Lisa Black Jewellery

Turtle Shell 'Paya' Rings / Conus and Spondylus

Representative of connection from the natural to the mystical world, the wearing, trading and general use of adornment was a significant aspect of tribal life. Hand fashioned turtle shell and seashell (spondylus and conus) were widely incorporated into objects of beauty and ritual throughout the coastal regions of Papua New Guinea and the South Pacific Islands. In fact, ancient cultures have used these sea-like resources as adornment for time immemorial.

In addition these elements – specifically turtle shell rings, called ‘Paya’, and crafted shell fragments -were part of a whole barter-based economic system for the early South Pacific islanders. Called ‘Kula’, theses objects would accrue ‘mana’ (power and energy) over time and application. They would often indicate clan affiliations and help to establish ancestral links. The more sophisticated and finely crafted the item, the longer maintained within the ‘Kula’ system and the more prized and sought after by island nobility.

PNG Tete Seed

These unusual seeds were originally part of rattle-like wrist ornaments called ‘Tete,’ used extensively on the Santa Catalina Island in the Eastern Solomons. These particular seeds were collected in the late 19th century. Ornaments of this kind were used extensively for ritual ceremony and celebration throughout Island cultures.

PNG Rare Banana Seed

Ensete spp of family Musaceae, are extremely rare seeds from an unusual type of banana tree collected in the far reaches of highland New Guinea. These seeds were often used as currency and even more often as body ornament for ritual and ceremonial occasions. Body ornament was a primary focus of artistic expression among the Highland New Guinea people. Seeds such as these were often worn during clan festivals and would reflect group solidarity and depict prestige and power. Each community has its own language of body adornment to illustrate its clan wealth and attractiveness to others.