Unit 9: The Pacific, 700-1980 CE

‘Ahu ‘ula

Hawaiian feather cloaks

Malagan

a large, traditional ceremony from Papua New Guinea, as well as the masks and costumes used in that ceremony

Mana

a supernatural force believed to dwell in a person, or a sacred object

Moai

large stone sculptures found on Easter Island

Tapa

a cloth made from bark that is soaked and beaten into a fabric

Nan Madol

92 small artificial islands connected by canals, about 170 acres in total.Built out into the water on a lagoonCity built to separate the upper classes from the lower classes.

Female deity

Many were kept in religious buildings belonging to the community.Sometimes they were dressed in garments; may have been decorated with ­flowers.Taken by missionaries who did not record anything about the sculptures.

Navigation chart

meant to be memorized prior to a voyageenabled navigators to guide boats through the many islands to get to a destination.made of wood, therefore waterproof and buoyant.

wapepe

Charts are called \____ in the Marshall Islands.

‘Ahu ‘ula (feather cape)

Feathers numbered 500,000; some birds had only seven usable feathers.Only high-ranking chiefs or warriors of great ability were entitled to wear these; mostly by men.

Mana

a supernatural force believed to dwell in a person or sacred object.

Red

\____ was considered a royal color in Polynesia; yellow was prized because of its rarity.

Staff God

Large, column-like, wooden core mounted upright in village common spaces; the wooden core is wrapped with tapa cloth.The wooden sculpture placed on top features a large carved head with several smaller figures carved below itMost were destroyed; only the top ends were retained as trophies.

manava

Reverend John Williams observed that the barkcloth contained red feathers and pieces of pearl shell, known as the \______ or the spirit of the god.

Hiapo (tapa)

cloth made from tree bark; the pieces are beaten and pasted together.After it is dried, designs are sometimes repainted to enhance the effect.Traditionally worn as clothing before the importation of cotton.

Hiapo

the word used in Niue for tapa (bark cloth).

Tapa

It takes on a special meaning: commemorating an event, honoring a chief, noting a series of ancestors.Generally worn by womenmany of the images have a rich history.

Nan Madol

92 small artificial islands connected by canals, about 170 acres in total. Built out into the water on a lagoon. City built to separate the upper classes from the lower classes.

Female deity

Many were kept in religious buildings belonging to the community. Sometimes they were dressed in garments; may have been decorated with ­flowers. Taken by missionaries who did not record anything about the sculptures.

Navigation chart

Meant to be memorized prior to a voyage. Enabled navigators to guide boats through the many islands to get to a destination. Made of wood, therefore waterproof and buoyant.

‘Ahu ‘ula (feather cape)

Feathers numbered 500,000; some birds had only seven usable feathers. Only high-ranking chiefs or warriors of great ability were entitled to wear these; mostly by men.

Mana

a supernatural force believed to dwell in a person or sacred object.

Red

____ was considered a royal color in Polynesia; yellow was prized because of its rarity

Staff God

Large, column-like, wooden core mounted upright in village common spaces; the wooden core is wrapped with tapa cloth. The wooden sculpture placed on top features a large carved head with several smaller figures carved below it Most were destroyed; only the top ends were retained as trophies.

manava

Reverend John Williams observed that the barkcloth contained red feathers and pieces of pearl shell, known as the ______ or the spirit of the god.

Hiapo (tapa)

Cloth made from tree bark; the pieces are beaten and pasted together. After it is dried, designs are sometimes repainted to enhance the effect. Traditionally worn as clothing before the importation of cotton.

Tamati Waka Nene

By Gottfried Lindauer (1890); A Maori chief and convert to the Wesleyan faith. Painting is posthumous, based on a photograph by John Crombie.

Malagan mask

Commissioned; they represent the individual’s soul, or life force, not a physical presence. Indicates the relationship of a particular deceased person to a clan and to living members of the family. Painted black, yellow, and red: important colors denoting violence, war, and magic.

Buk (mask)

Part of a larger grass costume used in ceremonies about death, fertility, or male initiation, perhaps even to ensure a good harvest. This mask shows a bird placed on top.

Torres Strait

It is the water passageway between Australia and New Guinea.

Presentation of Fijian mats and tapa cloths to Queen Elizabeth II

Multimedia performance, photographic documentation. Presented to the Queenin 1953 in commemoration of her visit to Fiji on the occasion of her coronation as queen of England.

Moai on platform (ahu)

Prominent foreheads; large broad noses; thin pouting lips; ears that reach to the top of their heads. Short, thin arms fall straight down; hands on hips; hands across lower abdomen below navel. Monuments were toppled face down because it was believed that the eyes had spiritual power.

ahu

large platforms of stone mixed with ashes from cremations;