Shell Breaking/ Mourning ceremony (Distributing the legacy to the community)
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This is the ‚Aminamai’ mourning ceremony for Lua Akuila, Tolai clan. The 4-500 guests bewail the death of Lua’s brother Oliver, who passed away 2 months ago by the age of 52. His clan also contributes shell money for all the guests, so they’ve waited with the mourning ceremony until enough shell money collected. Some had it ready, others needed to exchange it first with Kina. The heirs of a dead person’s wealth are his community! When a ‚big man’ (a ‚Amelem’ in tolai language) dies, his Tabu wheels (Agogo) will be broken up, his clan and all the present mourners are the recipients of the Tabu. Tabu is based on a spiritual concept and fulfills an essential task when someone passes away. Regarding the Tolai’s ancient belief system it plays an important role in the successful conversion of a dead person into the "abode of spirits". Hence, the goal of a Tolai is to accumulate as much shell money as possible during a lifetime.
Oliver’s whole wealth in shell money will be divided through the attending crowd. His legacy won’t go to the family, but his whole community. Back in the days this was all the material fortune of a person. If someone ran out of shell money, they’d have to harvest new one or barter within the village-community (by maintaining a garden and growing something). Nowadays, you’ll buy it with cash.
After the Arip-bundles have been symbolically thrown at the attending Tubuans, the ladies of Oliver’s clan start throwing smaller cuts of shell-strings to the 4-500 guests. Then, the whole crowd (now in possession of shells) starts bartering around. Especially the children are excited and roam the yard buying ice-cream for Tabu, chips for Tabu, Donuts for Tabu etc. The honoring system during a ‚Aminamai’ goes both ways; The attendees show sorrow for the loss to the dead person’s family by contributing shell money, in return, they’ll also be given shell money as an act of gratitude for attending the ceremony.
- Filename
- PNG-East_New_Britain-Tabu-Shell_Money-979.jpg
- Copyright
- Claudio Sieber
- Image Size
- 5847x3903 / 18.7MB
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Asia Pacific Papua New Guinea East New Britain Tabu Shell Money Coastal Area Sea Ocean Oceanic Art Community Tolai Ethnicity Tolai Remote Rural Complementary currency Provincial Island Nassariidae shells Culture Custom Tradition Barter bride price cult funeral tribal ceremony mourning tribute honor gathering Shell Breaking wealth distributing the legacy to the community legacy
- Contained in galleries
- PNG - ENB - Shell Money Project - Funeral Shell Breaking