I- Kiribati Tetoanea / Tewinnarei / Rere (Shark Tooth Sword)

  • I- Kiribati Tetoanea / Tewinnarei / Rere (Shark Tooth Sword)

  • I- Kiribati Tetoanea / Tewinnarei / Rere (Shark Tooth Sword)

  • I- Kiribati Tetoanea / Tewinnarei / Rere (Shark Tooth Sword)

  • I- Kiribati Tetoanea / Tewinnarei / Rere (Shark Tooth Sword)

  • I- Kiribati Tetoanea / Tewinnarei / Rere (Shark Tooth Sword)

  • I- Kiribati Tetoanea / Tewinnarei / Rere (Shark Tooth Sword)

  • I- Kiribati Tetoanea / Tewinnarei / Rere (Shark Tooth Sword)

  • I- Kiribati Tetoanea / Tewinnarei / Rere (Shark Tooth Sword)

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I- Kiribati Tetoanea / Tewinnarei / Rere (Shark Tooth Sword)
I- Kiribati Culture / Austronesian
Marshall Islands or Surrounding Area
Late 19th - Early 20th century (ca. 1890 - 1925)
Coconut palm wood, shark teeth, palm fiber, human hair
Shark Tooth Club: 51,cm
Shark Tooth Club & Handle: 69,5cm
Collection Date: 2020
Collection Number: 138

A shark tooth sword from the I-Kiribati cultures of Micronesia known as tetoanea and/or tewinnarei. The Te Papa National Museum in Wellington, New Zealand, terms their example as "rere" or shark tooth sword. They are part of a larger group of traditional weaponry including clubs, knives, swords, and spears that incorporate shark teeth used in the I-Kiribati culture throughout the indigenous Tungaru Islands, now known as the Gilbert Islands and the outer islands. Shark teeth were important culturally and were the main implement of defense in ritual duels held to defend honor and settle disputes.

The club is composed of coconut palm wood comprised of three rows of reed, each with two spines interconnected with studded shark teeth attached (often tiger shark or grey nurse shark). Each tooth is drilled and fixed by sennit and human hair binding. At the base above the handle is a section of finely interwoven palm fiber (te koro) and human hair. There is an old museum accession collection label attached to the handle reading, "Sharks's Tooth Sword Marshall Islands (?) '47-43-1". The accession number verifying the object was cataloged in 1947, which is reasonable to assume a World War II bring back. The club itself can be much older though, corresponding to the late 19th century to the earlier part of the 20th century as it shows age, patina, and wear. There are losses of teeth, broken teeth, and the very top of the club is broken (old breakage). Regardless, it remains a unique club with good age, is somewhat uncommon, and displays the I-Kiribati craftsmanship and culture associated with the warriors of Micronesia.

Photograph 7: Two Kiribati Warriors, Gilbert Islands, late 19th century.