Researching Kiribati Objects in the Oberlin College Ethnographic Collection
Location
PANEL: Archaeology and Geology at Oberlin and Abroad
Wilder Hall 101
Document Type
Presentation - Open Access
Start Date
5-13-2022 4:00 PM
End Date
5-13-2022 5:30 PM
Abstract
The Oberlin College Ethnographic Collection (OCEC) includes a number of items from the Micronesian country of Kiribati that were acquired by three Oberlin-graduate Christian missionaries in the late 1800’s and subsequently given to the now defunct Oberlin College Museum. The goal of my project is to analyze these objects and learn more about how they were used in their original cultural contexts in Kiribati as well as how they were collected and brought to Oberlin. During the latter half of the 19th century, Kiribati society and culture were altered by increasing colonial forces including presence of Christain missionaries in the islands, and the histories of these objects reflect this period. The riri, one of the objects in the collection, is a grass skirt that exemplifies the changes in Kiribati life through alterations in its form and use. Other objects in the collection include pieces of weapons or armor which provide insight on how warfare was conducted in Kiribati. The barantauti, for example, was a helmet made of an inflated porcupine fish that served both as armor and a source of intimidation. Shark-toothed implements were used to mutilate opponents, leaving scars that were the signature look of experienced fighters. Together, the objects offer a rich source of information on the dynamics of i-Kiribati communities during a period of rapid cultural change.
Keywords:
Kiribati, Micronesia, Material culture
Recommended Citation
Kozenski, Phillip, "Researching Kiribati Objects in the Oberlin College Ethnographic Collection" (2022). Research Symposium. 6.
https://digitalcommons.oberlin.edu/researchsymp/2022/presentations/6
Project Mentor(s)
Amanda Schmidt, Archaeological Studies
Amy Margaris, Archaeological Studies
2022
Researching Kiribati Objects in the Oberlin College Ethnographic Collection
PANEL: Archaeology and Geology at Oberlin and Abroad
Wilder Hall 101
The Oberlin College Ethnographic Collection (OCEC) includes a number of items from the Micronesian country of Kiribati that were acquired by three Oberlin-graduate Christian missionaries in the late 1800’s and subsequently given to the now defunct Oberlin College Museum. The goal of my project is to analyze these objects and learn more about how they were used in their original cultural contexts in Kiribati as well as how they were collected and brought to Oberlin. During the latter half of the 19th century, Kiribati society and culture were altered by increasing colonial forces including presence of Christain missionaries in the islands, and the histories of these objects reflect this period. The riri, one of the objects in the collection, is a grass skirt that exemplifies the changes in Kiribati life through alterations in its form and use. Other objects in the collection include pieces of weapons or armor which provide insight on how warfare was conducted in Kiribati. The barantauti, for example, was a helmet made of an inflated porcupine fish that served both as armor and a source of intimidation. Shark-toothed implements were used to mutilate opponents, leaving scars that were the signature look of experienced fighters. Together, the objects offer a rich source of information on the dynamics of i-Kiribati communities during a period of rapid cultural change.
