APAH Pacific Art Vocab

Ahu

pedestal or platform for the moai on Easter Island

‘Ahu ‘ula

“red garment”; term is used for Hawaiian feather cloaks

Ali’i

Hawaii’s ruling hereditary elite

Ges

spirit double of an individual

Hiapo

Niuean name for tapa cloth

Maori

indigenous peoples of New Zealand

Mana

supernatural power associated with those of high rank; also a power embodied in sacred places or objects

Moai

large stone sculptures found on Easter Island; likely depict rulers or ancestors

Moko

facial tattoos used by the Maori

Rebbelib

stick chart with shells denoting islands in large sections of water

Scarification

ritual cutting of the body to create scars with particular patterns that denote status or identity

Tapa

Oceanic cloth made from bark that is soaked, beaten, dyed and decorated

Totem

object or creature that connected to certain ancestral spirits