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Complete blubber spade. Manufactured from iron, now heavily corroded. The base of the blubber spade appears to have the remains of the original shaft remaining in the hollow with two original screws. The proximal end has a curled lip, partially broken. There is a slight longitudinal ridge on both sides of the flat of the blade where the handle meets the blade. The cutting edge is sharp and curved.

Kete. Square in shape. Woven from undyed muka. Fringe attached with double pair twine to front and back of both side edges. Fringe along base formed from warps, with extra weft thread inserted along basal weft row for decorative purposes. Warps held together with double pair twine. Decorated with turquoise and purple fibre circles, which are faded. These are formed by the insertion of two additional coloured weft threads to top and bottom of every 7th weft stitch - undulating effect of each thread forms circle. Top edge frayed badly. No handles.

Beaded woman's circlet headband

Beaded woman's circlet headband

The canine teeth of the Clouded leopard, native to Sarawak, were highly prized by the Iban., They were often fashioned into men’s ear ornaments such as this beaded ear ornament. The skins of the Clouded leopard were used as ceremonial coats and seating mats. Today, the Clouded leopard is listed as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as its numbers have declined due to hunting and illegal poaching.

Complete composite fishhook. Shank is manufactured from a boar tusk. Point is manufactured from an iron nail bent inwards at the base and then straight at the tip. The tip is attached to the point with muka. There is twisted muka at the proximal end of the shank for the line, with a knot at the end.

Cut pile embroidered raffia cloth., These textiles are made by the Kuba people of the Kasai river area of Central Zaire. A plain weave raffia fabric was woven by the men and embroidered by the women with great accuracy and skill. The fine lines of the design are stitched with dyed raffia and the pile areas are stitched with groups of fine raffia fibres which are then cut to short even lengths. The abstract designs are often similar to wood carvings, house decorations and the ritual body scars of both men and women. These cloths display wealth and prestige on ceremonial occasions. They assume great importance at funerals where they reaffirm enduring social relationships and, as burial cloths, indicate adherence to belief in after life.

Complete kaitaka patea cloak. Woven from muka (flax fibre) with horizontal aho (wefts). Narrow wool taniko borders on the side edges and a broad border on the bottom. Taniko is woven in black and white chevron and diamond pattern, with triangles in red, pink, green, and blue; faded throughout. The body of the cloak and the top border are undecorated.

Broken ribbonwood piupiu. A section of proper left tags missing. The tags have been arranged in alternating vertical lines of undyed and dyed (red and dark purple) bands. These tags are accompanied by four 3 ply whiri (plaits). The proper left whiri is missing. The whiri are dyed red and purple, with one whenu (strand) left undyed. The waistband is approximately 7cm wide with three weft weaves. The front of the waistband has been covered with a decorative twill (diagonal weave). The waistband has a decorative edging at the top, attached using cotton thread. At each end of the waistband a 4 ply whiri extension of different fibre has been attached. One detached tag accompanies the garment.

Kete containing five kahawai lures. Kete is in the style of an envelope with a V-shaped fold-over flap. Made of unscraped flax in a pattern created by changing direction of basic over two, under two plait. Made as a tube, cast off along upper edge, opening and flap, by folding over and through other strands. Final bringing together of sides along base. Twisted muka cord attached to corners and at centre of flap. All five kahawai lures: Curved wooden shank with shell inlay. Curved bone point with internal barb attached with muka at the base and with a cord at the head. B and F have some organic material, possibly part of a feather quill also lashed at the base. C, D, and E have metal wire lashed at the base in addition to the muka lashings.