North Pacific, Hawaiian Islands, Maui-Lahaina, ca. 19th century CE. A sizable poi or medicine pounder, hand-carved from basalt in mottled hues of gray. The fine implement displays a thick handle and a corseted neck to increase the gripping ability of the wielder. The hefty pounding surface is circular in form with a slightly convex face and gradually widens downwards from the slender neck. Pounders like this could be used for making poi - a starchy staple in Hawaiian cuisine - or for preparing medicinal substances. Size: 5.5" L x 4.5" Diameter (14 cm x 11.4 cm)
Poi pounders, alongside adzes, were the most important stone tools in Polynesia and the Hawaiian Islands. The pounders, known locally as a "Ke'a Tuki Popoi," are used for pounding cooked taro root into poi, a staple of the islander diet. Taro root was steamed in an earthen oven, peeled using shells, and placed onto a slab of wood to be pounded. The pounded results were blended with water into a highly nutritious paste. Traditional calabash bowls were used as containers to hold poi mixtures, and traveling royalty were accompanied by their own poi maker, with his or her own poi-making implements like this one.
Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection, acquired 1995 to 2010
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#168081
Condition
Surface and use expected abrasions and chips. Loss along edge just above the pounding face. Otherwise intact with light mineral deposits within the naturally porous surface.