Kava History Traditional Tanoa Decor

[Intrepidus_dux]

Now that I have a Tanoa, I'm interested in knowing more about the magimagi rope that is braided with the white egg cowrie shells.

What's the meaning of it? Is it ok to make my own or would this be considered disrespectful?

Here is a museum link for reference: https://www.horniman.ac.uk/object/1994.304/

 

[Alia]

Now that I have a Tanoa, I'm interested in knowing more about the magimagi rope that is braided with the white egg cowrie shells.

What's the meaning of it? Is it ok to make my own or would this be considered disrespectful?

Here is a museum link for reference: https://www.horniman.ac.uk/object/1994.304/

24 years ago a friend from Fiji brought me a Fijian kava bowl with the attached artfull brained rope with white cowry shell at end.
Said when drinking kava the shell is placed in the direction of the visitor, VIP, honored guest etc.
I do not see why it would be inappropriate for you to make one.
I bow to whatever @kasa_balavu recommends however.

 

[Intrepidus_dux]

24 years ago a friend from Fiji brought me a Fijian kava bowl with the attached artfull brained rope with white cowry shell at end.
Said when drinking kava the shell is placed in the direction of the visitor, VIP, honored guest etc.
I do not see why it would be inappropriate for you to make one.
I bow to whatever @kasa_balavu recommends however.

That's pretty cool with the visitor bit. Goes right in line with kava being for people to come together!

 

[kasa_balavu]

@Alia is correct. It's for use in traditional ceremonies. Not used during recreational kava drinking.
Fijian tanoas have a face (mata-ni-tanoa), the triangular panel to which the coconut fibre rope (magimagi) is attached.

You can see in this pic found via a quick Google, the welcome ceremony for Queen Elizabeth on her first visit to Fiji. As an aside, the pox on Alamy for trying to claim rights to a public domain photo.

I don't see any problem with you making one for your tanoa. At the very least it'll make a conversation piece.
There are overly woke people online in Fiji just as there are everywhere else, but IMO if you go through the trouble of making it, and respect the culture around it, I don't see how that could be a bad thing. Go ahead

 

[nabanga]

I have a few in storage in NZ, but have this turtle shaped one here in Laos - it has a small silver presentation plate from 1961

 

[kasa_balavu]

Here's a photo taken last week of a traditional ceremony at Naroi village on Moala Island in the Lau Group of Fiji.

 

[kavakarma]

The string is long, and the group tight together. Knowing this, I would feel invited to join in for a shell if I saw a group gathered around a tanoa with a shell stretching out towards me like that.