords of intricately plaited human hair suggest a genealogical link between high-ranking chiefs and their ancestral gods.
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