South Pacific, Polynesia, Tokelau Island (New Zealand territory), ca. early to mid-20th century CE. A hand-carved wooden container known as a tuluma, with a lid and sennit (coconut) fiber cord. The tuluma is used to carry and store fishing gear and other items meant to be kept dry while fishing out at sea. The body is ovoid with tall and thick walls and a stable, flat base. The rim has an interior lip for the lid to fit flush with. The lid has a square knob or handle with a piercing through the center, and the body rim contains knobs with central perforations that the twisted sennit fiber cord is strung through. The sennit cord cinches the lid in place and acts as a carrying strap. The Tokelau islands are a trio of atolls north of American Samoa that have been inhabited for 1000 years, during which time they have developed a rich artistic tradition. Most tuluma are made from wood from the kanava tree. The wood is highly polished to show off the natural honey colors of the graining. Size: 7.25" Diameter x 6" H (18.4 cm x 15.2 cm)
According to the Museum of New Zealand, "One scholar suggests that the manufacture of tuluma in Tokelau may have originated with Hawaiian castaways wrecked off one of the atolls around 1830. Beautifully crafted boxes with fitting lids were seen in Hawaii from at least the late 1790s, so it is possible that Hawaiian sailors may have passed their skills on to their new hosts." (Langdon, R. (1998). Fakaofo's Hawaiian Castaways of 1830 and the Origin of Its Lidded Boxes Called Tuluma. The Journal of the Polynesian Society, 107(3), 287-300.)
Provenance: private Hawaii, USA collection
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#166519
Condition
Stable pressure fissures and pitting to base. Chips to handles and rim. Lid and exterior walls are highly polished and lustrous graining.