Tonga, Polynesia
18th to early 19th century
Hardwood
Length: 31 1/2 in.
80 cm
Provenance: Charles Ashby, Staines, England; Curtis Museum, Alton, Hampshire, England; Robert Hales, London
The paki is a wooden dance paddle used in the Meʻetuʻupaki, a formal Tongan group dance in which male performers twirl and slap the paddles in coordinated sequences. Objects produced for this ceremony were made with stone and shell tools, placing this example within an early period of Tongan paddle production. The provenance passes from Charles Ashby in England through the Curtis Museum in Hampshire and later to Robert Hales in London.
The paddle is shaped from a single piece of hardwood, with a broad rounded blade, waisted medial section, and slender handle ending in a small knop. A band of incised triangular motifs appears above the arched medial ridge, a decorative feature noted as uncommon in paki of this period. The wood has developed a deep reddish-brown patina consistent with age, handling, and long preservation.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Tonga, Polynesia
18th to early 19th century
Hardwood
Length: 31 1/2 in.
80 cm
Provenance: Charles Ashby, Staines, England; Curtis Museum, Alton, Hampshire, England; Robert Hales, London
The paki is a wooden dance paddle used in the Meʻetuʻupaki, a formal Tongan group dance in which male performers twirl and slap the paddles in coordinated sequences. Objects produced for this ceremony were made with stone and shell tools, placing this example within an early period of Tongan paddle production. The provenance passes from Charles Ashby in England through the Curtis Museum in Hampshire and later to Robert Hales in London.
The paddle is shaped from a single piece of hardwood, with a broad rounded blade, waisted medial section, and slender handle ending in a small knop. A band of incised triangular motifs appears above the arched medial ridge, a decorative feature noted as uncommon in paki of this period. The wood has developed a deep reddish-brown patina consistent with age, handling, and long preservation.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
