fish-hook('makau')
- Museum number
- Oc,HAW.62
- Description
-
Carved shark fish-hook 'makau' of bone, twine, bounded olona fibre cord. Two barbs: one on the inner side and the other on the outer, at a lower lovel. To the end of the shank is attached with fine close-meshed olona network a length of cord of round section bound transversely with twine whipping.
- Production date
- 18thC (before 1780)
- Dimensions
-
Length: 23 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Information from Pacific Art in Detail: In Hawai'i, chiefs were called 'sharks that walk on the land'. Both chiefs and sharks were powerful with close connections to the gods. Shark fishing, with hooks was the elite preserve of chiefs.
When Captain Cook and his crew - first europeans to land in Hawai'i - arrived in 1778, the Hawaiians traded for goods and gave high-class gifts. This bone hook appears to have been one of them. It was brought back to London after Cook died in Hawai'i.
(See also Oc1987,Q.11)
This wooden hook was made from a branch that has been tied to grow into a curve. It is pointed with human bone, for the power (mana) it possesses.
- Location
- On display (G1/fc22)
- Exhibition history
-
Exhibited:
1975 – 1985 12 Dec-23 Jun, London, BM, Museum of Mankind, Hawaii
1979 – 1980 15 Feb-29 Sept, London, BM, Museum of Mankind, Captain Cook in the South Seas (temporarily removed from Museum of Mankind, Hawaii exhibition 1975 – 1985)
- Acquisition date
- 1780-1800
- Acquisition notes
- Collected on one of Cook's voyages, likely the third voyage (1776-1780). Register slip comment: 'Supposed to hve been brought by Captn Cook'.
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Oc,HAW.62
- Additional IDs
-
CDMS number: Oc17??D6.62 (old CDMS no.)